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Energy minister Amber Rudd plans to ‘unleash a new solar revolution’ across Britain, proposing that millions more homes should have solar panels installed on their roofs. Currently, only around 640,0001 homes use solar power.

So what’s in it for homeowners?

It wasn’t long ago that solar panels were considered niche; they were something you’d only see on the roofs of the rich, environmentally conscious or tech geeks. Just a few years on, the price of solar panel installation has plummeted and has become a viable option for homeowners keen to reduce their carbon footprint and benefit from the cash incentives offered by the Government.

Today, even the largest 4kW system will only set customers back between £5,000 and £8,000, and could deliver returns of 10% per year2.

How can solar panels make you money?

Solar panels make and save you money in three different ways.

Firstly, by generating your own electricity, you’ll need to take less from the National Grid, hence your energy bills will drop.

According to the Energy Saving Trust, the average household’s annual electricity bill is reduced by £100 once using solar power, and this saving can jump to as much as £175 per year if households use their appliances whilst the panels are generating power.

The second saving is made from feed-in-tariffs, wherein the energy supplier for the power the solar panels generate pays a customer a set amount for each unit. The current feed-in-tariff pays 13.39 pence per kWh and it increases with the retail prices index (RPI) every year. Feed-in-tariffs can pay out over £500 per year.

Finally, there’s the export tariff, which is the payment you get for selling any units you don’t use back to your electricity supplier.

This payment is 4.85 pence per kWh and also rises with the RPI. In general, you’ll export around half of what you generate.

As long as you’re running a domestic system, these payments are completely tax-free. Feed-in-tariff and export tariff rates are locked in for a 20-year time period and you’ll continue to save on your energy bills beyond this.

Solar panels pay for themselves.

The average household will save £700 per year by switching to solar power. Therefore, it takes seven or eight years for the initial outlay to be paid off, and the money received after that is pure, tax-free profit.

However, it’s important to be realistic about your own solar system, as the amount of cash you’ll make will depend on the size of the panels, cost of installation, positioning of the roof, energy efficiency of the property, geographical location and when the panels are installed.

Is now a good time for solar panel installation or should I wait for it to get cheaper?

Feed-in-tariff incentives regularly go down, not up, so if you’re considering solar panel installation, it’s better to lock in a higher rate sooner rather than later.

The risk for many consumers is that the cost of solar panels could fall faster than the government incentives do.

Paul Barwell, chief executive of the Solar Trade Association notes: “After the feed-in-tariff was cut back in 2012, a lot of people thought that there wasn’t any point in having solar put up any more, but that is a myth; as the cost of solar has gradually come down, so has the feed-in-tariff, which means that the return on investment for householders is just as good now as it was back in 2010.”

As solar panels become increasingly popular around the globe, there is no reason why this trend won’t continue.

Although the Conservative government could reconsider whether incentives are necessary at all amidst such popularity, especially if using fossil fuel becomes too expensive for customers, Amber Rudd’s show of support for solar almost as soon as she was named energy secretary suggests that the Government is likely to commit to schemes designed to increase take up.

RELATED NEWS: Homeowners urged to install renewable heating ahead of VAT rise »


1 HVP, 2015. Renewables market supports proposals for ‘solar revolution’. [Online] Available at: http://www.hvpmag.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/3355/Renewables_market_supports_proposals_for__solar_revolution_.html.
2 This is Money, 2015. Is now the best time to install solar panels? New energy minister promises to ‘unleash revolution’ as cost of installation plummets to deliver 10% returns. [Online] Available at: http://www.hvpmag.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/3355/Renewables_market_supports_proposals_for__solar_revolution_.html.
[Accessed 30th June 2015].

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Brits believe this summer will be record-breaking. The hottest day ever recorded in Britain happened more than a decade ago in August 2003 when temperatures hit 38.1 degrees Celsius1, and according to the bookmakers, all bets are on that 2015 will be the year that the record is beaten.

And what’s better than a dip in the pool after a sticky day in the office?

Residential swimming pools are relatively uncommon in the UK, especially when compared to our European and international neighbours, but more than 210,0002 Brits have installed a private pool, most of which can be found in countryside dwellings and houses on the outskirts of the big cities like London, Leeds and Glasgow.

