Our Blog has Moved!

We're pleased to say that our blog has finally moved to it's new destination - the Maintracts website! Make sure you book mark our blogs new home to keep up with the latest news, advice and opinion from Maintracts.

Create a Fire Escape Plan

Every home should have a fire escape plan. We hope you’ll never have to use it, but being prepared will ensure you and those who live with you can quickly put a plan in to action if needed.

If you are worried about putting a plan together yourself, you can always speak to your local fire and rescue service who will be able to help for free, but if you would like to create your own then you can incorporate these tips in to your plan.

If you would like to create your own plan it’s best to plan with everyone you live with, including your children, to ensure that you all understand the it.

Make sure you have, if possible, two escape routes and that they are clear from any blockages (not blocked with boxes or bicycles or chained/padlocked). If the windows have locks makes sure that the keys are easily accessible.

You need to make sure that you have a room that you can all go to should the worse happen and you can’t get out in the event of a fire. If possible, the room should have a phone and if they are old enough, your children should know your address and how to call the emergency services.

If you are in a room and you haven’t been able to call 999, open a window and draw attention to yourselves. If you need to break the window, use a heavy object and strike the glass in the corner.

Only escape from a window if you are in immediate danger.

When in the room, use clothes and bedding to stop smoke coming through the bottom of the door before you start to leave the room. If there are two adults and children, ensure that one adult leaves first to help with lowering the children. Do not jump if possible, throw mattresses and cushions on to the floor to lower yourself on to.

We hope that you never find yourself in a situation where you will need a fire escape plan, but if you do, we hope that these tips will help. For further fire safety advice please visit the Fire Service website.

Read our article on fire safety in the home for top tips on how to prevent a fire happening in the first place.

Fire Safety in the Home

There were 39,600 house fires in Great Britain between April 2013 and March 2014, which resulted in 9,748 casualties and 258 deaths.  Of those deaths, 85% were accidental*. House fires are all too common and while they aren't 100% preventable, they can be greatly reduced by following a few simple steps.

The most common causes of fires in the home are:

• Failure to maintain electronic appliances
• Failure to service gas appliances annually
• Unattended or careless cooking
• Candles or open flames
• Plug overload
• Smoking indoors
• Electronic circuit overload
• No smoke alarms or alarms not working

To ensure that you are on top of your fire safety you should do the following:

• Put a fire extinguisher and fire blanket in your kitchen (make sure that the extinguisher is for kitchen fires)
• Keep your stove top and oven free of grease – build up can cause fires
• Do not smoke in the house
• Clean wood burning fireplaces after each use
• Turn off any appliances that do not need to be on at night or when you go out/on holiday
• Don’t overload electrical circuits
• Keep combustible items away from appliances 
• Vacuum dust from outside smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
• Tests your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors once a month
• Clean lint from your tumble dryers
• Do not use electrical items with broken wires
• Practice your fire escape plan with everyone in your house and have at least two exits

By following these steps you can help reduce the possibility of fire in the home. Next week we will look at how to create a fire escape plan.

* Department for Communities and Local Government

Show your Heating Some Love

Spring has well and truly sprung, so why not thank your heating for keeping you warm over the last few months and give it a service ready for next winter? While it's important to ensure that any major work is completed by a professional, there are a few things you'll be able to do yourself.

Bleed your radiators

You should bleed your radiators once a year or when they feel hot at the bottom and cold at the top. If you don't do this then your radiators won't heat up properly and you'll waste money and energy. Before you bleed your radiators make sure you turn off your boiler and have some rags handy to catch any water that comes out. Using a bleed key, slowly open the valve at the top of the radiator.

You'll start to hear a hissing sound as air escapes - keep the valve open until the air has stopped completely. If you have a combi boiler make sure you adjust the pressure after you've bled your radiator, otherwise the boiler will not run correctly. If you've bled your radiator and it's still not performing correctly call your local plumber.

Insulate pipes

It's really important that you insulate your pipes and water tank, it's inexpensive and will save you money and energy. You can buy foam insulation from any hardware store; simply slip it around your pipes and secure it with gaffer tape. For your boiler you'll need a hot-water tank jacket.

