Have you noticed that the pressure on your boiler pressure gauge is dropping? The first thing for you to do is look for any sign of a leak. Check all valves, radiators, visible pipework and joints for any cracks or splits. If you find leaks or splits, you should call a gas engineer out as soon as possible to repair the damage.
If no leaks are found, it could be the pressure valve is faulty. This valve allows water to escape if the pressure gets too high. If this is the likely problem, get a gas engineer around to check the valve and replace it if necessary.
Problems such as drops in pressure can be easily avoided if you take care of your boiler. So many people neglect to have their boiler serviced and they end up with more costly issues further down the line. Chances are that if your boiler’s going to fail, it’ll choose to do it at the worst possible moment, leaving you without hot water or central heating. The answer is to have your boiler serviced regularly by an experienced and qualified gas engineer.
When you call a gas engineer out to service your boiler, make sure they are Gas Safe Registered. Carbon Monoxide poisoning can be fatal, and an unloved boiler can be one of the biggest culprits. The safety and health of you and your family should not be risked by hiring a ‘cowboy’.
If your boiler is losing pressure in Southwest London call 020 7350 2511 or click here for more details. If you are not in Southwest London, check out the Gas Safe Register website to find an engineer near you.
Being Gas Safe is a necessity for the health and safety of you and your family. Here are 10 tips to stay gas safe.
1. Have all your gas appliances, including boilers, gas cookers and gas fires, safety checked annually.
2. Always use a Gas Safe registered engineer to fit, fix and check gas appliances in your home – it’s the law and will help keep you safe.
3. Always ask to see an engineers Gas Safe ID card and check the back of the card to ensure they are qualified to carry out the specific type of gas work you need.
4. Find a Gas Safe registered engineer in your area or call the free helpline on 0800 408 5500
5. Recognise the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, collapse and loss of consciousness.
6. Check gas appliances for warning signs that they are not working properly e.g. lazy yellow flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks or stains on or around the appliance and too much condensation in the room. Remember that an unsafe appliance sometimes has none of these signs at all.
7. Buy an audible carbon monoxide alarm for your home and make sure it is located near to your gas appliances in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidance. Carbon monoxide can leak from appliances and kill.
8. Only use gas appliances for their intended purpose e.g. don’t use a gas oven to heat a room or use a gas barbeque inside the house.
9. Always ensure there is enough ventilation for your gas appliances to allow them to burn correctly and make sure you are not blocking any air vents that provide an air supply to the gas appliance.
10. Anybody working with gas has to be Gas Safe registered by law. Report someone working without registration or call Gas Safe Register on the free phone number 0800 408 5500.
If you are need of a Gas Safe Engineer in Southwest London call 020 7350 2511 or click here.
1 KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE AND WARM THIS WINTER Accessed online 24 February 2016 http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/learn/winter_gas_safety_tips.aspx
The Mayor launched his London Boiler Cashback Scheme on 2 February 2016 to provide 6,500 owner-occupiers and private residential landlords with a £400 voucher if they replace a working 70% or less efficient boiler with a new 90% efficient or higher-rated boiler or low carbon heating system. What does this mean for the residents of London and how can you get involved?
The scheme is first-come, first-served and they expect it to be very popular, so apply soon to avoid disappointment. Now there are specific eligibility requirements and they can be found here.
With rising fuel prices this is a great opportunity to not only save money on a new boiler, but also to save money on fuel costs. As a Gas Safe Registered installer, we are embracing this scheme in the hope that homeowners in Southwest London will apply for the scheme to take advantage of up to £340 a year savings on your energy bills.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “As well as saving hard earned cash, upgrading an old boiler gives the environment a huge boost by lowering carbon emissions and making our air sweeter. I encourage everyone harbouring ancient boiler artefacts to sign up to my Boiler Cashback Scheme now and benefit from a brand new cost effective heating system.”
As soon as the scheme was announced, Worcester Bosch stepped up and added an additional £100 cashback to homeowners if they choose a Greenstar boiler. As an accredited Worcester Bosch installer we are hopeful that people who are currently struggling with rising fuel costs will apply to help save money.
If you find you are not eligible for the scheme but still need your boiler replaced, call 020 7350 2511 for a free quote or get more information by clicking here.
Combination boilers, or combi boilers as they are called are the most common boilers in the UK. They are designed to provide instant hot water, as well as heating up all the radiators.
If the temperature in your home drops below your pre-set level, the room thermostat sends a signal to the boiler to fire up so that heat can be directed into the central heating system and out to the radiators. The opposite happens when the thermostat detects the pre-set level has been reached the boiler shuts down
When you turn on the hot water tap, water is heated inside the combination boiler, which then flows to the relevant tap. The advantage of a combi boiler is only the water needed is heated.
