Advice On Loft Insulation

This is one of a series of articles by the Plumber Chelmsford blog.

If you live in a home that is not insulated the chances are up to a quarter of the heat generated in your home disappears through the roof.  Many people fail to realise that insulating your loft doesn’t have to be a difficult task. It is a straightforward and very cost effective way to reduce your heating bills and something to be seriously considered at time when energy costs continue to rise.

The recommended depth of insulation for your loft is 270mm and industry research shows that on average a saving of £145 per year can be made based on a gas heated semi-detached house with three bedrooms.

To have loft insulation installed by someone else will cost around £250 and obviously you can reduce this cost if doing it yourself. In any event, loft insulation lasts over 40 years so making the investment will pay for itself time and time again.

As a general rule of thumb, your home will be suitable for loft insulation just so long as the loft is easily accessible. Even if it isn’t, the chances are that blown insulation could be used but this process has to be carried out by a professional installer.

A person with competent DIY skills may feel able to undertake the task themselves.  They would use loft insulation blankets or ‘quilts’ which basically have to be laid over the loft area. The job does have to be done to a good standard to avoid unnecessary waste. Don’t forget this can also be laid over any existing loft installation you have to boost your overall energy saving efforts.

Blown installation is installed by a professional and will involve specialist equipment which blows a loose fire proof material into the loft space.

Not only will loft installation save you money but you will effectively also be doing your bit for the environment. By saving energy you home will produce less carbon dioxide emissions that are one of the greatest causes of climate change.

It is also worth bearing in mind that you may be entitled to a government grant to help towards the cost of installing loft installation so be sure to check with your local authority.

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Fire Alarms - Why You Must Have One!

This is one of a series of articles provided by the Plumber Chelmsford blog.

Although their value is almost beyond measure, amazingly many people still do not have a fire alarm in their home. Every person’s number one DIY job in the home should be to install one.  In the event of a fire, this simple yet essential device could save the lives of your family. There is absolutely no excuse not to have a fire alarm in your home. They can be found at all good DIY stores and supermarkets, are cheap to buy and straight forward to install.

It will only take a few minutes to install and the only equipment you will need is a screwdriver. Then, you will simply need to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and attach it to the ceiling with the screws provided. Nearly all alarms require a battery and there will be a test button on the device to ensure that it is working correctly.

So how many fire alarms should you have? Well, obviously the more you have the safer your family will be but it is certainly advisable to have two.  You can then have one on each floor, probably on the ceilings in the hallway and landing. In most homes theses are usually the best places as they can be heard from as many different rooms as possible. It is also worth bearing in mind when you are selecting a location for your alarm that open fires and kitchens are likely to trigger them frequently. They should also be installed at least 25cm away from lights and walls.

If you are going to have just one smoke alarm, the best place to put it is on the ceiling at the top of the landing. This will ensure that it can be heard when people are asleep in their bedrooms.

Once installed it is then a question of maintaining the alarm properly. It should be tested every week by pressing the test button when the alarm should sound. A couple of times a year you will need to remove the casing and dust inside. Then, once a year the battery should be replaced or as recommended in the manufacturer’s instructions. After ten years, the alarm should be replaced completely.

In the event of a fire at your home, you are twice as likely to die if you do not have an alarm. Installing one will alert you to the dangers of fire and allow you vitally precious minutes that could save lives.

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How To Replace A Tap Washer

How To Save On Your Heating Bill

This is one of a series of articles provided by the Plumber Chelmsford blog.

Ever increasing energy costs have hit UK householders hard in recent years and there looks to be no respite in the immediate future. Heating your home has never been so expensive and government research shows that the energy costs eat into the average family budget like never before.

It has never been so important to keep the cost down, so how can you take simple steps to do just that.

Most people start thinking about switching their heating back on at the end of the summer and at the beginning of autumn. There is an urge to prolong the summer warmth in the home around October time when the nights draw in.  If you want to save money, the answer is to wait until the true cold weather kicks in, say by November or even December. The average household can save £19 per week by doing this.

When you finally decide it is time to switch on the boiler, turning down the temperature on the thermostat by 1 or 2 degrees lower than you would normally have it set at could save you 10% on your bill each month. Most homes in the UK have their thermostats set at around 20 degrees. Turning down to 17 or 18 degrees is unlikely to make any significant difference to the overall temperature in your home, particularly on warmer days, but will save you money.

