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Best To Be Gas Safe Than Sorry You Didn’t Check First For Plumbing Credentials!

On the 1st April 2009, Britain’s gas safety scheme known as Corgi was replaced by the Gas Safe Register. From that date onwards, by law, anyone who works on gas appliances, such as boilers, now needed to be on the Gas Safe Register.

Naturally, the fact that a Corgi was no more is something we canines are more likely to know than humans! But it is still of concern how Corgi continues to be mentioned whenever the issue of finding a properly trained and qualified plumber comes up in conversation. You may even spot a trade van with a Corgi sticker still attached to the side door.

Passionate about the job

Doing the job properly by a trained and qualified installer is something my master, Bernard feels passionate about. Just at the end of November he read about a gas explosion at a private residence in Manchester caused by damage to live electrical wires, which burned a hole in a gas pipe while a new boiler was being installed.

Apparently, the plumber had burnt the cables while using a blow torch to solder together gas pipes that ran alongside. Despite being badly charred, the cables were then wrapped in plastic tape instead of a proper repair made.

According to official figures, around 40 people are fatally injured each year from gas explosions and more than 25 people will die from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning due to badly installed or not properly maintained gas appliances. Even more people suffer health problems from CO exposure directly related to a gas appliance.

Deciding if the plumber is right as well as the price

Luckily for me, I can smell gas right across north and east London where Bernard spends most of his time installing boilers and taking care of customer’s central heating systems.

Humans may have bigger brains but can they smell a rat? The kind of rat I’m talking about is the type of installer that humans seem to not worry as much about checking up on their Gas Safe credentials as they are on securing a suspiciously low price.

Unfortunately, trying to decide over the phone if you have found a good plumber when they give the pricing for even small jobs may not be the answer. Most good plumbers will prefer to provide quotes only when they are actually front of the job to be done so their ‘fixed quote’ is certain to be 100 per cent exactly correct – and customers will have no nasty surprises later!

Check to ensure a plumber is fully licensed

Apart from guarantees, references, online reviews and obtaining different quotes ( for the same amount of work to be carried out), it’s always crucial to spend time checking to ensure a plumber is fully licensed and carries full insurance to protect you and your neighbour’s property in the event of a catastrophe. While asking about “long they have been in business for” may be reassuring, it’s not always the case that reputable trades-people last while rogue traders simply disappear!

I’m proud to be able to say that my master, Bernard is Gas Safe registered, a Worcester Bosch Group partner and gives a 5 year guarantee – and he replaced all his Corgi stickers, but sadly not with pictures of Moo!

Freezing Temperatures Could Mean A Problem Condensed Coming Down The Pipe!

Are we going to see a repeat of prolonged, freezing Arctic conditions in the winter months ahead that we’ve experienced in recent years? It’s not so bad for me – I love the snow, my legs never shake nor get snow or ice stuck in between the paw pads. What do you call young dogs who play in the snow? Slush puppies! Woof Woof!

So it’s a great, fun time for a dog to be out digging deep in the snow and sniffing out all sorts of strange scents. But some humans can have real problems keeping sufficiently warm in their house if the temperature drops below zero. Even I admit it can be tough trying to break through ice to find bones I’ve buried!

Exceptional problems with keeping warm

So, apart from turning the thermostat down one or two degrees in a bid to avoid a nasty quarterly bill, why should there be a problem with keeping warm if we have one of today’s modern advanced boilers nicely installed?

In the exceptional winter temperatures of recent years, the mercury plunged down between -9C and -20C. However, the average minimum temperature around most of Britain tends to be around 3 – 4C, dipping down to just below freezing when snow is forecast and often for several days afterwards.

Outlet pipe overlooked

This can sometimes mean that the outlet pipe on the modern condensing boiler, which siphons left over cooled water vapour – or ‘condensate’- can freeze if it’s on the outside and not on the inside of the house. This often results in a blockage, which will shut the boiler down, meaning no hot water or heating!

Being a short-haired dog, my master always wants to strap a special doggie coat around me when we go out in the freezing weather. It’s the same, of course, with the outlet pipe. It needs to be properly weather insulated! It’s amazing how this vital pipe can be overlooked because it’s outside.

Usually, a fault code will show on the boiler’s display (or an alarm will sound) and the code can be looked up in the boiler instruction manual.

Unfreezing the blockage

Unfreezing the outlet pipe might not require Bernard to take a look. The blockage is likely to be at the most exposed external point, or at a bend or dip in the pipe. It can simply be a matter of gently thawing the ice.

However, please note – it’s absolutely vital that boiling hot water is NOT simply poured directly onto the pipe! Instead, wrap a soft hot water bottle around the pipe and allow to slowly thaw – and it can take some time! The boiler can be restarted by following the instructions in the boiler manual.

While pipe insulation will help to prevent ice from freezing, when exceptional temperatures occur, it’s always recommended to contact a qualified, experienced plumber like my master Bernard, for further detailed guidance according to your type of boiler, heating system and layout.

Meanwhile, I shall be looking forward to seeing the first snowflakes – I love snacking on the stuff even if humans don’t!

Peace Of Mind Guaranteed Or Counting The Cost Of A Cowboy Plumber

“It’s enough to make you barking mad!” says the master who just came across a recent survey, which reports that nearly 70 per cent of people admit they choose their plumber “on cost alone”.

According to a study of around 2,000 consumers, finding a cheap plumber trumps any concerns over whether they are registered with Gas Safe and other approved contractor schemes or even if they have any professional training or qualifications.

The master says quite rightly that it’s the “cowboy” element that constantly gives the professionally trained and qualified trade a bad image. Incredibly, the survey found that nearly a quarter of the people polled said they “have fallen victim to a rogue plumber” and a further quarter know someone else who was also caught out by a botched plumbing job.

Trying hard to cut back on unnecessary costs

The master knows that times are tough and everyone is trying hard to cut back on unnecessary costs. So it can be a real disaster in more ways than one if you wake up in the morning and the house is cold and there’s no hot water. The challenge of a repair or replacement of a boiler that has suddenly “stopped working” can be seen in different ways by different people.

For far too many, their response means they seem willing or oblivious to suffer costly problems weeks or just days later. More than 50 per cent said they are prepared to risk asking an unqualified person to carry out plumbing work in their home. So it should come as no surprise to find that 80 per cent of those asked also said they “don’t always expect their plumber to do a good job.”

Hot water and heating vital to everyone’s daily lives

The proper, legal and safe functioning of gas or oil fired hot water and heating systems are vital to everyone’s daily lives. Yet the necessary training, qualifications and experience required to ensure that the systems do work are considered of less importance than finding the cheapest quote and accepting a substandard, even dangerous level of workmanship.

Consequently, nearly 70 per cent of those surveyed also stated they always get a second opinion to see if they’re being charged the “going rate”.

The master absolutely agrees with customers being careful to see that the quotes they receive do generally reflect a genuine, accredited industry level of service quality expected of a fully qualified and experienced plumbing and heating installer.

Guarantee

Today, a boiler can account for more than half of a household’s total energy bill, and energy prices are set to continue to rise, so having a properly functioning and efficient boiler is vitally important. Installation of a quality, energy rated boiler can now be guaranteed for at least 5 years by a fully compliant plumber.

Can you say that about your boiler?

I say “woof, woof” – if the master has done it for you – and I’m definitely not barking mad!