Today, online retail giant Amazon announced the launch of its new service that will allow customers to hire qualified plumbers, electricians, and other household professionals, such as cleaners and decorators.

Amazon Home Services launches across major US marketplaces today, with the official press release reading: “In less than 60 seconds, customers can now browse, purchase and schedule hundreds of professional services.”

It works in the same way the rest of the website does, allowing visitors to choose the service they require and outline any specific details such as the number of hours needed or their preferred appointment time.

If Amazon Home Services is popular, and if it is rolled out internationally, the premise is likely to significantly change the way in which home services are bought as customers can order a new bath and select their preferred plumber to install it via one website.

The ‘service pros’, as Amazon call the professional engineers, will all be hand picked by the company and required to undergo background checks and hold relevant licenses and insurance.

Fees will be required upfront and are based on quality, availability and verified reviews, and all sales come with a ‘happiness guarantee’ that enables customers to get a refund if the work is unsatisfactory.

The model aims to prevent over-pricing as Amazon take a 20% cut for standard services and money is not transferred until a job is confirmed as complete.

As tends to happen with Amazon launches, customers in the UK could expect to see a UK-based version of Amazon Home Services in as little as six months, which is generally the amount of time the company takes to gauge performance of a new feature before rolling it out overseas.

At 1 AM on Sunday 29th March 2015, the clocks will go forward as Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins.

Whilst that realisation will cause most of us to desperately claw at our pillows grumbling something about losing out on a precious hour of sleep, this year, we propose a different approach.

Here are three good things about the clocks going forward:

1. You’ll get an extra £21 in your pocket

The average household pays 10p per hour¹ for electricity. With the days staying brighter for an extra hour over the next seven months, you’ll be able to keep the lights off for longer, saving you around £21 on your electricity bills.

2. Your clothes will last longer

Every time you clear out your tumble dryer, do you find lint? Lint is not just a build up of dust that latches onto your favourite jumper throughout the day, it’s the breakdown of clothing fibres too, which often accounts for why you discover loose stitching, fabric holes and faded colours on your garments.

Use the extra hour of sunlight to protect your clothing from the high heats and speeds of your tumble dryer by hanging your clothes out to dry on the line instead.

3. Lie-ins and late nights

Make up for the hour of sleep you’ll lose on Saturday night with a lie-in on Sunday morning… and then get on with enjoying the long, sunny days to come! After all, DST is all about shaking yourself out of hibernation mode and gathering a load of friends around the BBQ or heading out to the nearest beer garden for some feel good times.

Ever wondered why the clocks go back and forth but never quite got round to finding out the answer?

Here are the essential facts about Daylight Saving Time that you need to know:

• The idea of Daylight Saving was first proposed by British-born New Zealander George Vernon Hudson in 1895.
• British Summer Time (BST) was suggested in 1907 by William Willet, a keen horse rider who was frustrated with early morning sunlight going to waste in the summer months. He created a pamphlet titled ‘The Waste of Daylight’ in which he campaigned for the clocks to be changed, much to the opposition of farmers, but Willet died in 1915 before the reform was accepted.
• Austria and Germany were the first to implement DST in 1916, closely followed by the UK and the rest of Europe. The First World War was a major factor in the adoption as money needed saving during wartime.
• The current system has been in place since 1972, although proposals for keeping the clocks one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) all year round have been frequently debated in parliament.
• Lighter evenings have been merited with reducing road traffic accidents and crime rates².
• BST is thought to be good for physical and psychological health, particularly in relieving the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Most digital clocks will automatically make the switch tomorrow but if you’re still using a clock that ticks, don’t forget to put it forward by one hour at 1 AM GMT.

¹ UK Power, 2015. Gas & electricity tariff prices per unit. [Online] Available at: http://www.ukpower.co.uk/home_energy/tariffs-per-unit-kwh.
² The News, 2015. Eight things you need to know about the clocks going forward. [Online] Available at: http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/eight-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-clocks-going-forward-1-6653039.
[Accessed 25th March 2015].

Think you know all there is to know about plumbing? Take our quick plumbing quiz to prove it – answers are at the bottom of this page.