Control valves inside the combi boilers operate in different directions, either letting the water flow through the heating system or diverting it to a to water tap, as required, but never both at the same time.
Combi boilers require sufficient mains water pressure in order to deliver a good water flow rate; low mains water pressure means hot water will merely trickle. If your mains water pressure is low or you have more than one bathroom, installing a booster is an option to provide ideal shower water pressure.
It is also important to ensure that the heat output of the boiler is correct for your needs. Combi boilers generally have two heat outputs: one for domestic hot water and the other for Central Heating. More effort and hence more heat is required to produce hot water than to heat a home through the radiators, so it is usually the hot water output that determines your choice of combi boiler. Call 020 7350 2511 and one of our engineers can help you determine the best options for your boiler and heating system.
There are a lot of myths surrounding Central Heating. Over the years we have heard them all. Today we are going to try and dispel 5 of the most common Central Heating myths.
1: The most expensive boiler is always the best
This is the oddest one to us. The price of a boiler doesn’t always mean it is the best. The key to any good boiler is to get it serviced annually and having a warranty, or even better an 8-year guarantee like those offered by us on all the Worcester Bosch boilers we install.
2: The bigger the boiler, the more heat
A bigger boiler will push out more heat, but if your radiators are small, the amount of heat you receive will be the same as with a small boiler. Having the biggest boiler on the block is not energy efficient or even practical. The size of your boiler and entire system should be related to the size of your home.
3: I am cold, so I need bigger radiators
Again similar to the bigger boiler myth, the bigger the radiator doesn’t mean more heat. If your system is not getting hot, this could be the sign of other issues. Installing a massive radiator is expensive and doesn’t create comfortable heat. Also a larger radiator can cause your boiler to be overworked and it may not be powerful enough to actually heat up because your boiler may only be capable of a certain output.
4: My system is new, so I do not need any protection
When you purchase a new car, you want to make sure you have some sort of cover plan if something goes wrong. Driving your car can be a daily chore lasting an hour or two a day. Your boiler is used daily for many hours, when washing dishes, washing clothes, taking showers/baths and heating your home. Given the amount of hours your boiler works everyday, not having some sort of cover plan seems foolish. Plus you need to get your boiler serviced annually just to make sure after all the work your boiler has done, it is still in tip-top shape.
5: Combination boilers do not give you a very good shower and are not suitable for large houses
With people taking more showers than baths these days, the myth is easily dispelled. Combination boilers give instantaneous hot water and do not store water like a traditional cylinder system. This is a far more cost effective way to get hot water so you are using what you need and not heating a large body of water and then not using it all. Think of a combi boiler like you would a kettle. You don’t need to heat a full kettle for a single cup of tea.
If you have any questions regarding any of these myths or other questions about central heating, call 020 7350 2511 and schedule one of our engineers to come out to check your heating system and find the most efficient way to heat your water and your home.
A loss of water pressure is a good indicator of some common issues that arise with boilers. Low pressure is relatively easy to diagnose, as most boilers have a built-in pressure gauge. Sometimes, it’s possible to correct water pressure yourself.
Understanding water pressure
Constant water pressure is essential to the efficient functioning of your boiler system. Pressure in most modern combination boilers is maintained by cold water flowing from the water mains supply through a mechanism known as the ‘filling loop’.
What causes a drop in pressure?
A number of things can cause pressure to drop. It may be that there is a leak somewhere in your boiler system. Or, if you bled your radiators recently, it may be that pressure was lost then. However, you may not be able to tell that you have a problem until you check the pressure gauge. A water leak, for instance, may be tiny and go unnoticed at first, only to develop into a larger problem down the line.
Checking your pressure gauge
Check the water pressure gauge or indicator, which is typically on the front of your boiler. For most boilers, this should be set around the 1 bar. The position set when the boiler was installed is sometimes shown by a red indicator needle. If you have noticed repeated drops in your boiler pressure, make sure you check the gauge regularly. A drop in pressure is a good indication that there is a problem with your boiler.
How to tackle lost pressure
Each boiler will come with specific instructions about its pressure system. Check your user manual to see if you can re-pressurise your boiler yourself. You may also find instructions on the rear of your boiler control panel. However, if your boiler panel needs tools to remove it, don’t touch it – book an engineer.
Likewise, if you continue to have pressure problems after re-pressurising your boiler according to the user manual, our expert engineers can diagnose and repair the problem.
If your boiler pressure is low, feel free to call our office at 020 7350 2511 and one of our engineers can come out to investigate the the problem.
