No. 225057
Registered Gas Installer
Covering - Crewe & Surrounding Areas
Advice & Tips
* What do I do if I think I have a gas leak?
First of all, not all smells of gas are because of gas leaks. so try to remain calm. Light switches, electrical sockets and other electrical appliances can ignite small amounts of gas in the air and can therefore be a source of danger, so:
do not turn any lights on or off.
do not use mobile phones, or any other electrical appliances.
do not even use a doorbell.
do not open the fridge door.
do not smoke or introduce a naked flame into the area.
Check if the pilot light has gone out. This may account for the smell of gas. If any gas appliances are still on left on, turn them off. If the pilot light is still on and your gas appliances are all off then there may be a gas leak.
Ventilate the premises by opening doors and windows.
Turn off the gas at the mains. (If the mains tap is located in an outside meter cabinet, make sure you can locate the key to open it)
Vacate the premises
Phone the Transco emergency number immediately on 0800 111 999.
(Do not call from a mobile phone if you are still inside the premises.).
* What is Carbon Monoxide & How dangerous is it?
Each year approximately 30 people die from Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning, caused by gas appliances and flues that have not been properly installed or maintained. Many more people also suffer serious illness from the after effects of the poisoning. In simplified terms, excess Carbon Monoxide is produced when the natural gas in your appliance does not burn properly. Carbon Monoxide is very poisonous The danger cannot be over emphasised. You cannot see it, taste it, or smell it, but it can kill you without warning in just a matter of hours.
Carbon Monoxide detectors are cheaply available, and can save your life
You are particularly at risk when sleeping, because you do become not aware of the early symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning.
These include:
Tiredness, Drowsiness, Headaches, Giddiness, Nausea Vomiting, Chest pains, Breathlessness, Stomach pains Erratic behaviour, Visual problems.
The symptoms can mimic many common ailments and may easily be Confused with Flu, or fatigue. If you or your family suspect your illness could be caused by Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, then consult your G.P. Immediately
You are at risk from Carbon Monoxide poisoning if
Your appliance was poorly installed
Your appliance is not working properly
Your appliance has not been checked for safety or
maintained regularly
There is not adequate ventilation in the room Your chimney or flue is blocked .
You allow non-CORGI registered engineers to install or
maintain your appliance(s)
Indications to look out for include
Yellow or brown staining around, or on appliances
Pilot lights that frequently blow out
Increased condensation inside windows
Yellow rather than blue flame (apart from flueless fires)
If you think your appliance is discahrging Carbon Monoxide
Switch off the appliance and do not use until it has been
certified safe, by a C.O.R.G.I. registered gas installer.
Open all doors and windows to ventilate the room -
do not sleep in it
Visit your GP urgently and tell them that you believe
your symptoms may be related to CO poisoning.
What if the pressure drops on my Combi Boiler?
Water leaks will cause pressure loss within a pressurised central heating system.
The severity of water leaks can vary. Very small leaks will cause pressure loss over a long time, possibly several months. The leaks may not be detectable as the water evaporates quite quickly. Larger leaks will mean your system will require filling as frequently as once or twice a week. If this is the case, check your system for leaks - particularly around radiator and boiler valves.
Most, modern combination boilers and many standard boilers are installed as 'Pressurised Systems'. Unlike the old conventional system, which are reliant on a tank with a ball float device to maintain water levels within the system, a pressurised system requires filling manually via a filling loop. This allows a specific amount of water to be added via your mains cold water supply, which of course is supplied at pressure to your property.
If the system is free from leaks the water pressure should remain constant within the system.
Every pressurised system, regardless of whether it is a combination boiler or standard
system, will incorporate a pressure gauge. This gauge is the device with which the
system water pressure in your boiler and radiators is monitored.
Your pressure gauge should be checked monthly. If when you check it, you find that your system pressure has fallen please follow the guide below:
Pressure gauges may vary in size, shape and colour, but all are marked in Bars the standard measurement of system pressure.
Most systems should be pressurised to between 1 and 1.5 bar. The gauge (shown above) shows that the system may require topping up.
To top up your system and increase the pressure, you will need to locate your filling loop. It usually resembles a tap and is connected to the system by a metal hose. If you cannot readily see the filling loop it may be hidden behind a panel section near the boiler or even inside a cupboard below the boiler. It will always be somewhere close.
Some filling loops are an integral part of the boiler, for these types please refer
to the manufacturers literature.
Don't worry if you can't find your filling loop - please ask our Service
Engineer at the time of your next Annual Check.
To fill the system, use the tap to open and close the filling loop. When the tap is opened it will allow fresh water to flow into your Central Heating system.
As the tap is opened you will be able to hear the water passing through the valves
into the system. It is important to note that it is better to open the valve slowly.
This will allow the system to fill up gradually and a steady increase will be seen
on the pressure gauge.
If you cannot see your pressure gauge while filling the system
it is a good
idea to have someone monitor it for you.
When the required pressure is reached close the valve by turning it in the
opposite direction to which you opened it.