1. Which basic laws of nature does plumbing follow?

a) conductivity, acceleration and motion
b) gravity, pressure and water seeking its own level
c) motion, elasticity and resilience

2. What are the two subsystems in your home plumbing system?

a) incoming freshwater and outgoing wastewater
b) hot water and cold water
c) low pressure water and high pressure water

3. Can the two subsystems overlap?

a) yes, but only if the overlap is underground
b) yes, an overlap is recommended if the pipes are wider than 2 inches
c) no, as wastewater could pollute the freshwater

4. What seals the trap to prevent sewer gases entering household drains?

a) water pressure
b) air admitted by vent stacks and pipes
c) the aerator

5. Which of the following is the normal temperature setting for a home water heater?

a) 32 degrees Celsius
b) 48 degrees Celsius
c) 82 degrees Celsius

6. What degree of pressure is required to ensure smooth drainage?

a) high pressure
b) low pressure
c) it’s about gravity, not pressure

7. Is a sink trap still necessary in a modern efficient drainage system?

a) only if using pipes of three inches or less
b) yes, they are essential
c) they are only needed if there is no sink filter

8. What are the most common causes of sink blockages?

a) toilet paper and cotton wool
b) cleaning detergents and toothpaste
c) grease and hair

9. What is a bridge in a plumbing system?

a) where one pipe crosses over another
b) the trap valve
c) the meeting point of two subsystems

10. If your home is flooding in a plumbing emergency, what should you do?

a) buy a DIY kit and Google how to fix the problem
b) use adhesive materials to seal the source of the leak
c) turn off the stopcock and call your local plumber

ANSWERS: 1B, 2A, 3C, 4B, 5B, 6C, 7B, 8C, 9C, 10C

Booked a plumber and concerned that you won’t have a clue what they’re talking about? Our quick and easy plumbing glossary will have you up to speed before they’ve even had the chance to ring your doorbell.

V-clip – a clip shaped like the letter ‘V’ used on a lavatory drain lift linkage assembly to easily adjust the connection of the drain to the lift rod

Vacuum breaker – an anti-siphon device that prevents backflow of contaminated water into the water supply system

Valve – a device that regulates the flow of fluid

Valve seat – the non-moving part of a valve – water flow is stopped when the movable element comes into contact with the valve seat

Valve seat wrench – hexagonal end wrench inserted into the hexagonal opening of a valve seat for installation or removal

Velocity head – amount of energy required to accelerate water to a given speed, expressed in feet per head

Vent – a pipe that allows air into a drain system to balance air pressure and to prevent water in the traps from being siphoned off

Vent header – a vent pipe into which several vents connect – this leads to the vent stack and out of the building

Vent stack – upper portion of the soil stack above the top fixture, through which gases and odours escape

Venting materials – a number of materials are used for venting, including PVC and metal

Venturi – a short tube with a tapered constriction in the middle that causes an increase in the velocity of fluid flow and the corresponding decrease in fluid pressure that is used for creating suction in a vacuum pump

Viscosity – resistance of fluid flow due to internal forces and friction between molecules, which increases as its temperature decreases

Vitreous surface – material on some plumbing fixtures that is derived from or consists of glass, is translucent and low on porosity

Vitreous China – ceramic materials fired at a high temperature to form a non-porous body, yielding exposed surfaces coated with ceramic glaze, and used for bathroom fixtures such as toilets

Volatile – capable of vaporisation at a relatively low temperature

Volumetric – refers to measurement by volume rather than weight

Voral tube – flexible steel hose used for handheld shower sprays

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All businesses and engineers that undertake gas work must be registered with Gas Safe, the scheme owned by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that exists to protect consumers from unsafe gas practices.

Qualification requirements

To be accepted onto the Gas Safe Register, valid evidence must be held to demonstrate competence in gas safety such as:

• National Accredited Certification Scheme for individual Gas Fitting Operatives (ACS)
• ACS aligned National/Scottish Vocational Qualifications (NVQ/SVQ)
• Qualification Credit Framework (QCF)

Evidence of competence must be less than five years old.

Becoming registered with the Gas Safe Register

You can apply for registration online or by downloading the registration form on the Gas Safe website. The cost of a new application is £362 plus VAT, which covers one engineer and registration fees for a year.

The Gas Safe Register will process the information you supply and inform you of the outcome of your application.

Once you have received confirmation of being accepted onto the Register you can carry out gas work and use the Gas Safe brand. You will be provided with:

• a license card for each engineer, which should be carried at all times and shown to customers at the start of a job.
• a Business Registration Certificate that acts as additional proof for your customers to demonstrate that your company is registered.
• a VAT receipt for the payment made.
• brand guidelines detailing how to use the Gas Safe logo to its full advantage.

The ongoing commitment of the Gas Safe Register

One of the key functions of the Gas Safe Register is to evaluate gas work through probation and inspection in order to maintain industry standards and reassure customers of the high quality work of registered businesses and engineers.