Another energy money saving tip that is certain to work is to keep your bedrooms at a cooler temperature. If your bedroom radiators have thermostatic radiator valves turn them down to a low setting.  Scientific evidence proves that the human body is naturally inclined to go to sleep at lower temperatures so it makes sense to keep bedroom temperatures lower than the rest of the house. It will not only save you money but may also help those who struggle to get to sleep consistently.

For those wishing to make long term savings that will have a high impact on your bill for years to come, it will mean updating your central heating system with the latest technology. This is likely to involve hefty costs in the short term but the long term benefits will be significant.

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Tips On Dealing With Damp

This is part of a series of articles by the Plumber Chelmsford blog highlighting problems you may encounter at your home and tips on dealing with them. This one covers damp.

Because of the wet climate in the UK it is inevitable that many homes, especially older ones, will suffer with damp problems. That said, any home that is not cared for to a certain degree, could face problems caused by damp and if not addressed the consequences could be dire ranging from damage to furniture and interiors to major structural repairs.

Walls, in older houses in particular, are solid and this can encourage damp although poor maintenance is the ultimate cause.  The warning signs are usually obvious with a damp patch appearing inside the home.  Some of the most common places are a damp patch at the top of a chimney breast which is likely to mean a leak through the chimney stack. Damp near windows and doors are also common as well as at the top of a wall when there is a leak in the guttering.

Bear in mind though that damp patches can sometimes be deceiving and do not necessarily mean that the leak is near by. Water could be finding its way inside the home from a distance, for example, by finding its way along a joist in the loft.

One of the most straight forward cures for damp and one that is often overlooked is ventilation.  Keeping your home well ventilated will go a long way in preventing damp. You will also need to keep check on some of the more obvious places where damp occurs.

Go into the loft and check the roof for leaks. Missing or damaged tiles will need replacing immediately.  Check any chimney stack for cracked mortar. This will need repair with mortar or a sealant. Guttering should be kept clear from blockages and any cracked or damaged joints should be replaced. External and interior paintwork at your home should be monitored and maintained. Apply more than one coat of paint and where necessary use a damp proof paint. A damp proof paint applied to a patch found on an interior wall is often enough to stop the damp from spreading.

If you live in a modern home, one built in the past 50 years, damp is likely to be less of a problem. Your home will probably have cavity walls i.e. a space between two layers of bricks - to help prevent damp.

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How To Unblock A Toilet

This is one of a series of articles provided by the Plumber Chelmsford blog.

For many people a blocked toilet can feel like an emergency plumbing situation but in most cases the problem can be resolved fairly easily and without having to go to huge expense.

As with any DIY task at home it is advisable to have the correct tools and in the case of a blocked toilet you will at the very least need some rubber gloves, a plunger and a bucket. 

When a toilet becomes blocked it can be frustrating when it becomes obvious that in spite trying to flush it through you have a problem. Not surprisingly, blockages are usually caused by too much toilet paper being put down the pan. That said, your first task is to find where the blockage lies. If you have a drain cover outside your house it is worth lifting it to look there first. If the chamber is full you need to either use a specialist rod or in some cases, a piece of wire or a strong piece of wood to try to clear the blockage in the pipes or around the drain. If the chamber is unblocked, you are going to know that the blockage exists between the toilet pan and the chamber. Now is the time to investigate the toilet pan itself.

Unfortunately, most people who have a plunger have one that is cup shaped and this is not ideal for the job. A ball shaped plunger is much more effective as it is designed to seal in the opening in the bottom of the toilet bowl. This seal action as you plunge creates the necessary vacuum and pressure to dislodge the blockage. It is worth bearing in mind to have someone keep an eye on the drain chamber outside your home while you do this. If the item that caused the blockage in your toilet appears it is a good idea to remove it. If not, it could cause another blockage further into the system which may prove even more difficult to clear.

If you do not have a plunger, you may be able to improvise. Use an old mop with a plastic bag tied around its head and use in the same way as a plunger. 

If these efforts fail, another alternative is to push a flexible drain cleaning wire down the toilet. You could also use a chemical drain cleaner. If you go down this route remember that these products must be treated with great care. Always read the instructions fully and use rubber gloves.

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Tips On Maintaining Your Central Heating System

This is one of a series of articles provided by the Plumber Chelmsford blog.