If a year has passed and you haven't had your annual gas check and boiler service, make sure that you get one arranged ASAP, or if you are an tenant, speak to your landlord. By doing these three simple things you will save money, save energy and be ready for next winter.

Image

Happy Easter - Open all Weekend

We hope that you'll have a great Easter weekend with friends and family, but if you find that you have any problems with your boiler, heating, gas, plumbing or electrics, be rest assured that we will be here for you - even on Good Friday and Bank Holiday Monday. If you have an emergency call us on 020 8682 2244.

Our Latest Reviews

We pride ourselves on giving the best service possible to our customers and we love it when we get a great review, so we thought we'd take a moment and share some of our favourite reviews on Checkatrade. 

"Paul has always provided a high standard of service and is keen to solve problems."
"Excellent service, very polite and efficient."
"Very efficient and friendly service."
"Very professional service, would use again for sure."
"Always superb. Polite and excellent, terrific people."
"Efficient, speedy and clean service, would recommend."
"Excellent, timely and very good communication around faults and repairs. Would recommend."
"Exceeded my expectations. Excellent."

You can see all of our reviews on our Checkatrade page and leave feedback! Let us know if you think we did a great job.

What's the Right Boiler for You?

Buying a new gas boiler can be a daunting experience. Not only will it probably be one of the most expensive items you'll ever buy for your home, there are numerous brands and types on the market to chose from.

The first thing to mention is that it is vital that your boiler installation is completed by a professional and if it's a gas boiler you must hire a Gas Safe Registered engineer.

Once installation is complete they will supply you with a certificate to prove that the equipment has been tested and complies with all safety standards. Your boiler MUST then be serviced every year by a Gas Safe Registered Engineer.

Combi Boilers can be gas or electric and provide unlimited hot water and heat. You don't need a tank in your loft and they don't take up much space. The main downside is that water pressure may drop if you need hot water from more than one tap.

System boilers, or sealed boilers, come with a water cylinder that normally sits in an airing cupboard and has no water tank. Because there's no water tank it takes up less space and you can get water from more than one tap at a time. System boilers are a bit slower though and you won't get hot water straight away. Once it runs out you will have to wait until it reheats and although you don't need a tank, you will need to find room for the cylinder.

Conventional boilers have a cylinder and a tank and will allow you to get water from multiple taps at the same time, however like system boilers, once the hot water runs out you have to wait for it to reheat. Not only that, you need to find room for the cylinder AND the tank.

Condensing boilers are energy efficient because they capture some of the heat that would have escaped from the flue and reuse it. So you get more heat from the same amount of fuel, meaning you will save money.

Most UK households use gas heating, but what alternatives are there for the estimated 4.3 million households (source Which?) that are not connected to the UK's gas network? Other options include oil burners, liquid petroleum gas, wood burning stoves or electric.

When installing your new boiler make sure to speak to your engineer about heating controls, as this would be a good time to look at replacing them. Modern heating controls are an excellent way to manage heating costs as you can not only control the temperature, you can go as far as managing the heat in each room on some systems.

If you would like to find out more about replacing your boiler then please call us on 020 8682 2244.

Landlords Required to Install Carbon Monoxide Alarms

Landlords will be expected by law to install both fire and Carbon Monoxide alarms in their properties. 

The announcement, which was made this week by Housing Minister Brandon Lewis, is expected to help prevent up to 36 deaths and 1,375 injuries a year. Known as the silent killer, you can not see, taste or smell Carbon Monoxide, and symptoms can easily be confused with the flu.

The new law, which is expected to take effect from October from 2015, has caused some debate in the landlord world. Questions have been raised, such as why is the law just applicable for tenant properties and not home owners and what if the homes energy is electric?

Landlords are already required by law to arrange annual gas checks for all of their properties; what we can all agree is that installing CO alarms is another great step towards protecting tenants and WILL save lives.

If you would like to arrange a gas check please get in touch.

Electrical Visual Checks

Following on from last weeks article about electrical safety and tenant rights, we're looking at the visual checks you can make at home to protect you and those who live with you.

While we advise that you should always ask a professional to repair electrical faults, there are things you can do to prevent potentially dangerous situations at home.