Surprisingly, swimming pool installation isn’t too expensive, with above ground swimming pools setting homeowners back as little as £1,5003. Fully tiled or marbelite concrete swimming pools are at the higher tier of the market, starting from £45,000.

Once installed, not only can you enjoy long, sunny days in your pool, but you’re also likely to increase the value of your home.

Want to install a swimming pool in your home or garden? Here are some pointers to keep the costs low:

  • Choose eco-friendly equipmentFrom solar-heated pools, which use solar panels to keep the water warm, to moss-filtered pools that eliminate the need for chlorine, there are plenty of sustainable swimming pool options out there for customers. The initial outlay of an eco-pool may cost a little extra but could reduce your energy costs in the long run.
  • Be wary of ‘dig and drop’ swimming poolsSome swimming pools can be bought ready-plumbed, so all you’ll need to do is dig the hole and drop it in. Whilst this may reduce your initial set-up costs, do be careful with these DIY builds, and always ensure you get a professional plumber’s opinion to ensure the pool is installed correctly and safe to use. Without getting this second opinion, you could end up damaging your home’s plumbing system and having to fork out more cash several weeks or months down the line to fix the problem.
  • Think about building a swimming pool enclosureIf you’re installing an outdoor pool, creating a purpose-built enclosure for it could allow you to extend your swimming season by months, or all year round. Not only does this reduce your cost-per-use (you’ll be getting your money’s worth) but you may even find yourself taking more ‘staycations’, as you’ll be less inclined to splurge on a holiday every time you need a break by the pool.
  • If exercise is your aim…Larger pools generally cost more but you can fulfil your exercise requirements in a smaller pool to save on construction fees, build time and future running costs. Simply ask for a counter current to be fitted in your exercise pool, which will enable you to swim against the current for as long as you like without the need to turn end to end.

If you’re having a swimming pool installed this summer, do reserve an extra 10% of your budget to cover any unexpected eventualities. This is particularly poignant in regards to outdoor pools, as you never know what could be discovered beneath your garden during an excavation. For example, the underground could be immersed in tree roots that will need cutting – or you may just decide that you want more pool lights or a different design during the process.

In most cases, you won’t need to use this emergency money on your swimming pool installation, meaning that you can spend it on throwing your first pool party instead!


1 Daily Mail, 2015. Bet it’s going to be a scorcher! Flurry of wagers for weather records to be broken this summer as Britain prepares for temperatures of 24C tomorrow. [Online] Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3036660/Bet-s-going-scorcher-Flurry-wagers-weather-records-broken-summer-Britain-prepares-hottest-day-year-temperatures-set-soar-24C-Wednesday.html.
2 Daily Mail, 2009. Why you don’t need to be swimming in cash to install a pool at home. [Online] Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/property/article-1197150/Why-dont-need-swimming-cash-install-pool-home.html.
3 Compass Pools, 2015. Costs, prices and quotes of building a swimming pool in your garden. [Online] Available at: http://www.compass-pools.co.uk/faqs/cost-prices-quotes-of-building-a-swimming-pool/.
[All information sources accessed 25th June 2015].

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Abby Shorter, a skilled young recruit at the end of a plumbing apprenticeship, was featured in The Guardian today.

The 24-year-old had spent the morning fitting radiators in a block of flats in south London and beamed as she told reporters: “I like to see a project grow and progress. It is very rewarding.”1

The former retail manager has spent the past two years learning about combi boilers, taps, and everything else necessary to prepare her for a career in plumbing. She excitedly told The Guardian that once the work in south London was complete, she’d be moving on to a new site, revealing: “This job is all plastic but the next job is all copper. With copper there is more of an art to it. You can bend the pipework in a way that it looks nice; there are soldering techniques.”

Shorter’s skills and enthusiasm are exactly what the plumbing industry, and the construction sector as whole, needs. The construction industry fought its way out of the recession only to be faced with a severe shortage of skilled workers, all whilst project numbers continue to grow.

Addressing the issue, Nick Boles, the UK’s Skills Minister, has pledged to create three million apprenticeships by 2020. Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders (FMD), welcomes the target but emphasises that reforms must take place in order to achieve it.

Berry said: “As construction accounts for about 7% of GDP, it means our sector should be responsible for around 210,000 of these apprenticeships, which equates to 42,000 a year over the next parliament. Given that the industry only achieved 16,000 in 2013/14, there is a lot of work to be done.”