With the price of gas and electricity reaching record level it has never been a better time to ensure that your central heating is working efficiently. All homes with central heating should have their boiler and heating system serviced every year to keep it running efficiently. This must be carried out by a Gas Safe engineer who will also carry out safety checks on the boiler. If you live in rented accommodation, the landlord is responsible for making sure all gas appliances are safe. They are required to have each appliance checked annually by a Gas Safe engineer who will also issue a safety certificate.  

You should also have a carbon monoxide alarm fitted at your home. They are very reasonably priced, available at all DIY stores and could save your life. Carbon monoxide is known as a silent killer .It does not smell and you cannot see it. Test the alarm once a week to make sure that it is working properly. A faulty gas appliance with incomplete combustion taking place can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning without anyone being aware of it.

If you can see the flame in the boiler it should be a strong blue flame. A yellow, flickering flame indicates a problem which should be investigated. It can be a sign of incomplete combustion and could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Whether this is being caused by an obstruction in the flue or some other fault, it is important to get it checked out.

It is important to switch on your heating system for a short while even during the summer. If you do this every 3 or 4 weeks it will help keep the heating system in good working order and reduce the chance of any problems developing with pump which are prone to seizing up.

Your boiler should be controlled by a timer or programmer. Set your programmer so that the heating comes on half an hour before you want it. So, if you get in from work at 7pm then set it to come on at 6:30pm. Similarly, set it to turn the heating off half an hour before you go to bed. This will reduce waste and reduce your bills. Turning your thermostat down by just one degree could make a welcome reduction in your gas bill of around £60 per year.

Check the temperature set on your cylinder thermostat. The average setting is around 55 - 60 degrees.  60 degrees is about the highest temperature of water you could possibly need. Having it set higher than this does not, contrary to popular belief, make the water heat any quicker. It just means you will have to add cold water to your bath to bring the temperature back down to an acceptable level. The same principle applies to room thermostats i.e. turning it up higher does not make the room heat up any quicker.

If you have problems with some radiators heating up and others remaining cooler, the system may need balancing. Radiators close to the pump may be getting more than their fair share of water resulting in insufficient water reaching radiators further away.

Check your attic space to make sure that you have the recommended level of insulation. The amount of heat that will escape through an un-insulated or poorly insulated loft is surprisingly high and it is simply throwing money away. You should also draught proof windows and doors. With the ever rising cost of gas and electricity it is essential to do what you can to make savings.

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How To Bleed A Radiator

This is one of a series of articles brought to you by the Plumber Chelmsford blog.

A problem with a radiator in your home does not necessarily mean that you must call a plumber. It is quite possible that you can fix it yourself

A problem that often occurs with wet central heating systems is when the top of the radiator does not heat up as much as the bottom. This is a result of a build up of air pockets in the radiator, the main causes being corrosion in the system that releases gas or air entering the system when the water is topping up.  The solution is to bleed the radiator. Bleeding a radiator is a straight forward task that may have to be done on occasion to keep your heating system up to maximum efficiency.

Firstly you will have to locate the air bleed valve which is usually found at the top, on one end of the radiator. You will then need to open this valve with a radiator key to release the air thus allowing the water to fill back up to the top and restore your radiator to its maximum heating potential. The central heating system should also be switched off while you carry out this task.

The radiator key is similar to one that you would use to wind up a clock. Once attached to the valve begin turning and you will hear the hissing sound of the air as it is released. You need to be aware that you need to close the valve as soon as the water starts to escape so it is a good idea to wrap a towel around the key to catch the excess water. 

With the central heating system switched back on and your radiator topped up, it should heat up evenly and as a result your heating system will be more efficient.

If you consider that your problem is more serious and that your radiator is completely cold it is still worth trying to bleed it first as it may just be a case of the radiator having become completely full of air. It is not uncommon for an entire system to need bleeding. In this case you would bleed all the radiators and effectively flush the system and help clear it of any corrosion and rust. This will be achieved by continuing to drain the water until you notice clear water replacing the slightly dirty water that has built up in the system.

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How To Unblock A Toilet

The following video shows you how to unblock a toilet quickly and efficiently. Some very useful tips and advice here on avoiding too much mess!

Tips On Painting A Ceiling

This is one of a series of articles provided by the Plumber Chelmsford blog.

