Q. What are the main services you offer?
A. The main plumbing services I offer are general plumbing maintenance, heating, gas works and installation.
Plumbing
General maintenance of a plumbing system to replacing vital components of plumbing within the dwelling.
The general maintenance would cover dripping taps, faulty taps,faulty toilets, faulty showers, no circulation of water, problems with waste water not getting away properly, the fixing of leaks on waste or supply pipework.
On the other side this would cover the replacement of pipework on the waste or supply pipework, water storage tanks in the attic space, hot water storage cylinder, faulty fittings that were beyond repair all the way up to a full bathroom refurbishment.
Heating Services
This categories will follow the same concept as the plumbing with maintenance and replacement
On the maintenance side I would mainly tackle problems with radiators not heating up fully or not at all, heating systems not heating up at all such as the boiler has come on but the radiators are not heating or that the radiators are heating but the dhw is not being heated.
On the replacement side again, this could be pipework to the heating system, a circulation pump or the boiler itself
Gas works
Being a full member of the RGII I am able to provide a full range of maintenance, servicing and installation of all gas appliances.
Design
All heating and plumbing systems will be designed to conform to all current regulations.
Installation
All installations are guaranteed both for parts and labour.
Q. What are the most common questions you get asked?
A. The most common questions I am asked nearly all refer to the heating system such as: Why do some radiators heat and not others in the system or the radiator is hot on the bottom and cold on the top or vice versa.
Q. What happens when DIY enthusiasts try to fix plumbing problems themselves?
A.
DIY enthusiasts can really cause a lot of problems to a system by adding on or removing parts and disrupting the circulation. Mostly, an enthusiast gets caught out by missing potential sources of problems. If some plumbing problems are not addressed properly, it can potentially cause a lot of damage down the line. For example, a faulty fitting not replaced in a floor space and covered over might eventually break and leak. Potential sources of water leaks can cause so much damage if not detected and remedied properly by an experienced plumber.
Q. How often should a boiler be serviced?
A. A boiler should be serviced annually as this will maintain the factory settings as to ensure the utmost efficiency of the boiler. Also, all the safety aspects are checked and the boiler inspected throughout as to warn of future problems and fix them early.
Q. What are the other main benefits of a well maintained heating system?
A. By maintaining and making sure your heating system is working properly you should have a more comfortable home and by having your system working efficiently savings will be made.
Q. What is the best course of action to take if somebody suspects they have a leaking pipe?
A. If you suspect you have a leaking pipe it is always wise to try and identify which pipe might be the source. Sometimes, this is made easy because the pipe is visible, for example, the water connection to a toilet or a waste pipe under a sink. If this is the case you can eliminate the problem by turning off the water supply valve to the toilet or in the case of the sink just not using it until it is fixed.
On the other hand, if you cannot see where the leak is coming from you need to try and narrow down potential sources of the leak - if there is water dripping from a ceiling and there is only a radiator above, you should turn off the central heating water feed to see if that stops the leak. All domestic homes are the same and the water feed valves for all domestic systems (Hot, cold, central heating) can be found in the hot press
Q. What is the best way to prevent burst pipes during the winter?
A. The best way to prevent burst pipes in the winter is to insulate any water pipes that are not in a heated area of your building, for example, an attic space and make sure you have any exterior pipers insulated.
Q. What are the biggest misconceptions people have about plumbers?
A. I would say the biggest misconception people may have about plumbers is that they are only to be called when there is a leak or toilet wont flush where this is part of the job it is a very small part of service.
Q. Can you give the client a quote before you start the work?
A. I think it always good practice to give your client written or verbal quotation so that the price and the job description is agreed before any work has begun. This way the client always knows where they stand regarding the price of a job.
Q. What gives you the greatest satisfaction in this job?
A. In my line of work the greatest satisfaction is leaving a completed job knowing that the client will not only use me again but will also recommend my services.
Q. What are your top tips you would give to someone hiring a plumber?
A. In hiring a plumber you should ascertain whether:
The plumber has a good working knowledge of the service you need?
If not recommended by a friend, family member or colleague - have they worked in your area before? And if so who have they worked for?
If it is a gas service are they registered with RGII?
If the work you are offering is substantial can they give you references?