1 in 10 jobs in the UK are in construction – 943,000 young people are out of work – so why aren’t more young people taking on an apprenticeship in the trades?

One possibility is that young people don’t realise the earning potential of a career in the trades, or the job satisfaction that comes with trade work. Plumbers, for instance, can earn £35,000 per year, which is significantly higher than the UK’s average salary of £26,0002. And although the idea of early starts and dirty work may put some people off, being able to use your expertise to help people have safe and comfortable homes is highly rewarding.

Another reason that apprenticeships may not be attracting enough young people is that the schemes do not pay competitively when compared to the wider job market. The national minimum wage for apprentices is £2.73, thus it’s easy to see why a retail or office job may be more appealing for a young person keen to start earning once they have left school or college. The longer-term financial reasons to take an apprenticeship are neglected in these conversations, as it’s not uncommon for plumbers, electricians and builders to out-earn their peers working in offices, factories, and so on, once they become qualified.

Of course, there are holdbacks from the employer’s side too, as many businesses may not have the resources to support apprenticeship programmes, which require time and attention from senior employees to develop an apprentice’s skills.

Therefore, the Skills Minister’s creation of three million new apprenticeships must be able to provide learners with the incentive to take part, and businesses with the means to be able to provide first-class training.

Further to this, the fact that 40% of construction output is coming from the public sector cannot be ignored. Berry believes that the Government should only allow contracts with firms that agree to take on apprentices, stating: “In the past, there has been evidence to suggest that pledges by firms to train apprentices have not transpired. Government need to get better at policing its contractual stipulation if we really are to crank up the level of apprenticeships via the public sector.”


1 The Guardian, 2015. ‘At some point we will have no one coming into the construction industry’. [Online] Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/jun/24/construction-industry-apprenticeships-skilled-workers-training.
2 Wikipedia, 2015. Income in the United Kingdom. [Online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_in_the_United_Kingdom.
[All information sources accessed 25th June 2015].

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Entries are now open for the Best Tradeswoman category in this year’s Best Business Woman Awards 2015.

The award is open to all women working in a trade, from plumbers to electricians to gardeners – all entrants need to do is demonstrate why customers believe their services are the best.

Women currently represent just 6%1 of tradespeople in the UK, and through this award, the BBWA 2015 hopes to highlight the benefits that women bring to trades businesses and encourage young women to follow in the winners’ footsteps.

Caroline Dinenage, the Minister for Equalities, acknowledges that this 6% representation is unsatisfactory, stating that women need more encouragement to pursue careers in engineering-related industries.

She says that the Government is striving for improved standards by encouraging young women to keep studying STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and supporting women in the workplace so they can balance their careers with other responsibilities outside of work.

This year’s Best Tradeswoman category is sponsored by Vanarama, a vehicle licensing company with a 50% female management team.

Andy Alderson, Vanarama’s Managing Director, said: “We thought it was about time that the nation recognised the vital and increasing role women are making in trades today. By sponsoring this award we can showcase some of the best tradeswomen in the country, helping them to boost their business potential too.”

If you’d like to enter the Best Tradeswoman Awards 2015, or if you know another talented tradeswoman who may, read the full details and download your entry form here. All entries must be submitted by 22nd September 2015.

Did you know that less than 1%2 of plumbers in the UK are women? Click here to read more about women in the plumbing industry.


1 HPV, 2015. Best Tradeswoman Award recognises outstanding female achievement. [Online] Available at: http://www.hvpmag.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/3343/Best_Tradeswoman_Award_recognises_outstanding_female_achievement.html.
2 WaterSafe, 2014. WaterSafe, 2014. National call for more females into the plumbing industry, as research reveals young girls are let down at school. [Online] Available at: https://www.watersafe.org.uk/news/latest_news/get_girls_plumbing_campaign_launched/.
[All information sources accessed 24th June 2015].

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Water ‘hardness’ varies throughout the UK; in London and the south east it is the hardest, whilst it gets progressively softer as you travel north.

What causes hard water? Here’s the science:

Rainwater naturally contains carbonic acid, which is formed by the reaction between water and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

When it rains, the water falls over rocks and passes through layers of rock in the ground. Compounds from these rocks then dissolve into the water, and the hardness of the water will depend on which region in the UK this happens, as the rocks vary throughout.