• Never overload your plug sockets
• Look for scorch marks around plugs and sockets - this is a sign of an electrical problem
• Make sure that all leads are not damaged (be sure to check on a regular basis if you have pets that like to chew wires!)
• Check that your sockets and plugs are not damaged
• Do not store flammable items around your electrical meter, fusebox or electrical intake
• Do not place cables under carpets or rugs
• Never take mains powered items into the bathroom
• Always switch off electrical items when they are not in use
• Don't place electrical items near water
• Do not store anything on top of the microwave

If you find that you have an electrical problem please contact us for further advice.

Faulty Electrics in Rented Accommodation

There are approximately 70 deaths and 350,000 injuries in UK homes caused by faulty electrics and electrical equipment every year and if you live in a rented property, statistics show that you are at a higher risk of electric shock.

While it's clear that gas safety is a landlords responsibility, there seems to be a blurred line when it comes to who is responsible for electrical safety in rented accommodation. While tenants are responsible for the electrical appliances that they own, did you know that by law your landlord must ensure that electrical installations and wiring are maintained throughout your tenancy?

Whether you are moving in to new rented accommodation or learning about this for the first time, you can ask your landlord for an Electrical Installation Condition Report (which confirms that all electrical installations have been assessed and are safe to use). It is recommended by Electrical Safety First that this inspection takes places every five years OR when tenants change. They must also have certification confirming that any recent electrical work meets the UK national standards BS 7671.

If you have a problem and your landlord is not cooperating you must contact your local authority who will help. It is a landlord's legal obligation to ensure that their tenants are safe.

Most importantly - do not attempt electrical repairs yourself. Please contact your landlord who should arrange a visit from your local electrician.

(Information and statistics: Electrical Safety First).

Spring Cleaning Checklist

Easter is not far away, which means spring cleaning and home renovations are on many peoples to do lists. To help you plan the big clean, we've come up with our  very own to-do list to help you kick things off.

Dusting: Make sure that aside from the obvious areas, you dust around skirting boards, light fixtures and lamps, ceiling fans, in between blind slats, bannisters, picture frames, air vents and ceiling corners.

Vacuum: Carpets, rugs, upholstery, curtains, pet beds and behind large items of furniture.

Boiler: If it's been a year (or more) since your last boiler service, schedule one now.

Guttering: Clear all guttering, check for blockages and leaks.

Wash: Doors, windows, walls, blinds, light shades, curtains, carpet, air vents, fridge, cupboards, banisters, ovens and microwaves.

Descale: Kettle, sink, taps and shower heads.

Polish: Furniture, glassware, silverware, picture frames, flooring and mirrors.

Touch up: Clean scuffs on walls and touch up paint, remove damp and mould, repair damaged upholstery,

Furniture: Condition leather, deep clean fabric upholstery (including foot stools and pet beds), wash all cushions and blankets.

Replace: Broken light bulbs, batteries in smoke detectors, batteries in carbon monoxide detectors and extractor fan filters.

Clear out: Sell unwanted items online or donate to charity, recycle broken electrical items, check garage and loft space for unwanted items.

We may not have covered everything, but we think this is enough to get you going!

Images by Sanja Gjenero

How to Keep the Warmth in

The cold weather isn't backing down, so here are some of our quick and affordable tips on how to keep the warmth in your home this weekend.

If you have an unused chimney it is worth getting a chimney balloon. At around £20, these balloons will inflate and stop a large amount of heat being lost - just remember to remove the balloon before you use your fire again!

Draft excluders are a simple and inexpensive way to keep your home warm. Look for key areas that might be letting cold air in - such as front and garden doors.  You can use ones that are long cushions or brush excluders that are attached to the bottom of your door.

Place heat reflective tin foil behind your radiators (especially those attached to external walls) to reduce heat loss and reflect it back in to the room. You can get the heat reflective foil for as little as £10, but standard tin foil can be used too (just not as effective).

Move your furniture! If you have large items of furniture blocking your radiators then you need to move them - they can absorb the heat. You can also place shelving above your radiator to stop the heat from rising.

If you are still finding that your home is cold then you may need to have your heating and your boiler serviced. If you would like to find out more then please get in touch.

