New research¹ by TrustMark, the government-endorsed scheme to help people find reputable trading companies, has provided shocking insights into what house hunters are failing to check for before buying a property.

• 53% don’t check to see if a new boiler has been installed
• 62% don’t look for signs of damp
• 66% don’t check drainage
• 72% don’t test the water pressure

What’s more, over 40% of people only get a basic survey, leaving a greater potential for major home improvement requirements to be overlooked.

Oversights are expensive to correct, with many new homeowners facing bills of more than £2,900 to fix the plumbing and electricity issues within their property.

Liz Male, chairman of TrustMark, said: “Of course everybody wants a beautiful home and there are lots of things to consider when making such a huge commitment, but house hunters must take a reality check and avoid rushing into a purchase based on ‘love at first sight’.

“When the rose-tinted spectacles go on, we look past things we don’t want to see, even things that can be seen with an untrained eye such as old boilers, damp and old wiring. These can all turn into expensive pieces of work to take on, especially after the enormous outlay of a house purchase.”

So, before you commit to purchasing your new home, remember to do the following:

1. Check heating and boiler efficiency ratings
2. Hold your hand up against doors and windows to endure they are well insulated and no drafts are present
3. Inspect the garden for troublesome tree roots that could affect pipework
4. Check that all electric and gas appliances are correctly fitted
5. Look at and smell outdoor guttering to detect blockages
6. Keep an eye out for tide marks, which could indicate the property is at risk of flooding
7. Test taps, toilet flushes and showerheads for water pressure problems
8. Look for signs of rot, mould or damp, such as peeling wallpaper

¹ Heating & Plumbing Monthly, 2015. House hunters ruled by heart over head, leading to surprise maintenance costs. [Online] Available at: http://www.hpmmag.com/news/7731. [Accessed 29th April 2015].

A new education and theatre roadshow has been set up by the Gas Safety Charity to enable teachers to deliver vital gas safety messages to primary school pupils aged 9-11.

The Gas Safety Charity, the UK’s voice for safe gas practices, has teamed up with Electrical Safety First and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents to form the programme, which will teach young children all about gas, from how it’s created to how it can be used to safely cook food and heat their homes.

Gas safety may not be a particularly exciting issue for children to learn about but this latest initiative pulls a number of educational resources together to bring the topic to life inside the classroom and out, including videos, theatrical performances and an online interactive house that children can explore for hazards.

The theatrical roadshow was initially piloted around 17 primary schools and has now been rolled out as a ten-week tour targeting 100 primary schools around the country.

The show focuses on the Peril family who are preparing their home for a party, when suddenly, their boiler stops working! With the help of Professor Wizzbang, Dr Sortit and a Gas Safe registered engineer, the heating is fixed and the party can begin – but not without plenty of experiments, songs and audience participation along the way.

Do you have kids? Keep them Gas Safe with these 10 tips:

1. Teach them how to spot the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, such as headaches, dizziness and nausea.
2. Install a carbon monoxide alarm.
3. Cover exposed gas pipes and deter your children from playing around them.
4. Don’t allow the gas meter to be obstructed, as you’ll need easy access to the box if an emergency occurs.
5. Ensure your children understand that they should never use the oven without an adult present.
6. If the central heating breaks, don’t attempt to fix the problem yourself – encourage your kids to pop on an extra jumper and call out a local heating engineer instead.
7. Remind your children to keep gas appliances free from obstructions, including toys, boxes, paper and paint.
8. Be aware that flames on gas ovens and fireplaces should be blue. If they are yellow, you could be in danger, so get a gas inspection immediately.
9. Never move a gas appliance without the assistance of a Gas Safe engineer, as the connections could get damaged or become misplaced.
10. Teach your children that all Gas Safe registered engineers will carry an ID card and they must show this in order to enter your home.

This is it; you’re about to be fully fluent in plumbing lingo! Get ready to learn your XYZs with our final plumbing glossary.