Hard water contains dissolved compounds, usually calcium or magnesium, and carbonic acid in the rainwater reacts with this to produce soluble calcium hydrogencarbonate.

carbonic acid + calcium carbonate = calcium hydrogencarbonate

It’s the presence of calcium ions and magnesium ions in the water that makes it hard. Whilst soft water will readily form lather with soap, it’s more difficult to achieve with hard water, so more soap is needed.

Measuring water hardness

One way to measure the hardness in water is to conduct a titration test with a soap solution.

  1. Pour a set volume of water into a conical flask
  2. Use a pipette to add a soap solution to the water
  3. Swirl the contents to help it form a lather

You may need to add more soap to form the lather, but once it has worked, record how much was needed. The harder the water, the more soap is required.

Types of hardness

Temporary hard water can be softened through boiling. Permanent hard water stays hard, even when boiled.

You should be able to distinguish temporary hard water from permanent temporary water but another titration experiment can be carried out.

Is hard water bad?

There are a number of environmental, social and economic considerations to be taken into account when determining whether hard water is bad or not.

The benefits of hard water include:

  • improved taste of water
  • helps reduce heart disease
  • good for the development and maintenance of bones and teeth.

However, the drawbacks are:

  • more soap is needed to produce lather so it can become more expensive
  • the scum produced by hard water can spoil the appearance of kitchen appliances and bathroom suites
  • the efficiency of kettles and heating systems can be reduced if limescale coats the insides of pipes and boilers – this can increase running costs and can cause a breakdown if a blockage occurs.

Softening hard water

In areas with hard water, the damaging effects can far outweigh the positives, thus it may be beneficial for the water to be softened.

There are two effective ways to soften water: add sodium carbonate or use an ion exchange column.

Sodium carbonate, or washing soda, can remove temporary and permanent hardness in water. It works because the carbonate ions from sodium carbonate react with the calcium and magnesium ions in the water to produce insoluble precipitates.

calcium ions + sodium carbonate = calcium carbonate + sodium ions

As the water no longer contains dissolved calcium and magnesium ions, it will form lather with soap more easily. However, the calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate do form limescale, which is not only unsightly, but it can also clog up your pipes and cause appliances to break.

This means that treating hard water with sodium carbonate is only suitable in certain circumstances, such as softening water for hand washing clothes.

Commercial water softeners will often use ion exchange resins instead. These substances are usually made into beads and packed into cylinders called ion exchange columns, which can be built into machines such as dishwashers, or plumbed into water systems to continuously soften the water.

The resin beads have sodium ions attached to them, and as the water passes through the column, the calcium and magnesium ions swap places with the sodium ions. The calcium and magnesium ions are left attached to the beads and the water leaving the column contains more sodium ions, thus the hard water softens.

Once the resin beads in an ion exchange become saturated, they must be regenerated by adding sodium chloride (salt). In doing this, the sodium chloride replaces the calcium and magnesium ions on the beads so the process can begin again.

As sodium is so cheap and widely available, ion exchanges are a convenient and cost-effective solution to water hardness problems.

If you’d like to speak to us about making your water system more efficient, get in touch today.

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Who knows when this plumbing trivia could come in handy (most likely at your next pub quiz!)…

  1. Where does the word ‘plumber’ come from?‘Plumber’ is derived from the Latin word for lead (‘plumbum’) – lead used to be the primary material for plumbing systems carrying water into cities and towns until it was found to be poisonous.
  2. Who invented the toilet?English writer Sir John Harington created the first design of the flush toilet in 1596.

    Plumber Thomas Crapper, founder of Thomas Crapper & Co in London, popularised the invention in the 1880s and developed many of its staple features, including the ballcock.

  3. When was the shower invented?Although rudimentary showers existed in India and Egypt, the first advanced shower systems were developed by the Greeks around 300 B.C. Ancient Greek athletes would shower at the Stadiums using piped water supplies with showerheads shaped like boars and lions.
  4. What did we do before toilet paper?Before toilet paper was invented, people would use shells, sand and corncob instead! The Romans were slightly more conventional, creating a cleaning instrument that was essentially a stick with a sponge on the end of it.
  5. Can you name some of the past euphemisms for lavatory?The Romans referred to the lavatory as the ‘necessarium’, the ancient Egyptians called it the ‘house of the morning’, and in Tudor England, it was called the ‘privy’ or the ‘house of privacy’, similar to the Israeli ‘house of honour’.