Image: Andrew Beierle

Cold Homes Week 2015

The UK has some of the most energy inefficient homes in Europe. Heat escaping from windows, doors and walls, leads to higher energy bills, unheated homes, ill health and even death - that's why we're supporting Cold Homes Week 2015. 

Created by the Energy Bill Revolution, Cold Homes Week aims to raise awareness about the struggle millions face every winter to keep their families and homes warm. 25,000 people die every year in the winter months and a third of the deaths are due to living in cold homes - that's four times more than the number of people who die every year on British roads*, but it doesn't have to be that way.

You can support the campaign by visiting the Cold Homes Week website and seeing if your local MP is in support of fairer fuel prices and warmer homes. There is still time to show your support, so don't delay and message your MP today!

*Energy Bill Revolution

Which? Energy Customer Satisfaction Survey 2015

It’s that time of year again! Which? have released the results of their annual energy customer satisfaction survey 2015, and just like last year, the UK’s big suppliers have found themselves at the bottom of the pile.

The smaller energy firms are yet again rocking at the top of the table, with Ecotricity at the top. Ecotricity, Good Energy, Ebico, Ovo Energy, Utility Warehouse and Flow Energy are the top six energy firms in the survey, showing that the smaller providers aren't backing down.

All six providers scored over 70% in the survey:

• 84% Ecotricity
• 82% Good Energy  
• 81% Ebico  
• 80% Ovo Energy  
• 76% Utility Warehouse
• 73% Flow Energy

Npower came in at the bottom of the table at only 35% with Scottish Power, EDF, British Gas, Spark Energy, Eon and SSE closely following at the bottom of the table.

You can see the full results here, and if you are thinking of changing suppliers visit Which? Switch and start saving money.

Image: Billy Alexander

Dealing with Frozen Pipes

The UK weather has been somewhat unpredictable in recent weeks with glorious sun turning in to freak snow falls in the blink of an eye. Aside from worrying about whether or not you should put on your snow boots, you need to make sure your home can handle the shock changes in the weather.

One thing that can truly suffer from the extreme cold weather is pipes. When water freezes in pipes it creates immense pressure and can cause them to rupture and spill a huge amount of water potentially causing great damage to your home.

The main places that your pipes are most at risk are in an unheated space, on an outside wall or connected to an outside sink, so what can you do to prevent or treat frozen pipes?

If your pipes are frozen but not burst there are a few things you can do to avoid them bursting. If you think that you have a frozen pipe then you must treat it straight away.

If your pipe has burst then turn off your water supply immediately.

• Turn on the tap that is connected to the frozen pipe.
• Follow the pipe to identify the frozen section. Sometimes the pipe will have ice on it or could be bulky, but sometimes the pipe may be concealed within a wall.
• If the frozen pipe is behind a wall turn up the heating and wait for it to take effect. If it doesn't work then you may want to speak to a professional for further advice.
• If the frozen pipe is exposed it's important to remember that when applying heat to the pipe make sure you open the faucet and work from the tap end towards the frozen area so that the water can slowly melt from the tap.
• Use a hairdryer first to melt the frozen water - if this doesn't work you can use heat lamps or portable heaters.
• If none of the above suggestions work then contact a professional for further advice.

Once you have dealt with your frozen pipe you need to make sure that it doesn't happen again:

• Insulate your pipes! If you have pipes that run through unheated areas makes sure they are protected from the freezing weather.
• Place a heater (if the pipe is in the house) in the space where the problem pipe is located.
• Wrap the pipe in electrical heat tape.

The most important things to remember are:

• If the pipe is swollen or burst turn off the water main source.
• If the pipe is behind a concealed wall and not defrosting contact a professional.
• Always defrost from the tap end of the frozen section first.

Images source

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2015...we hope that it will be an exciting and prosperous year for you all!

Have you made any resolutions? If you haven't then we have a perfect one for you - arrange a boiler service for your home. You may not think it's not a very exciting resolution to make, but it's quick and easy to arrange and will ensure that you, your family or your tenants are gas safe for the next 12 months.

We are open today, so pick up the phone and call 020 8682 2244 to arrange your boiler service.