XH – Extra Heavy

XL – Extra Large

XLG – Extra Long

XS – Extra Small

Yellow tipping – a flame condition caused by a severe reduction in primary air – the yellow colour is caused by glowing carbon particles in the flame and can be corrected by the injection of more primary air

Yoke – Usually a brass casting that holds both the hot and cold valves and the mixing chamber for the water – may also refer to an assembly of copper or other metal which serves the same function

Yoke vent – pipe connecting upward from a soil or waste stack to a vent stack to prevent pressure changes in the stacks

Zeolite – a group of hydrated sodium aluminosilicates, either natural or synthetic, with ion exchange properties

Zone of aeration – the layer in the ground above the water table where the available voids are filled with air – water falling on the ground percolates through this zone on its way to the aquifer

Zone of saturation – the layer in the ground in which all of the available voids are filled with water

Need a refresher? Below are links to WPJ Heating’s full plumbing glossary.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ

In just a few hours, the London Marathon 2015 will begin.

It’s thought that the oldest person to run the London Marathon was Buster Martin, a plumber no less, who was 101 years old when he ran the 26.2 miles in 2008. What did he say as he crossed the finish line? “Where’s my beer!?”

Sadly, he passed away in 2011 at the age of 104, but his legacy lives on. Buster’s plumbing firm said he worked right up until the day before he died, and he even features in an American documentary by Mark Wexler called How to Live Forever.

Here are six¹ other little-known facts about the London Marathon.

1. The first ‘marathon’ took place in 1908 and was actually part of the Olympic Games. Initially set at 26 miles, organisers extended the run by the extra 386 yards so runners would cross the finish line in front of the royal box.
2. In 1981, the first official London Marathon took place, with 6,225 people taking part.
3. The first wheelchair marathon took place in 1983 and was completed by 17 people. Britain’s Gordon Perry won the race in a time of 3:20:07.
4. In 2003, Paula Radcliffe broke the women’s record in 2:15:25 – this remains unbeaten.
5. At £2,330,159.38, the record for the highest amount raised by a runner was set in 2011 by Steve Chalke. Funds reached £51.8 million.
6. In 2014, the course record was set by Kenyan Wilson Kipsang, who crossed the finish line at 2:04:29.

Today, more than 35,000² participants will be running the London Marathon with three-quarters of a million spectators cheering them on. From the whole team here at WPJ Heating, we wish you all the best of luck!

¹ The Standard, 2015. London Marathon: 26 facts and records from the capital’s big race. [Online] Available at: http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/london-marathon-26-facts-and-records-from-the-capitals-big-race-10196016.html.
² The Week, 2015. London Marathon 2015: start times, route and runners to watch. [Online] Available at: http://www.theweek.co.uk/63469/london-marathon-2015-start-times-route-and-runners-to-watch.
[All information sources accessed 24th April 2015].

April the 25th is officially Hug a Plumber Day, a date circled on calendars worldwide to highlight the important services that plumbing professionals provide to help keep the public safe and healthy.

Now, whilst hugging is good for the soul, we reckon it’s still important to maintain some boundaries today. These are our five rules for Hug a Plumber Day 2015.

RULE 1: Only ever hire a Gas Safe registered engineer

The Gas Safe Register, which replaced CORGI, is the official list of gas engineers who are qualified to work safely and legally on your gas appliances.

Badly fitted or poorly serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning – so don’t take the risk – check that your plumber is on the Gas Safe Register before giving them a call.

RULE 2: Check your plumber’s ID

Every gas engineer carries a Gas Safe Register ID card with them, which states their unique license number and what work they are qualified to do.

Ask to see this ID card before you let an engineer into your home – you’ll find a list of their qualifications on the back, so you’ll be able to ensure they are able to carry out the job you are hiring them for before they begin.

RULE 3: Don’t be scared to ask questions

A reputable plumbing company will encourage you to ask questions; after all, you should be completely aware of what you are paying for.

Query the information that is important to you, whether that’s finding out if the work to be carried out is guaranteed, what insurance is provided, and if there are any additional costs involved, such as parking or travel expenses.

