Central Heating.

In cold weather keep your heating on low to avoid burst pipes. Turning your boiler on and off wastes more energy as it takes time to get to a working temperature. Condensing boilers are very efficient and can run at a low tempature saving you money.

‘Bleed’ radiators from time to time to remove unwanted air from your heating system and keep your radiators working at their maximum output. The heating system should be switched off when you do this so that more air isn’t drawn into the system also to prevent damage to the pump.

Frozen Condense Pipe? First check the right size pipe has been fitted if running outside, this should be at least 1” ¼ (32mm) to prevent freezing, the pipe should also have a slight fall and lagged.

Re ‘hammering water pipes’. This is caused by a pressure build up of water in the pipes/ pipes not clipped. The simplest solution is to turn down your water pressure at the stop-cock

Frozen Pipes. One of the best ways to melt the ice in frozen pipes is to put   hot water bottles over them. Also using a hair-dryer is good as well.

Changing Taps. When taking a tap apart, always keep the plug in, to prevent anything useful falling down the plug hole.

Showers. If the water pressure is very poor in your shower it may be due to lime-scale build up. If you live in a hard water area you should clean your shower heads every three months or so. If the scale is too bad it may be an idea to get either a new hose, or a new shower head. A water softener can be installed to prevent build up in your pipes.

PTFE Tape. Remember to use PTFE tape when fixing a leak or making joints. The tape should be wrapped around the thread of the pipe.  Clockwise when viewed from the end of the pipe is the correct way to put it on. This stops the tape from coming off when fitted.

Leaky Cistern. A clever way of checking to see if your cistern is leaking is to put in some food coloring.

Leaky Toilets. If you think that your toilet might be leaking slightly, check to see if the problem is not due to condensation before calling out a plumber. If you have condensation problems they can be solved by improved ventilation when bathing or showering.