When you’re in a household or office dilemma, the last thing you need is for a rogue trader to show up on the doorstop. That’s why Checkatrade is such a blessing, as it acts as a vetting service for any plumber, electrician or other tradesperson that you call to attend to an engineering emergency.

From a customer viewpoint, it is obvious what the website has to offer; it’s free to use, encompasses millions of real reviews and is capable of performing a nationwide search for qualified professionals.

Still, it’s always nice to know what is going on behind the scenes too. As an approved Checkatrade company, we reveal just what it takes to get listed.

To become a Checkatrade member, we must prove that we are:

• Honest in all dealings with our customers, which includes being upfront about any call-out fees and letting you know straight away if we can’t do the work

• Able to keep appointments and arrive on time (and calling in advance if any unforeseen circumstances arise)

• Realistic about when we can start the work and how long it will take

• Courteous, and treat you and your home/office with respect

• Committed to keeping you in the loop about works and promptly returning your phone calls

• Creating additional contracts if variations should occur

• Professional and timely when we deal with complaints

• Never demanding cash payments, or behaving in a verbally or physically abusive manner

• Not obtaining work through cold calling

Once we can prove all of this, there’s a seven-step approval process that kicks in to action. The stages are:

1. We are interviewed by Checkatrade to ensure that we deserve to be accredited based on our conduct and experience

2. Our accreditations and qualifications are verified

3. We must present our public liability insurance certificates yearly to confirm that are you and your home/office are covered against damage at all times

4. Our personal passports and driving licences undergo an ID check

5. References are sought from five of our previous customers

6. Our trading address is substantiated through a credit or company status check

7. Our VAT registration number is recorded

The whole procedure is designed to adhere to government legislations and industry trading standards in a bid to reassure and protect customers, which is something we wholeheartedly support.

If you’d like to view our profile on Checkatrade, you can do so here.

Ready for some plumbing related G-words? This simple plumbing glossary will help you get to grips with your plumber’s vocabulary in no time.

Galvanise – the process of applying a coating of zinc to the finished product to provide corrosion protection – the coating can be applied by hot dipping or electrolytic deposition

Galvanometer – Laboratory instrument that detects and measures small electrical currents

Gas cock – plug valve installed in the main gas line

Gasket – flat device, usually made of rubber, which is used to provide a watertight seal between metal joints

Gauge – refers to thickness of stainless steel and is commonly used in reference to quality grades on certain types of lavatories and sinks – for instance, 10 and 20-guage stainless steel sinks have gone through a number of polishing operations to establish a pristine finish

Giardiasis – a disease that results from an infection by the parasite Giardia, caused by drinking water that is either not filtered or not chlorinated

Gland – in a pump, the part that holds one half of the mechanical seal and attaches to the stuffing box

GPF – Gallons Per Flush – the rate of water flow by which toilets and flush valves are measured and regulated

Greensand – a natural mineral, primarily composed of complex silicates, which possess ion exchange properties

Greywater – waste water from sinks, showers and bathtubs, but not from toilets

Grip fitting – a compression-type fitting used on PB pipes

Grounding – connects a piece of electrical equipment to a ‘ground wire’, which is connected to the electrical system ground at the circuit breaker box – this helps to ensure the circuit breaker will trip and cut off power in the event of a short circuit or damage to insulation

Guide arm – the valve that controls water flow in to the toilet tank

Visit our news section here for further plumbing glossaries, plus plenty of useful tips and industry news..

It’s seriously cutthroat out there in the retail world today. Shoppers are scrapping over coffee machines in Tesco aisles up and down the country in order to grab the ultimate money-saving Black Friday deal – and even those who have taken the less confrontational route of shopping online are facing 25 minute queues just to get a glimpse of the Currys homepage.

There’s one thing about Black Friday that nobody is talking about though…

Black Friday is utterly hectic for plumbers too.

The busiest shopping day of the year (originally an American tradition that broke through on to UK shores in 2010) directly follows Thanksgiving Day – a day when entire families get together and create a feast to dine on, much like Christmas Day.

The problem is how people are disposing of the leftovers.

In the days following Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, plumbers’ diaries are filled with appointments for sinks and waste disposal units that need seeing too.