One of the most unpopular jobs in the DIY field is probably painting a ceiling. The main reason for this being that you are painting above your head. This is a particularly daunting task if you have never done it before and if you are decorating your first home then the task seems even more frightening because there are several ceilings to be painted.

As for any DIY job it is important to make sure you have the right equipment. Nothing makes a DIY task seem more difficult than not having the correct tools and equipment available to do the job properly.

To paint a ceiling you will need interior paint, a ladder, dust sheets, a large brush, a roller & paint tray, a small brush, a sponge, wall and ceiling filler and a spreader.

Before you begin to paint your ceiling there are a few things you must do in order to prepare. The most important is to remove curtains and wall fixtures so that they remain paint free. Place curtains in a bag or pillow case or simply remove to another room where they will be unlikely to gather paint.

Move all heavy furniture into the centre of the room and cover over with dust sheets. This prevents the furniture from being paint splattered and also save the hassle of pulling the furniture out of the room altogether.
You may need to wipe down the ceiling before you begin. Regardless of how clean our homes are the ceilings will gather dust and also cobwebs which may remain unseen to the naked eye. Wash the ceiling down with some warm soapy water and leave to dry for up to one hour. This ensures that when you begin to paint your brush is not carrying dust and dirt from one part of the ceiling to another.

If there are any cracks or holes in the ceiling it is best to fill them in before you begin painting. There are many different kinds of filler available on the market, some of which take a few hours to dry, some of which a matter of moments.



Cutting-in is the term used to describe the process of outlining the edge of your ceiling with a small brush. This gives a smooth finish from ceiling to wall and reduces the amount of drips that can run down the wall and harden, making it difficult to remove them later on.

Once you have completed the process of cutting-in you can then begin the job of painting your ceiling. It is best to start in one corner of the room and work to the other in a horizontal motion so that you are completely covering the ceiling as you move from one side of the room to the other.

If possible paint the ceiling in natural daylight. This prevents shadows which are caused by artificial light and reduces the likelihood that you will have to paint it again. However some ceilings depending on what colour they have already been painted and how long since their last coat of paint, may need to be covered twice.
One important point. If you need to reach a high ceiling it is best to hire the correct scaffold from a local DIY merchant rather than taking unnecessary chances with makeshift platforms.

One of the most common means of sustaining an injury during DIY is to try and climb or stand on unsupported platforms in order to reach high places.

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Tips On Dealing With Bathroom Mould

This is one of a series of articles brought to you by the Plumber Chelmsford blog.

The problem of a bathroom ceiling becoming covered in unsightly, black mould is a quite common problem in the UK. The problem is caused by a combination of circumstances that in general, people carry out without a second thought. Nearly all bathrooms have some form of ventilation and the bathroom can naturally get cold when that ventilation is open. The result is that a great many people close the ventilation to stay warm and mould develops on the ceiling. However in most cases, getting rid of the mould is a straight forward task and can be tackled as follows.

Paint the bathroom walls with a steriliser that will kill the mould. Then paint on a barrier to prevent re-growth. You can also mix a fungicide additive with any emulsion paint you choose to stop the mould coming back.

This method takes no time at all and keeps the bathroom fresh and clean. It is also relatively cheap to do and removes a problem which will eventually damage your home. 

Understanding what mould is will help in understanding how to get rid of it. Mould is a type of fungus. Threads, like very dense cobwebs, grow together on a given surface and some of them are fertile enough to produce spores. Spores are carried by moving things including air and especially warm air, which is always found in a bathroom. The warm air travels upwards depositing spores on the ceiling. The spores become mould and the mould, in moist, warm conditions can germinate and grow. The conditions mould likes best are when temperatures are above 70 degrees and the relative humidity is above 70% - the bathroom is therefore the perfect environment.

Opening a bathroom window, or trickle vent in double glazing, will allow some of the moist, warm air to escape and so reduce the mould, but most bathrooms suffer from mould at some point. There are several products now available on the market that will allow you to eradicate the mould completely. They can be found at all good DIY stores. A product with good fungicidal properties can protect a room of up to 40 square metres quickly. Ideally you should sterilize the ceiling first and then provide a fungicidal barrier. Most mould eradication kits work quickly and easily. Full instructions and usage directions are provided with all products that tell you exactly how the product should be applied. 

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