Winter is coming! And with it, cold weather. Gloves, hats and big coats get brought out of the closet and your boiler will start to work a bit harder than it has since last winter. With the extra work that your boiler will be doing, it is important that you carry out some checks to ensure everything is running smoothly. Here are 5 Winter boiler tips to make sure you are ready for the cold weather.
1: REGULAR HEATING CHECKS
If you haven’t turned your heater on since last winter, you may want to test it out today. The last thing you want to do is turn it on a freezing cold evening, only to find out it is not working properly. It is a good idea to turn your heater on a few times a month throughout the year to ensure everything is working correctly.
2: BLEED YOUR RADIATORS
This is probably one of the least thought of things that can affect the heat in your home. When you turn your heating on, run your hand up and down your radiators, if you notice an area that is not as warm as others, this may be a sign you need to bleed your radiator. Air can become trapped which can prevent heat from reaching certain areas. This can have a damaging effect on your boiler, so by simply bleeding your radiators and letting the air out, you will help restore the system to full working order.
3: READ INSTRUCTIONS
We all keep the boiler instructions around the house and possibly have never even opened them. But understanding how your boiler works can ensure your boiler works properly and for an extended period of time.
4: BOILER SERVICING
This should be an annual occurrence. As with all gas appliances, if they began to falter, this could be lethal. Always call a Gas Safe engineer out to service your boiler and ensure the health and safety of your family.
5: CHECK PRESSURE
If you are noticing that your heating is taking longer to come on or your water is taking longer to heat up, this could be a sign that there is a pressure issue. Similarly, if your water is not coming out of taps or showerheads as quickly as it normally does, this could also be an indicator of a lack of pressure. First check the pressure gauge. The inspect pipes for leaks and if you do not find any, you can use the valve handle within your system to increase the pressure. Please remember to switch off your boiler before doing so. If you are still can’t find a fault, call out a professional to locate and fix whatever issues there may be.
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As the weather turns colder, people all over the country will be turning on their heating to take away the chill. But have you had an annual service on your boiler?
Your boiler is the elephant in the room. It is always working, but we don’t want to think about it. Like running water, electricity or wi-fi, we only think about it when it isn’t working. But unlike wi-fi, if your boiler is faulty, it can be lethal.
According to gov.uk each year Carbon Monoxide Poisoning causes:
• 4,000 people go to A&E
• 200 people are hospitalised
• And there are around 50 deaths in England and Wales.
These numbers may not seem staggering, but are you willing to risk the health and safety of your family?
Over the last few months, gas engineers providing boiler servicing have been brought under the microscope thanks in part to a recent article on Which.co.uk. In reality, this is a good thing. All gas engineers should be held to a higher standard for the health and safety of their clients.
A good engineer should explain what they are doing and why they are doing it. We all want to know what we are paying for and a reassurance that the gas engineer is doing a correct job is key. Here at WPJ Heating we put together a simple infographic to give everyone an idea of what to expect when a gas engineer comes to your home to service your boiler.
We spoke with WPJ Heating Director Will Hawksley about the annual boiler service. “Boiler servicing is very important. It should be a regular occurrence in every household. Gas appliances are subject to the all the normal wear and tear that everything else in life is. The thing with gas appliances is that if they go wrong and they’re not treated, they can become lethal. So you must have them checked.“
With hundreds of Gas Safe Registered engineers across the country, finding the right company to do the job isn’t difficult. And paying around £90 for the health and safety of you and yours, is a not a lot of money. To find a Gas Safe Registered engineer in your area, check out www.gassaferegister.co.uk and if you are in any of the SW postcodes, give us a call at 020 7350 2511 to schedule an appointment.
Whether you use our services or not, be certain to ensure the gas engineer that comes to your home to service your boiler does a thorough job and you feel satisfied with the service provided.
1 Which.co.uk 20 August 2015 (Online) http://www.which.co.uk/news/2015/08/can-you-trust-your-boiler-engineer–412428/
2 Gas Safe Register (Online) Accessed 7 October 2015 http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/registersearch/findbusiness.aspx?ep=sxcETWASXcvmu3UQRsrKRAckjME/LTJ/i4IPTAPLw5r/bIWbsdfbteNI0bd7eQQyd/rHwV1ZOCEm4VFj5F5KmO7N4XNmlp9ZflNgxjJbfpd9/7G9nOuerBi0/jeeVVbo6IKw7JbYfHkNK1TUaLdDfp4piOojXkCyx0MAcjzPcl0&returnurl=http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/Default.aspx
You can’t see it, taste it or smell it but it can kill quickly and with no warning.