In an emergency call-out situation, try to give your plumbing company as much detail about the problem over the phone first but do understand that they may not be able to give you a final quote until they arrive at your property. This is because they’ll need to assess the extent of the work needed to complete the job, as well as any spare parts that need to be purchased.

RULE 4: Make sure you’re happy with the payment terms

Every plumbing company differs, but it’s likely you’ll only be required to pay for work upon completion when it comes to smaller jobs.

If you’re having more extensive work done, it’s common to be asked to pay a deposit upfront and then the rest when the work is complete – just check that you are happy with the work that has been done before making that payment.

Oh, and if you fancy giving your plumber a hug after they’ve saved you from a plumbing emergency? It might be deemed a little unprofessional so it’s probably best to go in for the hand shake instead!

WPJ Heating are a team of Gas Safe registered, experienced plumbers. Our rates are competitive and we serve residents and businesses across south west London, including Battersea, Tooting, Clapham, Fulham and Westminster. Contact us today to find out more.

Earlier in the week scientists unveiled the world’s first toilet that can generate electricity through urine-power, and once again, toilets are back in the spotlight as scientists announced plans to use glow-in-the-dark tampons to fix bad plumbing problems in the UK.

According to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the problem is that 5%¹ of homes’ toilet waste is being pumped into the UK’s rivers and lakes due to ill-connected sewage pipes, severely impacting the health of our natural habitats.

Pinpointing which housing developments’ sewage systems are to blame involves complex and expensive testing but scientists have found a solution.

The latest study, published in the Water and Environment Journal, reports that when tampons are dipped into diluted detergent for just five seconds (a concentration 300 times less than that found in a surface water pipe) optical brighteners could be identified immediately and continued to be visible for 30 days. Tampons are the ideal detector because, unlike other cotton products, they are untreated.

The test was trialled in the field by suspending tampons on rods in 16 surface water outlets running into streams and rivers in Sheffield. When they were tested under UV lighting, nine of the tampons glowed indicating the presence of optical brighteners, and therefore sewage pollution.

Working with Yorkshire Water, they then followed four of the polluted outlets they had identified, dipping a tampon in at each manhole to find out where the sewage was entering the system. By doing this, they were able to successfully trace which houses required further inspection of their plumbing.

David Lerner, a professor of engineering at the University of Sheffield who led the study, said: “Sewage in rivers is very unpleasant, very widespread and very difficult to track down. Our new method may be unconventional, but it’s cheap and it works.”

Currently, the only way to be certain that a building’s pipes are not connected correctly is by using a dye test, wherein dye is run through a toilet or sink and later checked to see where it reappears. Lerner states: “It’s clearly impractical for water companies to do this for all the households, but by working back from where pollution is identified and narrowing it down to a particular section of the network, the final step of identifying the source then becomes feasible.”

¹ The Guardian, 2015. ‘Tampon tests’ could be used to track sewage in rivers. [Online] Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/mar/31/tampon-tests-could-be-used-to-track-sewage-in-rivers. [Accessed 24th April 2015].

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas. You can’t smell it, you can’t taste it, but it can kill you.

More than 200¹ people are admitted into hospitals with carbon monoxide poisoning every year in the UK, and 40 people of those lose their lives to this silent killer.

What is carbon monoxide and what causes it to leak?

CO is produced when fuels such as gas, coal, oil or wood do not burn fully. When a fire burns in an enclosed space, the oxygen gets used up and is replaced by CO.

This substance can leak into your home via incorrectly installed, poorly maintained or badly ventilated household appliances. Cookers, heaters and central heating boilers are the most common sources of a CO leak.

Blocked flues and chimneys are also a problem, as they prevent the gas escaping, leading to the amount of CO in your home reaching dangerous levels.

Learn how to spot the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.

You could have carbon monoxide poisoning if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Tiredness and confusion
• Stomach pain
• Breathing difficulties

Carbon monoxide poisoning can feel similar to food poisoning or the flu, but without a temperature.

