How can you find a reliable plumber?

When you need a plumber in your home it can be a worry that the work carried out may not be up to standard or may be very costly. If it’s essential work you may find time is of the essence therefore you need to find a plumber quickly. So how do you do this ensuring the person you find is reputable?

One way is to ask for recommendations on social media, these could be on your personal account or on a local community group. Often people will recommend their own businesses on here so it’s always worth checking and maybe specifically asking people for tradespeople they have used themselves in the past.

You could also use a website where tradespeople are rated and can bid for your job. These are good as you will get a competitive price up front for the work and you can also read through reviews that past customers have given the plumber.   

Never feel under pressure by a tradesperson being in your home and if you are unsure about the advice they are giving you, don’t be afraid to get a second opinion. Make it clear from the start that any work carried out will need to be okayed by you first, that way you won’t be landed with any unexpected fees.

Apr 07 2022
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How to get your home more energy efficient

The cost of living is rising massively at the moment and domestic fuel prices are one of the areas that has seen the biggest increase. Many people can expect their fuel bills to double by the end of the year making for a very hard winter for many when they may have to make the choice between being cold or risking huge bills.

It is important to try and find ways to ensure that you keep your heating costs down to a minimum and there are several ways in which you can do this. One of the cheapest and quickest ways to do this is to turn your thermostats down just a couple of degrees. You may be surprised just how much money this can save over the course of a year. Next you should ensure that all your light bulbs are LED. LED’s use a lot less electricity than halogen bulbs and therefore cost less to run. Again, this can have quite a big impact on your bills.

Ensuring you have adequate insulation in your loft is again not too expensive but can help retain the heat meaning you don’t have to have your heating on for as long thus saving money.

Mar 28 2022
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What to do if your radiators are not working efficiently

Most people rely on their home heating system working properly at this time of the year and it can be frustrating when there are issues with it such as the boiler failing to light or the radiators not warming up enough. There are however a few easy steps that can be taken to minimise the risk of problems with the heating system in your home.

Having the boiler regularly serviced can prevent it breaking down in many cases as parts that are old can be replaced and it can be flushed out to stop blockages occurring. The boiler should be serviced annually by a gas safe registered engineer if it is a gas boiler and by an expert in oil boilers if you have an oil fired boiler.

The whole system should have an additive added to it to help prevent build up in the pipe work which can cause the radiators to not work efficiently.

Air in the heating system is a common problem for many householders and is often evident when radiators have cold patches on them. Bleeding the radiators by using a special key on the valve at the top of the radiator should rectify the problem but if it continues to be a problem it is a good idea to get a plumber or heating engineer to investigate the causes.

Jan 14 2022
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Keeping your home warm whilst keeping your bills down

The cold weather has certainly hit us now but with the rising energy prices, we are all aware about the cost of heating out homes and looking for ways in which we can reduce our usage. Although you want to try and keep your bills as low as possible, it is also important to make sure that you are warm. This is especially true if you are elderly or vulnerable or if you have very young children who cannot regulate their body temperature as much and may not be able to tell you if they are cold.

Try and work out the best time to put the heating on. It may be that you manage throughout the day and only det it to come on in the evening when the temperature drops even more. When you do put it on, be sure to turn off any radiators in rooms that do not need to be heated as this will help same the amount of gas central heating you need to use. You may find that you only need to put the heating on for an hour or so as this could be enough to keep the rooms warm throughout the night. You want to ensure that you retain the heat as much as possible. Closing doors is a great way to keep the heat in. You should also try and close curtains and put curtains across doors that lead to the outside to help reduce the amount of heat wasted.

Dec 22 2021
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Are electric fires a good option for your home?

Gas heating prices are going up again and this may mean that you are trying to be extra cautious when it comes to using your central heating If you only need to heat one room, it may seem silly putting the heating system on and heating the entire house.

Electric fires can help to heat a room quickly and don’t have to look old fashioned. There are a number of different types of electric fires now on the market. Historically electric fires were often found in the homes of older people, with the traditional two bars running along the front and often some charcoal effect plastic display. Now you can pick up a number of different types of fires that will complement any home. You can get LED fires which can look great in a modern setting, some of which have LED flames, colour changing backlights as well as the heating function.

If you want something a little more traditional then an electrical wood burning fire may be perfect for you and your home. These fires can look very realistic and to the untrained eye you may not realise at first that the flames are simply a lighting effect.

Nov 29 2021
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