We’ve outlined the tips that we tell our clients who are hosting festivities for their families and friends during the holiday season:

• Use a bin or the compost heap when throwing away uneaten foods – we’ve encountered too many sinks and disposal units blocked by potato peel to mention!

• Fat and grease can clog your drains and damage your fittings – wait until they’ve cooled down, pour them in to a container and throw the whole lot in the bin instead.

• Run the water before and after using your waste disposal unit as it will help flush out the system.

• Disposing of leftovers down the toilet is no better either – make sure there is a bin in the bathroom so your guests can safely get rid of nappies, paper towels and sanitary products without blocking the facilities.

• If you do notice that water is draining slowly from your sink or bath, have a plumber see to the issue sooner rather than later. The last thing you want is for it to hit breaking point when you’ve got a house full of people!

People are often hesitant about buying a combined washer dryer. Will it break down sooner than separate machines would? Will it wash and dry well, or will it do a half-baked job of both?

We outline the pros and cons of buying a washer dryer.

The pros of a washer dryer

• Takes up half the space, making it ideal for small flats
• Often cheaper than buying separates

The cons of a washer dryer

• A different drum size is needed for drying, so you’ll need to halve your load before putting it on to dry
• It may be less energy efficient
• Potentially, it could completely break down, leaving you without a washer or a dryer

Is life expectancy an issue?

There’s a common assumption that washer dryers are more likely to break down than their separate counterparts. However, little evidence exists to support this.

Neither combined machines or separates can be expected to last forever, and if a washer dryer does break down, the two functions will not necessarily fail at the same time.

Remember, if you do encounter major plumbing or electrical problems with your machine, seek guidance from a professional engineer as attempting to fix the problem yourself can be dangerous.

If you notice any leaks or puddles around your pipes and faucets, get them seen to in the autumn, as the damage will only worsen once the cold sets in.

If your plumbing is in good working order, keep it that way by following our top five winter maintenance tips.

1. Clear out your gutters and downpipes

Winter pipe problems often arise after the autumn leaves have left their trees…and snuggled themselves into your gutters.

If you can reach debris safely, remove any that has built up in external pipes and guttering. However, if the accumulation is severe, too deep or dangerous to grasp, a professional jet wash may be required.

Prevent blockages occurring again next year by fitting gutter guards, which will collect any fallen leaves before they get inside your pipes.

2. Disconnect garden hoses and drain outdoor water supplies

Ice can form in a garden hose that has been left connected. This can cause pressure to build up in the pipes inside your house, potentially leading to a serious leak or breakage.

To drain outside pipes during cold bouts, you’ll need to utilise the shut-off valves inside your home, which are usually located under sinks, in crawl spaces or in basements.

3. Buy blankets for your pipes

Yes, really! When temperatures plummet, the water inside your pipes can freeze and the pipe itself can burst – and burst pipes spell disaster for your home’s interior and your pocket.

Foam tubes with a split in the side are available from most hardware shops. Simply cut to length and wrap them around your pipes to reduce the risk of freezing – some will be self-adhesive, but if not, thick tape will secure them.

4. Heat the inside of your home

Pipes inside the walls will be less likely to freeze if you keep warm air circulating within your home.

Open cabinets under your sink to encourage warm air to surround these pipes and faucets too.

5. Remove snow from your drains

If water drainage is restricted by snow (or worse, ice), flooding can ensue.

Keep a shovel at hand to remove any snow that is getting in the way of your drain system.

Today’s plumbing glossary covers the F-words… No, not those ones! These are the F-words that only a professional plumber would use.