If you are exposed to high levels of CO gas, you’ll need to undergo oxygen therapy in hospital, which involves breathing in 100% oxygen through a tight-fitting mask to replace your body’s carboxyhaemoglobin.

Sadly, 10-15% of people who endure life-threatening carbon monoxide poisoning develop long-term health complications such as damage to the heart and brain, which is why it is so important to do everything in your power to detect a gas leak before it’s too late.

Warning signs that could indicate you have a gas leak:

• other people in your building start developing symptoms
• your symptoms disappear when you go away and return when you’re back at home
• your symptoms tend to be seasonal (e.g. you experience headaches in the winter when your heating is on)
• your pets become ill
• black, sooty marks appear around your gas fire, boiler or stove
• rooms become smoky due to blocked flues
• the flames from your gas appliances are yellow (they should be blue).

If you suspect a CO leak, immediately turn off every gas appliance in your home, open all of the windows and move away from the leak. You will need to call a Gas Safe registered engineer out to your address in order to stop the gas leak and you should visit your GP for a health check-up as soon as possible.

How to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning:

• Educate your entire household on the symptoms of CO poisoning
• Install a carbon monoxide alarm
• Have a Gas Safe engineer service your gas appliances annually to ensure all equipment is functioning safely

From October 2015, carbon monoxide alarms will be compulsory in all rental properties. WPJ Heating are providing early installation for property owners throughout south west London to help them stay on top of the law and reduce the risk of penalty – ask us about our gas safety services today.

¹ NHS, 2015. Carbon monoxide poisoning. [Online] Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/carbon-monoxide-poisoning/Pages/Introduction.aspx. [Accessed 23rd April 2015].

A urine-powered toilet will soon be lighting up refugee camps after being tested by students in the UK.

The ground-breaking invention, which is the result of collaboration between global aid agency Oxfam and the University of West England in Bristol, uses live microbes that feed on urine and convert into energy.

How does it work?

Scientists developed microbial fuel cells that use bacteria grown on carbon fibre anodes that feed on urine, breaking it down to create energy stored in a capacitor.

In 2013, 24 of these cells were used to prove that the method could produce enough electricity to power a mobile phone. Today, scientists have utilised 288 fuel cells to light up a toilet, with plans to increase this to a 1000-unit device.

What does it look like?

The prototype cubicle is similar to the toilets currently used in refugee camps by Oxfam. The microbial fuels are stacked underneath the urinal and can be viewed through a clear screen.

Following successful testing by students in Bristol, the urine sample accumulated in the study produced enough electricity to power four LED light bulbs in the cubicle.

Why is a light-up cubicle needed?

Andy Bastable, head of water and sanitisation at Oxfam, states that better lighting is desperately needed in sanitation areas to protect women and girls living in refugee camps from the threat of attack and harassment when they use unlit communal toilets at night.

He said: “By lighting bits of the camp using this technology we can create a safe environment so that women can go out, use the toilets at night [and] do things at night in a safer environment.”¹

What will happen next?

Oxfam aims to have the first toilet sent out to a refugee camp within the next six months. The initiative will then be rolled out more widely, initially in camps, but possibly also in other places without electricity.

“This urine bio-fuel cell technology could be used for many things, such as charging mobile phones [and] any applications involving a low electricity current like dosing pumps. It could be used outside of the camp environment; in any poor community that doesn’t have electricity at night, it would be a game-changer for them,” Bastable added.

¹ WTAQ, 2015. Pee-power toilet to light up disaster zones. [online] Available at: http://wtaq.com/news/articles/2015/apr/20/pee-power-toilet-to-light-up-disaster-zones/. [Accessed 21st April 2015].

Last week, American retail giant Walmart hit the news when five of their stores were abruptly closed and more than 2,000 workers were laid off. The corporation blamed plumbing problems for the closures.

As a retailer, large or small, a shop closure can affect your sales and reputation, which is why it’s essential to keep your building in top working condition.

Below are four plumbing tips for retailers.