If your system does accidentally become over pressurised, there is no need to worry. All systems are designed with safety in mind, and a safety valve is incorporated, which acts rather like an overflow pipe - releasing excess pressure.
The safety valve may make a noise as it releases the excess pressure rather like a thumping noise this will stop when the system pressure reduces to a lower level.
* What if my toilet cistern keeps overflowing ?
If your toilet cistern keeps overflowing then the problem is most likely to be either the float, the inlet valve or both.
The purpose of the ball float, arm and valve is as follows:
When the toilet is flushed, the water empties from the cistern. The float then drops down to the bottom of the cistern as the water level drops. The arm attached to the float is also attached at the other end to a valve and when the float and arm falls with the water level, the valve is opened to allow the cistern to refill. The float and arm then rise with the water level and the valve is automatically closed, this prevents the cistern from overflowing. The arm furthest from the float has an adjuster screw which can be tightened or loosened, this is used to determine the water level in the cistern. If the water is draining out through the overflow pipe (this could be either a pipe through the wall to the outside or an internal overflow that drains back into the toilet pan) then the overflow pipe is doing exactly what it is supposed to do.
The problem will be one of the following :
1. Grit in the valve
2. Faulty Washer
3. Punctured Float
4. Adjuster screw
5. Faulty Valve
1. The problem could be as simple as a bit of grit that has lodged in the valve, so first of all, flush the toilet, remove the cistern lid and physically move the float arm up and down a few times. This may dislodge any grit in the valve and solve the problem.
2. Changing a washer is quite easy and doesn’t really need a plumber so long as you are quite good at DIY.
You can check if the washer is faulty quite easily. First, remove the cistern lid, flush the toilet and take the weight of the ball valve arm and raise it up to close the valve. At this point with the arm fully raised the water should stop entering the cistern and is effectively switched off. If water continues to come in, then the valve or the washer is faulty. At the opposite end of the ball valve arm you will see a large plastic or metal ridged nut which attaches the arm to the valve body. You will need to turn off the water supply at the mains, otherwise you will flood the place out, because you will have no other means of stopping the water flow. Now with a good pair of grips, loosen the large nut (right hand thread). The arm will come off and it will reveal either a rubber or a fibre washer. Any DIY store sells replacement washers and they are very inexpensive. All you have to do now is to replace the washer and then put the arm back on and tighten it all up. Now get someone to turn the water back on at the mains, whilst you stay by the cistern, just in case the water comes gushing out. If all is well, let the cistern fill up and then flush it again. Now repeat the above action of holding up the arm to turn the water off. If the water continues to run despite changing the washer, then I would think that the problem is a faulty valve, which is covered at item 5.
3. Check the ball float. Does it have any holes in it? is it attached firmly to the arm? The ball is attached to the arm on a screw thread, so just twist to tighten or remove. Cheap replacements can be bought from DIY stores.
4. The adjuster screw can be made of metal or plastic. First remove the cistern lid, flush the toilet and then take the weight of the arm and lift it upwards, this will stop the water coming in to the cistern. Now lower the arm by about ½ inch and a gap will appear between the end of the screw and the valve plunger pin. Adjust the screw so that it touches the pin again. The valve arm will no longer raise as high and the water level will remain lower. Keep repeating the adjustment until you get it to a satisfactory level where the water no longer overflows.
5. A faulty valve is the most serious and unless you are a good DIYer, I wouldn’t recommend, tackling this yourself as it requires disconnection of the water feed pipe and resealing of the cistern.
You can check if the valve is faulty yourself quite easily. First, remove the cistern lid, flush the toilet and take the weight of the ball valve arm and raise it up to close the valve. At this point with the arm fully raised the water should stop entering the cistern and is effectively switched off. If water continues to come in, then the valve is faulty or alternatively the washer could need replacing, (see item 2 Faulty washer on previous page)
I would recommend that at the same time you could have a valve fitted to your feed pipe so that if the problem occurs in the future, the toilet water supply can be isolated and it will not affect the water supply the the rest of the house.
If in doubt call a qualified plumber.
* What if my cistern lever won’t flush the loo?
First of all check that there is water in the toilet cistern. If there isn’t then check that the stop valve for the house water supply is turned on. Check that there are no inline valves on the pipe work leading to the cistern that have been turned off. Inline valves usually have a screw head or small handle in the middle, whereby the water supply to an appliance can be switched on and off. (They are similar to those you would use to turn off the supply to your washing machine)
If the valve is switched off, it is easy to recognise because the screw head or the handle will be at right angles to the pipe, when switched on, the screw head or handle is parallel with the pipe.
If still no water, then it will need further investigation by a qualified plumber. You can still use your toilet by simply filling the cistern with a bowl of water collected from the bathroom taps and flush in the normal way.
If the problem isn’t a lack of water, but just won’t flush at all or just small amounts of water at a time goes to the toilet pan, then the cistern siphon is most probably the problem. The siphon works similar to a bicycle pump, when the cistern lever is used a plunger goes down the inside and expels the water used for flushing. If the seal within the siphon breaks down, then there is insufficient pressure, to force the water out into the pan. If this is the problem, then it doesn’t usually happen overnight and you will have been noticing it becoming increasingly difficult over a period of time.