When a business registers for the first time, or following an extended break, it will be given probationary registration status.

This means that the business is fully registered and able to carry out gas work but they must be aware of the following:

• Probation lasts for three months
• You must keep a record and notify the Register of all gas work completed
• Any history you already have on the registration scheme will be used to inform your progress through the probationary period
• Businesses will move out of probationary registration once competence has been fully demonstrated and this may entail the extension of the probation period if deemed necessary

Engineers and the management of gas work is inspected regularly using a variety of inspection methods, including:

• Inspection of completed work
• Accompanying you on site and observing the work being carried out
• Knowledge assessments
• Recognition of high quality work
• Assistance to put things right when work does not go to plan
• Staff dedicated to pursuing unregistered engineers in your area

Registration lasts for one year thus engineer licence cards will expire twelve months after registration or earlier if competencies are due to terminate before this.

A registration renewal reminder will be sent but businesses and engineers are responsible for ensuring that their registration does not lapse. Renewal can be paid for by logging into your online account, calling the Gas Safe Register contact centre and paying over the phone, completing a renewal pack and enclosing a cheque for the fee, or by setting up a Direct Debit for payment to be taken automatically.

Last week, David Cameron and Nick Clegg announced a 20% pay rise for apprentices to start from October 2015¹.

The 20% increase will push the statutory minimum wage for 16 to 18 year olds (and 19 year olds in their first year of an apprenticeship) up from the current rate of £2.73 per hour to £3.30 per hour later this year.

This 57p pay rise is the biggest increase that apprentices have ever experienced in the UK and is eight times more than the recommended 7p increase that the Low Pay Commission (LPC), an independent advisory body to government, advocated but was rejected on.

In contrast, although in line with LPC recommendations, the hourly National Minimum Wage rose by just 20p to £6.70 for adult workers and 17p to £5.30 for those aged between 18 and 20.

Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, said: “This is just one of the many ways in which we’ve created a fairer society whilst building a stronger economy. If you work hard, this government is behind you all the way. Whether you’re on low pay or starting your dream career through an apprenticeship you will get more support to help you go further and faster.”

Prime Minister David Cameron billed the announcement as a real win for hard working Brits, stating: “At the heart of our long-term economic plan for Britain is a simple idea – that those who put in, should get out, that hard work is really rewarded, that the benefits of recovery are truly national. That’s what today’s announcement is all about, saying to hardworking taxpayers, this is a government that is on your side. It will mean more financial security for Britain’s families and a better future for our country.”

However, the reforms have been met with some criticism.

Chuku Umunna, the Shadow Business Secretary, believes that the disparity of the wage increases means that working families will now be worse off.

The Labour MP said: “This 20p rise [in the headline rate] falls far short of the £7 minimum wage which George Osborne promised over a year ago. Where under David Cameron we’ve seen the value of the minimum wage eroded, we need a recovery for working people.”

John Cridland, director general of The Confederation of British Industry, also hinted that the generous hike in apprentice wages could be a strategic move to gain political advantage ahead of the General Election.

Within the plumbing industry, the news has been well received.

Kevin Wellman, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) and a proactive supporter of vocational education, said: “I welcome the increase for apprentices as it should assist to recognise and appreciate their value in the workplace. Anything that is done to encourage hard working individuals to pursue a career in plumbing is to be applauded².”

¹ Employment for students. Bumper 20% Pay Rise for Apprenticeships. [Online] Available at: http://www.e4s.co.uk/news/articles/view/1895/job-news-and-information/Bumper-20-Pay-Rise-For-Apprenticeships.
² CIPHE, 2015. Pay increase for apprentices. [Online] Available at: http://www.ciphe.org.uk/professional-members/news/pay-increase-for-apprentices/.
[Accessed 23rd March 2015].

Whilst there is a gushing amount of information on how to save water at home, very little exists for restaurant, bar and café owners keen to reduce their water usage.

This article aims to provide hospitality businesses with four simple water conservation tips that can be put into action straightway at very little cost.

Install tap aerators

Sizeable premises will have several taps in operation throughout the kitchens and bathrooms, and depending on your opening hours, they could be in use for up to sixteen hours per day.

A tap aerator can simply be screwed onto each head to deliver a mixture of air and water. Not only do aerators aid in water conservation, and lead to a consequent reduction in energy costs, but your customers will be grateful too, as they make less noise, improve the perception of water pressure and prevent splash back.