1. Carry out regular bathroom inspections

   Sinks and toilets in commercial buildings are used more frequently than standard domestic units, thus can become worn out at a faster rate. What’s more, people are more inclined to treat public bathrooms badly, and will often flush things that they wouldn’t at home, such as nappies or even product packaging from the goods they have just bought in your shop.

   Have a member of staff regularly inspect the bathrooms in your building. If a problem is caught early on, an ‘out of order’ sign can be hung and you can call out a local plumber straightaway, which will reduce the likelihood of the problem worsening.

2. Ensure gas safety checks are completed

   The property owner of a building used for business is responsible for all health and safety precautions, including fire safety, the maintenance of electrical and gas equipment, and the management of asbestos.

   In terms of gas safety, this entails ensuring that all gas equipment is maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions, which may involve an annual inspection by a Gas Safe registered engineer to confirm that all pipework and appliances are safe to use.

3. Replace inefficient boilers

   The minimum efficiency standards outlined in your building regulations should be adhered to when installing a new or replacement boiler, or you can specify a model boasting a higher energy efficiency rating to reduce your company’s carbon footprint and utility costs even further.

   WPJ Heating regularly install A-rated energy efficient boilers with an 8 year Worcester guarantee for businesses in London to provide building owners with industry standard equipment and full peace of mind.

4. Install de-stratification fans

   If your building has warm air heaters and high ceilings, de-stratification fans can reduce energy use by 20%¹ by blowing warm air down to the ground where it’s needed.

   Not only will this lower the cost of your heating bills, which are notoriously expensive in large, commercial buildings with long opening hours, but it’ll also make the environment more comfortable for your customers, making it more appealing for them to stay and browse your shop for longer.

¹ Carbon Trust, 2015. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). [Online] Available at: http://www.carbontrust.com/resources/guides/energy-efficiency/heating,-ventilation-and-air-conditioning-hvac. [Accessed 21st April 2015].

WPJ Heating is possibly the most important term to know when you’re in need of a professional plumbing service, but in case you’re looking to take your plumbing knowledge even further, our plumbing glossary covers all of the other important W-words.

WC – Water Closet – toilet

Wall thickness – the thickness of the tubing wall

Waste arm drain – an extension pipe usually used to extend a sink drain into a wall

Waste and overflow drain – an assembly for a bathtub – the outlet at the top removes overflow water during tub filling and the drain at the bottom removes wastewater when the tub is drained

Waste plug – drain stopper on a bathtub drain

Waste shoe – bathtub drain assembly

Waste stack – main vertical pipe in a drainage system, extending one or more stories

Water hammer – loud banging noise caused by hydraulic shock that occurs when water supply is suddenly shut off, resulting in water moving against the side of containing pipe

Water hammer arrestor – device installed near fixture to absorb hydraulic shock of abrupt water shutoff

Water Horse Power (WHP) – calculated horse power produced by pump using formula WHP = head x gpm/3960

Water service pipe – pipe from the water main

Water spot – water surface in the toilet bowl once the flush is completed

Water table – level below the earth’s surface at which the ground becomes saturated with water

Waterway fitting – a channel through which water can flow, connecting water heater to inlet and outlet lines

Wave washer – a washer, common in drain linkages, which provides pressure against a ball or other mechanism even when the nut is not fully tightened

Weak well – application occurs when the pump lowers the water level in the well faster than the well can replenish itself

Weir – long notch with horizontal edge used to measure the quantity of flowing water

Well casing – steel or plastic pipe inserted into a drilled well to prevent dirt and debris from contaminating the water

Well point – pipe fitted with driving point and a fine mesh screen used to remove underground water

Wet vent – drain or waste pipe that also acts for one or more fixtures on the same line

Working pressure – maximum pressure of the operating system permissible

Wrought copper fittings – plumbing fittings used to connect copper tubes made of mechanically worked and toughened copper

Wye – Y-shaped fitting with three openings used to create branch lines and allows one pipe to be joined to another at a 45-degree angle

We regularly release plumbing glossaries, as well as other plumbing tips and news, because we believe in sharing the insights we have. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the updates.