To change the siphon, the whole cistern needs to be removed, which means breaking the seal between the cistern and the pan, so unless you are very confident about doing this yourself, I would recommend a qualified plumber carries out the work. Cistern siphons and the seal can be purchased relatively cheaply, but be careful not to tighten the supply pipe up too tightly in case the cistern (if made of porcelain) cracks.
* What if water is coming out of the overflow pipe in the loft ?
The water tank in the loft is a bigger version of the toilet cistern and works on exactly the same principle, however instead of the water emptying out because the tank is flushed, it empties when the hot water tap is used. The water in the tank replaces the water used from the hot water cylinder. The tank contains a ball float, lever arm and a valve that work exactly like the one in the toilet cistern. So to diagnose the fault or repair the problem, just refer to What if my toilet cistern keeps overflowing? and follow the instructions set out there. There is an added element of difficulty with this which isn’t present with the toilet cistern, but it is purely because you will need to work in the loft, and some people will not be comfortable with working in a confined area. Again if it turns out to be a faulty valve, then I would recommend a qualified plumber carries out the repair.
* What do I do if my radiators are vibrating?
On a recent call to noisy radiators I found that the cause was simply that the thermostatic valve was not turned either on or off properly, the valve was between the zero setting and the number one setting. The valve has a spring inside and when the heating came on, the water tried to get through but the valve spring kept trying to switch it off. The result was that the on and off action which occurred very quickly caused the resultant vibration. The valve can become damaged in this case and if it needs replacing it necessitates a full drain down of the Central Heating system .
Turn off the water at the main supply stop valve.
Switch off the central heating and any other water heating insulations at the same
stage to avoid further damage or even an explosion. Open all the taps to drain
the system. Call a qualified plumber.
* What to do if a pipe or tank freezes?
Turn off the water at the main stop valve. If there is a stop valve fitted on the system side of the header tank (to stop water leaving the tank) this should also be turned off. Do this even if you only suspect your pipes are frozen, as they could also have burst. By turning off the water you will reduce the amount of water which can escape and therefore minimise damage to your home. Call a qualified plumber.
If water is coming through the ceiling collect it in buckets.
If the ceiling starts to bulge pierce the plaster with a broom handle to let the water through.
If your wiring or any electrical appliances have been affected do not touch them until they have been checked by a professional electrician.
If in doubt turn off your electricity at the mains.
Only use a qualified plumber
* How to prepare your house for cold weather
- Find out where your main stop valve is and make sure you can turn it on and off. It will usually be somewhere on the ground floor of your home, normally under the kitchen sink, but could be elsewhere e..g. In the bathroom if it is a bungalow..
- Get any dripping taps, or leaking radiators repaired.
- Fully lag all pipes and tanks in the loft space, or anywhere else which may be liable to freezing.
- Use preformed pipe insulation on all pipe runs. Check with your DIY store to see how thick this should be.
- On particularly cold days, open your loft trap door. This allows warm air from other parts of the house to circulate into the loft and will also help to prevent pipes from freezing.
- Ask a friend, relative or neighbour to visit your home daily in cold weather if you leave your house unattended. Then if you do have a burst it will be detected as soon as possible, and the damage can be minimised.
- Leave your heating on while you are away from home. In severe weather or if severe weather is forecast, you should leave your heating on day and night at your usual temperature setting, especially if you are going to be away from home for any length of time.
There are several methods of insulating hot and cold water tanks, depending on their size and shape: -
A preformed plastic tank jacket filled with glass fibre matting;
Rigid polystyrene sheeting at least 25mm (1") thick;
Insulating matting, 150mm (6") thick.
- Do not insulate underneath any tank. If you place insulation material below the water tank warm air will be unable to rise from the rooms below and the tank is more likely to freeze. The only exception to this rule is header tanks (generally central heating header tanks), which are raised above the level of the joists in the roof space. These tanks should be completely enclosed in an insulating jacket.
- Check that your loft insulation is thick enough and still in good condition. Make sure it has not been damaged or distributed since you last looked at it.
- Make sure insulation is placed over any pipes which run between joists. This will enclose them in the insulation envelope of the house. If loft insulation material is placed under the pipes, no warm air will reach them from the rest of the house, and they are more likely to freeze.
I can solve most problems
But not this one
* What do I do if I think I have a gas leak?
* What is Carbon Monoxide & How dangerous is it?
* What if the pressure drops on my Combi Boiler?
* What if my toilet cistern keeps overflowing ?
* What if my cistern lever won’t flush the loo?
* What if water is coming out of the overflow pipe in the loft ?
* What do I do if my radiators are vibrating?
* What to do if a pipe or tank freezes?
* How to prepare your house for cold weather
Edgley Pluumbing Services
Crewe Plumber (plumbing) & heating Engineer for all your plumbing needs in Crewe, Nantwich, Middlewich, Sandbach, Holmes Chapel, Northwich, Congleton, Winsford, Chester.
01270 258158
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