Fully load your dishwasher

Washing by hand will reduce your water consumption but during peak breakfast, lunch and dinner times this is often an unrealistic task for restaurants workers to commit to.

By waiting until the racks in the dishwasher are full rather than running a half-loaded machine several times throughout the day, you can also reduce water wastage.

Use eco-friendly appliances

Energy efficient appliances may cost a little more to begin with but over time they can significantly reduce your energy bills and your business’ carbon footprint.

Most companies are now manufacturing products with the environment in mind. Bosch, for instance, state that their ActiveWater dishwashers use 29%¹ less energy than the models they were creating 15 years ago.

Fix leaks promptly

Amongst the hustle and bustle of a commercial kitchen it’s easy for a tap leak to go unnoticed, but even if a tap is experiencing just four drips per minute, one litre¹ of water is being lost down the drain every day.

What’s more, leaks can lead to corrosion of your pipes and water damage to your building, both of which are more expensive to resolve further down the line.

This is why it’s always advised to have a professional plumber see to any problems sooner rather than later.

¹ Bosch, 2015. Environmentally friendly dishwasher. [Online] Available at: http://www.bosch-home.co.uk/environmentally-friendly-dishwasher.html
² USGS, 2015. Water Science Activities. [Online] Available at: http://water.usgs.gov/edu/sc4.html.
[Accessed 18th March 2015].

Spring is a prime time to carry out all of those plumbing checks that you’ve been putting off all winter.

By checking your bathroom, kitchen, and other appliances around the house, you could prevent plumbing problems arising and ruining the sunny days to come – just think of it as an extension of your spring clean!

Our top eight spring plumbing tips are:

1. Remove leaves and debris from your gutters

The UK experiences heavy rainfall in the spring, and if your gutters and drains are still blocked with autumn leaves or broken winter tree branches, you run a risk of them clogging, which can lead to water damage, leaks and mould growth.

2. Ensure that your hose bib is not damaged

Outdoor water faucets should always be disconnected in the winter as water supply pipes are prone to freezing in colder climates, leading to pipe expansion and consequent cracks. If your outdoor tap has been connected, check the faucet for leaks and promptly have broken parts replaced by a professional plumber to avoid ensuing water damage.

3. Check your sump pump is functioning correctly

Test your sump pump by pouring a few buckets of water into it, after which it should kick in to action, allowing water flow before automatically turning itself off. If it does not perform properly, your home could be at risk of flooding, so have the sump pump seen by a local plumbing company before it completely burns out.

4. Repair heating appliances

Your boiler, radiators and gas fires have to work hard in the winter, sometimes leading to ill functioning and leaks. Whilst it’s easy to think that fixing heating issues isn’t necessary with summer just around the corner, waiting could place you and your family at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which is why it’s so important to have a Gas Safe engineer see to your broken heating appliances as soon as you spot a problem.

5. Replace any broken window and door seals

Icy winter weather can cause draught guards to crack, particularly plastic ones, so inspect all of your windows and doors and provide replacements for those that require it. This will allow your heating and air conditioning systems to run more efficiently as energy escape is reduced.

6. Inspect your toilet for leaks and ineffective flushing

Put a few drops of food colouring in your toilet tank for a fast and inexpensive way to check for leaks – if the colour shows up in the bowl within thirty minutes, you’ll know it’s time to call out a plumber to fix that leak before it worsens.

As for the flushing mechanism, you shouldn’t have to hold or shake the handle in order for it work, so have the parts replaced for a more effective flush, which coincidently will save water.

7. Take note of any leaky taps and showerheads

Many people just ‘put up’ with a dripping tap or shower but over the course of a day significant amounts of water can go to waste as a result. Getting minor fixes like this done in the spring is a great way to help protect the environment and get your home in good working order at the same time.

8. Turn the stopcock off and on again

It’s a simple little trick to ensure your water supply is connected properly and to avoid it sticking when you really need it.

If your plumbing diction only gets as far as the U-bend, we can help. Our quick and easy plumbing glossary will have you spurting out complete plumbing lingo in no time.