Unsafe gas appliances produce a highly poisonous gas called carbon monoxide (CO) sometimes referred to as the “silent killer”. Every year in the UK, over 200 people go to hospital with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning, which leads to around 40 deaths.
The six main symptoms to look out for:
1. headaches
2. dizziness
3. nausea
4. breathlessness
5. collapse
6. loss of consciousness
Being aware of the symptoms could save your life.
Carbon monoxide symptoms are similar to flu, food poisoning, viral infections and simply tiredness. That’s why it’s quite common for people to mistake this very dangerous poisoning for something else.
Other signs that could point to carbon monoxide poisoning:
• Your symptoms only occur when you are at home
• Your symptoms disappear or get better when you leave home and come back when you return
• Others in your household are experiencing symptoms (including your pets) and they appear at a similar time
What should I do if I experience any symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?
• Get fresh air immediately. Open doors and windows, turn off gas appliances and leave the house
• See your doctor immediately or go to hospital – let them know that you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning. They can do a blood or breath test to check
• If you think there is immediate danger, call the Gas Emergency Helpline
• Get a Gas Safe registered engineer to inspect your gas appliances and flues to see if there is a dangerous problem
Don’t assume your gas appliances are safe: get a Gas Safe registered gas engineer to do a check. This is the only safe way to prevent yourself and those around you from incurring serious illness or death due to carbon monoxide exposure.
What is carbon monoxide?
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a highly poisonous substance produced by the incomplete burning of gas and Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG).
This happens when a gas appliance has been incorrectly fitted, badly repaired or poorly maintained. It can also occur if flues, chimneys or vents are blocked.
Oil and solid fuels such as coal, wood, petrol and oil can also produce carbon monoxide.
What is carbon monoxide poisoning?
Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when you breathe in even small amounts of the gas.
When you breathe in carbon monoxide, it gets into your blood stream and prevents your red blood cells from carrying oxygen. Without oxygen, your body tissue and cells die.
Levels that do not kill can cause serious harm to health when breathed in over a long period of time. Long term effects of carbon monoxide poisoning include Paralysis and brain damage. Such long term effects occur because many people are unaware of unsafe gas appliances and subsequent gas leaks.
How do I avoid a carbon monoxide leak in my home?
Your home may show signs of carbon monoxide. Any one of the following could be a sign that there is carbon monoxide in your home.
• The flame on your cooker should be crisp and blue. Lazy yellow or orange flames mean you need to get your cooker checked
• Dark staining around or on appliances
• Pilot lights that frequently blow out
• Increased condensation inside windows
If you have a faulty appliance in your home, it could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Get your gas appliances checked to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
Why should I get a carbon monoxide alarm?
Because carbon monoxide has no taste, smell or colour. Gas Safe Register strongly recommends you fit an audible carbon monoxide alarm in your home.
While an alarm will alert you to carbon monoxide in your home, it is no substitute for having an annual gas safety check and regular servicing by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
If you have not had your annual boiler servicing and want to make sure your family will be healthy and safe this winter, contact a gas safe registered engineer in your area. If you live in southwest London call 020 7350 2511 to schedule an appointment with one of the members of our knowledgable staff.
1 Gas Safe Registered (online) http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/learn/carbon_monoxide_kills.aspx [Accessed 5th October 2015].
Toilets flushing, taps running and your boiler working are all things we take for granted each day. But when one or more of these goes array, it can cause headaches and cost you more money than you expected. Some try and fix it themselves, although this often causes more harm than good. When it comes time to call a professional plumber or gas engineer, what qualities should you look for?
• Price: The first instinct for most people is to go with the cheapest. But as with everything else in life, you’re getting what you pay for. So if a price seems too low and too good, it probably is. What value do you put on the health and safety of your family?
• Experience: When it comes to the health and safety on my family, I want to make sure the person coming into my home has seen and done it all, is up to date on all health and safety procedures, can assess the issues and find the right solution.
• Reputation: A lot of people turn to friends and family for advice. But as the digital age rises, more and more people are turning to sites like Checkatrade, Trusted Trader, My Builder.com and Google to see reviews of plumbers/gas engineers’ customer service and the quality of their work.
Over the years, WPJ Heating has prided itself on making sure the price of our service is competitive, our experienced plumbers are up to date on the newest procedures and safety measures and our reputation in the industry speaks for itself.
So if your toilet isn’t flushing. Your taps won’t turn on or are constantly leaking. Or your boiler doesn’t seem to be working up to its full potential. Call 020 7350 2511 or email info@wpjheating.co.uk and we can assess the job, provide you with a written quotation and get the job completed correctly and in a timely manner.