    The medieval French, on the other hand, were much more direct, referring to the loo as the ‘smelly room’.

  6. Why are some manhole covers round?A round manhole cover cannot fall through its opening, whereas a square manhole cover could be turned diagonally and fall through.
  7. How long does hot water take to burn skin?10 minutes at 49 degrees Celsius
    2 minutes at 52 degrees Celsius
    6 seconds at 60 degrees Celsius
    2 seconds at 66 degrees Celsius

    This is why it’s so important to keep your hot water system maintained by a professional plumbing company!

  8. Does water go down the drain clockwise in the northern or southern hemisphere?Both!

    The claim that water travels down the drain clockwise in the southern hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere isn’t true – the direction of the waterflow depends on the position of the bowl’s rim jets.

  9. How much water is wasted every year by households waiting for the temperature to change?More than 40,000 litres! Those extra seconds you wait for the hot water tap to start running warm water really do add up!
  10. Who is the most famous plumber in history?Mario, of course! Closely followed by Luigi.

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Less than 1% of plumbers in the UK are women1, despite the fact that homeowners want to see more females in the trades industry.

These are the stats:

  • 24% of women say they weren’t advised to take up a trade at school – instead, they were encouraged into stereotypical female roles, such as admin or secretarial work
  • 38% of women in the UK would learn a trade if given a second chance
  • Less than 1% of plumbers in the UK are women
  • Almost a third of women (31%) would prefer to hire a female plumber to carry out work on their home
  • 59% of consumers think more women should take up a trade role

These insightful figures were released by WaterSafe, the UK’s leading plumbing assurance scheme, who polled 2,000 consumers for their ‘Get Girls Plumbing’ campaign last year.

The campaign aims to dispel gender myths and encourage more women into the plumbing industry.

A career in plumbing is financially rewarding, mentally stimulating and offers enough flexibility for men and women with family commitments.

The average worker’s salary in the UK is £26,0002 – plumbers typically earn up to £35,000 per year, or higher if they are self-employed and setting their own rates. And then of course, there is Charlie Mullins, Britain’s millionaire plumber.

Every day presents a new challenge, making it an ideal work environment for practical problem solvers keen to make life better for their clients, and as plumbing is not your typical 9-5 job, it’s possible to work flexibly.

These are all major factors for job satisfaction, regardless of gender, yet women aren’t applying for plumbing roles – in fact, here at WPJ Heating, we haven’t had a female plumber apply for a job for two years!

Britain is currently facing a skills crisis – more female plumbers would help.

Many plumbing firms are turning down work because they don’t have enough qualified engineers to complete the job.

Initiatives such as the ‘Get Girls Plumbing’ campaign are important because they have the potential to inspire more talent to enter the industry, and as the above stats show, almost one in four females are not receiving this encouragement at school.

Plumbing apprenticeships could be the key to getting more women into the industry, although more will need to be done to introduce the idea earlier on in their education, as it may be too late to convince a female that the plumbing industry isn’t a man’s domain by the time she has reached the age of 16.

Consumers want to see more female plumbers.

Nearly a third of female customers are more comfortable with granting a female plumber access to their home and almost two thirds of consumers believe that more women should take up a trade.

Women-only plumbing firms are tapping into this market by exclusively hiring female plumbers and marketing that fact as their unique selling point. Whilst being a significant movement for female empowerment within the industry, this approach does have problems of its own, as gender equality is not being achieved if men are alienated from the workplace.

The plumbing industry has always been about providing professional health and amenities solutions for complete customer satisfaction; if a person is passionate about the trade and works hard to gain the correct qualifications and experience, they should be welcomed into the industry, regardless of their gender.

We are one of South West London’s most highly acclaimed plumbing companies with 5-star ratings on Checkatrade, My Builder and Google. We’re always keen to hear from talented plumbers and would love to have more women on board – if you are interested in building your career with us, send your CV to info@wpjheating.co.uk today.


1 WaterSafe, 2014. National call for more females into the plumbing industry, as research reveals young girls are let down at school. [Online] Available at: https://www.watersafe.org.uk/news/latest_news/get_girls_plumbing_campaign_launched/.
2 Wikipedia, 2015. Income in the United Kingdom. [Online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_in_the_United_Kingdom.
[Accessed 17th June 2015].