Face plate – trim piece found behind a single-control wall-mount faucet handle – also known as a dial plate

Facultative bacteria – bacteria that can live under aerobic and anaerobic conditions

Fall/flow – the proper slope or pitch of a pipe for adequate drainage

Faucet – an exposed plumbing fitting used to control the flow of water to a basin

Feed pump – a pump that supplies water to a boiler

Ferrous – material containing or derived from iron

First draw – water that has been sitting in pipes or plumbing fixtures overnight and is first drawn when taps are opened in the morning

Fixed cone valve – a cylinder gate mounted with the axis horizontal – also known as a Howell Bunger valve

Flange – a rib or rim for strength, which is present for guiding or for attachment to another object

Flapper – disc-like rubber composite that retains water in the tank, and upon flushing, cycle lifts to release water of the tank to the bowl for a complete flushing cycle

Floating flames – an undesirable burning operating condition, usually indicating incomplete combustion in which flames leave the burner port to reach for combustion air

Flocculant – a chemical substance that promotes the aggregation of coagulation of suspended particles in the water

Flux – paste applied to copper pipes and fittings before soldering to help the fusion process and prevent oxidation

Footprint – the area of floor space taken up by a water heater or other appliance

Freshwater – water that contains less than 1,000 milligrams per litre of dissolved solids – generally, more than 500mg/l of dissolved solids is undesirable for drinking and many industrial uses

We’re working our way through the alphabet to help you become fluent in plumbing lingo – so, keep an avid eye out for the next instalments!

There’s always one! And it’s usually the one that you’d really appreciate being warm when you crawl out of bed at 6am in the morning – you know, like the one in that icily tiled bathroom or the one next to the breakfast table.

This guide could help you diagnose and cure a radiator that is failing to heat up.

Common ailments

Is the radiator valve closed?

The handwheel valve that allows hot water into the radiator may be shut. Simply turn it by hand until it’s in the open position.

Have you checked the thermostat?

If your radiator has a thermostat, ensure that the valve hasn’t been set too low. If this valve is faulty or broken, it will need replacing and the central hating system will need draining.

Is the lockshield valve set correctly?

The lockshield valve is situated at the opposite end of the radiator to the handwheel valve. This one controls hot water flow into the radiator and may need adjusting if it’s not letting enough through.

Are the valves blocked?

Limescale can block valves and cause a radiator to stop working. If this is the problem, the radiator will need flushing out and the system may need to be descaled.

Bigger problems

Are the upstairs radiators not heating up properly?

This can be a sign that the feed and expansion tank in your loft has run dry, which could indicate that there is something wrong with the system on a larger scale.

However, it’s also possible that the ball valve in the tank could be blocked or jammed. If this is the case, removing the obstruction and refilling the cistern should sort it out.

Is the issue with the downstairs radiators?

This is an indication that the pump is faulty and will require the assistance of a Gas Safe Register approved professional.

Please remember

If you have major problems with your boiler or heating, it’s always recommended to seek the advice of a Gas Safe Register approved engineer, as appliances can be dangerous to handle.

National Maintenance Week 2014 is officially under way.

The annual campaign, started by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) thirteen years ago, aims to encourage owners of all kinds of buildings to take regular care of their properties.

This year, Loyd Grossman (of Masterchef and sauce fame) is the face of National Maintenance Week, which runs from the 21st November to the 28th November.

Loyd said: “As Chairman of the Churches Conservation Trust, I’m already very familiar with the maintenance challenges faced by significant, historic buildings which don’t conform to a standard pattern. Careful, planned and regular maintenance is vital to ensure that they have a future as well as a past. But that message is equally applicable to buildings of all types and all ages.

‘Nearly 140 years ago SPAB’s founder William Morris told us to ‘stave off decay by daily care, to prop a perilous wall or mend a leaky roof’ and that’s still sound, practical advice. Good maintenance is simply good common sense. It’s economic sense too. Faulty gutters and blocked drains don’t mend themselves – the longer you ignore a problem the more costly and difficult it becomes to put it right, and that’s true if the building you care for is a medieval church in a village or an apartment in a town or city.’¹

We are always happy to see people stressing the importance of regular maintenance practices, whether that involves DIY checks or if a contractor needs to be called in for the riskier inspections.

Regular maintenance of a building’s infrastructure, plumbing and electrics makes it safer and more comfortable to reside or work in, and can also improve a property’s value.

So, throughout National Maintenance Week 2014, we’ll be here to provide you with tips on how to keep your home or workplace in the best possible order.

¹ Maintain Your Building, 2014. Loyd Grossman Supports National Maintenance Week 2014. [Online] Available at: www.maintainyourbuilding.org.uk/pages/loyd_grossman_supports_national_maintenance_week_2014.html. [Accessed 21st November 2014].