U-bend – a section of a waste pipe that is shaped like the letter U, which stops smells coming back into the property – Battersea-based plumbing company U-Benders created a pun of the word to form their popular brand’s name, attracting an array of celebrity customers, including Julian Clary

ULF – Ultra Low Flush – a widely used description of toilets that use 1.6 gallons per flush or less

UNC – Unified National Coarse Thread – standard type of stiff, straight thread used on fittings, nuts and bolts

UNF – Unified National Fine Thread – standard type of thin, straight thread used on fittings, nuts and bolts

Ultra coil – double wall heat exchanger

Uniformity coefficient – a measure of the variation in particle sizes of ion exchange resins and filter media – it is defined as the ratio of the size that has 60 per cent of the material finer than itself to the size of the particle that has 10 per cent finer than itself

Union – three piece fitting that joins two sections of pipe but allows them to be disconnected without cutting the pipe, primarily used with steel pipe

Urinal – plumbing fixture that receives liquid body waste and conveys the waste through a trap seal into a gravity drainage system

Urinal strainers – domed metal piece fastened to the bottom of a urinal to prevent debris from blocking the trapway of the unit

Usable storage – percentage of hot water that can be drawn from a tank before the temperature drops to a point that it is no longer considered hot

Utility sink – deep fixed basin supplied with hot and cold water, used for rinsing mops and the disposal of cleaning water

Every week, we release a brand new edition of our plumbing glossary so don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to receive the alerts.

Have you ever stopped to ponder what life would be like without our modern plumbing systems? Plumbing is an amenity that most of us take for granted but when it goes wrong, the results can be shocking.

In 2011, the Christchurch earthquake in New Zealand caused complete devastation to Canterbury, the country’s second largest city. The earthquake killed 185 people, injuring 2000 more, and completely changed the lives of its survivors¹.

Both water and sewage systems were destroyed, leaving the population without drinking water, or working baths and toilets, meaning that many had to dig holes in their back gardens to dispose of waste.

It’s catastrophes like this that plumbing researchers, designers and engineers are continually working hard to prevent, developing safe and sustainable plumbing systems to protect public health and wellbeing.

A number of historical events have shaped the ways that our plumbing systems have been developed thus far…

1. Archaeologists discovered copper pipes in the palace ruins of the Indus River Valley in India, dating back to 4,000 B.C..

Copper pipes are still in use within our modern plumbing systems today due to their durability, withstanding extreme temperature conditions and rarely breaking.

Copper is impermeable and biostatic, meaning that contaminants are unable to penetrate it, the growth of harmful bacteria is inhibited, plus it’s a natural material, not synthetic.

This makes copper piping a safe option for residential and commercial buildings and they won’t melt, burn or give off toxic fumes.

2. In 1500 B.C., rainwater cisterns were developed on the island of Crete to collect water needed for drinking, washing and cooking.

Underground cisterns still exist today, experiencing a resurgence of popularity as households seek to reduce their carbon footprint by utilising rainwater.

Although not suitable to drink, recycled water can be used to wash clothes, do the gardening and flush toilets without the need for further purification. It’s clean, neither hard nor soft, and doesn’t contain the additives that are fed into mains water systems to kill germs.

3. The Romans advanced ancient plumbing systems from 500 B.C. onwards.

The Roman Empire developed aqueducts as well as underground sewer systems, public and private baths, and lead and bronze piping systems.

Rome is perhaps where extravagant bathroom design was inspired too, as it was the Romans who first created marble fixtures with gold and silver fittings.

4. Sir John Harington, godson to Queen Elizabeth, invented the first flushing water closet in 1596.

In most developed countries, flushing toilets are now standard but in Japan the designs and functions have become even more elaborate, yielding advanced features such as built-in bidets, lid sensors, heat adjustable toilet seats, automatic air-deodorising and air conditioning for hot summer days.

5. In 1728, the first underground sewer was installed in New York to rid the city of the smells emitted from open sewers.

Today, sewerage companies are responsible for the UK’s public sewers, which usually run beneath our roads and through public open spaces, working to prevent unappealing smells escaping and the spread of disease.

Drains and private sewers that carry household waste are normally the responsibility of a homeowner, landlady or landlord up until the point they reach the public sewer system.

6. The first public water system was installed under the streets of New York in recognition of the need for an accessible water supply following numerous fires.

Fire hydrants are now used globally, altering in appearance between countries.

In the UK, hydrants are located in the ground, signified by yellow ‘H’ signs that are mounted to nearby walls or posts. These signs display two numbers to indicate the diameter of the water main and the distance it is from the sign; information required by fire brigades in emergencies to supply water to their pumps.

Without these historical events our plumbing systems as we know them today wouldn’t exist, and without a doubt, they will continue to evolve as new technologies are developed.

¹ Wikipedia, 2015. 2011 Christchurch earthquake. [Online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Christchurch_earthquake. [Accessed 11th March 2015].