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Do you switch on the shower and grimace at how long it’s going to take to wash your hair with that trickling water flow? Or do you squirt washing up liquid into the kitchen sink and watch in disappointment as the bubbles fail to emerge below slow dripping taps? We’ll show you how to improve the water pressure in your home.

Diagnose the cause of the failing water pressure

Low water pressure is often the result of bad plumbing, thus the first step in your diagnosis should be to inspect the accessible pipes in your home.

Most modern building regulations require pipes to be no wider than half an inch in diameter but if your home predates contemporary standards your pipes may be too large and need updating. Under these circumstances, pipe reduction apparatus can be installed to adapt your existing pipes.

If your pipes are rusty or corroded, this could be causing the water flow problems, and unfortunately, the only remedy for a worn out pipe is to replace it. You can replace a pipe yourself by following the manufacturer’s instructions but if you have never done it before, or if the problem pipe is in a hard-to-reach area, it may be safer to hire a professional plumber to do so.

If your pipework does not appear to be cause of the water pressure issues you are experiencing, there may something wrong with your taps or showerhead instead.

As a first measure, unscrew the parts and clean them to remove any gunk that may be restricting water flow. If, after reinstalling the taps/showerhead, the water flow has not improved, you may be dealing with a clog.

3-step guide to unclog your tap

  1. Unscrew the stem retainer nut and pull the stem straight up. You’ll either find a washer alone at the bottom of the stem or you’ll find a washer with a spring within the stem of the tap – use a screwdriver to remove the washer and/or spring.
  2. Block the stem of the tap and turn the water on and off several times to flush out the clog.
  3. Reassemble your tap.

These steps can also be applied for showerheads.

If your water pressure has still not improved…

If the above measures have not resolved your water pressure issues, your home’s water pressure regulator may be the cause of the problem.

The water pressure regulator is usually located near where the plumbing meets the house and will require the assistance of a qualified plumber to access and repair or replace it.

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The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled that the UK will no longer be able to offer a reduced 5% VAT rate on residential energy-saving products.

As a consequence, homeowners considering renewable heating installations have been told to act quickly if they wish to keep costs low.

The European Commission first ordered the UK to drop this tax break in 2013 because it did not comply with the EU’s VAT Directive. The basis of the UK Treasury’s appeal later that year was that upgrading homes not only saves emissions and boosts energy efficiency, but also has wider social benefits that justify the reductions.

Despite this appeal, the European Court of Justice ruled that the 5% VAT figure should only apply to transactions related to social housing, and until the UK instates this change, it will be fined on a weekly basis.

Although a date for this VAT reform has yet to be issued, it appears imminent.

Therefore, the sooner homeowners make the switch to renewable technologies, the more they are likely to save. Homeowners who wait could face an additional 15% surplus on their purchase, which is a significant expense when referring to domestic technologies such as solar panels that often cost homeowners thousands of pounds in installation costs before the benefits are felt.

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Pipe reducers do exactly that: they reduce the diameter of a pipe. Available in many different sizes and materials, pipe reduction apparatus works by connecting a larger pipe to a smaller one, enabling increased versatility for plumbing appliances.

But did you know that you could use these fittings for other tasks too? Here are the seven alternative uses for pipe reducers:

  1. Plumbing expansionPipe reducers are also pipe expanders. For instance, you can install a pipe reducer from your sink or toilet to the main sewage line out of the house.
  2. Rain divertersIf you’re building a rain diverter to provide water for your garden, attach pipe reduction apparatus to the pipe coming off the downspout to enable entry into the barrel, which will require a much smaller access point.
  3. ChimneysA cast iron pipe reducer will connect the hearth to the inside of the chimney – it must be cast iron to withstand the heat.
  4. CarsSome cars, such as Minis, use an exhaust sleeve reducer pipe to increase the pressure that’s forced through the system.
  5. Below ground drainageWhen moving water from one area to another via an underground drainage system, thinner pipes provide a better water flow, hence pipe reducers can prove to be useful. PVC pipes hold up best below ground.
  6. Home brewingPipe reducers may be used in the tubing from the boiler to the sparging arm.

For more plumbing tips, news and insights, follow WPJ Heating on Facebook and Twitter.

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