Intermittent Hot Water

Intermittent hot water combi boiler Sometimes you have hot water sometimes you don’t. There are usually only three main reasons for intermittent hot water (all caused because of scale): Diverter valve is jammed with scale Micro switch is stuck because of scale deposits Domestic heat exchanger could be scaled up All three of these boiler repairs for intermittent hot water require a gas safe engineer to safely replace these parts. Watch the video below to see what scale does to a heat exchanger and how one couple solved their scale problem.       Boiler repairs because of scale are often more expensive then anything else. It may be worth the investment in water softening systems to save on many of your household appliances. If you hear a boiler noise while having intermittent hot water it is like scale as well. Intermittent hot water is a real danger sign, call a gas plumber straight away 0208 520...

No Hot Water

No hot water?   Oh no! You have no hot water! Pause. Take a deep breath. While having no hot water can be inconvenient, let alone annoying, it is a problem that you may be able to solve yourself by tapping a few switches and buttons. Boilers are some of the most durable appliances around and most of the time, when they break down, all they need is alittle attention to get them running again. Here are some troubleshooting tips if you suddenly find yourself in a crisis. If you have no hot water and you have a combi boiler, it could be caused by one of the following: Boiler has no electricity  it could be turned off, check power supply. Check: Has your electricity gone off recently and are all breakers in the on position? The fused spur or electrical socket may be faulty. Make sure the fused spur is on the wall and try replacing it. Watch this how- to- video:     Still no hot water? Faulty gas pilot Check gas pilot flame and pilot operation. Faulty gas thermocouple Re-tighten, reposition or replace the gas thermocouple. Faulty gas pilot control valve Replace the gas pilot control valve.  Check that the plug has a fuse See the instructions to change fuse here The pressure gauge should show 1.5 bars if not check out this video out If it doesn’t, watch this video:   Or if you have an external filling hose see this video     If everything is working okay, and it is not any of the above, yet you still have not hot running water, then your...

How to Remove a Radiator for Decorating

How to remove a radiator for decorating Not many know how to remove a radiator for decorating but it is not as hard as it may seem just follow these instructions. First gather what you will need, another person, a bucket, small bowl, bleed valve key, and two adjustable spanners. turn off the heat and allow radiator to be completely cold shut off the lockshield valve which is normally on the left hand side of the radiator by removing the cap and with an adjustable spanner turn the valve clock wise until it stops (do not tighten too tight and make a note of how many turns so you can turn it on the same amount when finished), then move to the right hand side of the radiator to the manual control valve and close it with your hand by turning it clockwise now pull away any rug and put towels down around the right hand side manual control valve and have someone with a bowl ready to catch the water that will come from the next step take the bleed valve key and use it on the bleed valve which is usually on the top right and turn counter-clockwise slowly letting all the water out now take both spanners and close one onto the manual valve on the right to keep it from moving and close the other spanner on the nut that connects the manual valve to the radiator and loosen it by turning anti-clockwise and be ready with bowl again close the nut while your helper empties the bowl and open it up again when they...

How to Winter Proof Your Home

With the cold weather in full swing, you will find these winter proof -ing tips useful. It has been predicted that winter this year will be one of the coldest, and perhaps you have already started to experience the frost bite leading up to December. Here are our winter proof -ing tips to keep your home warm and cosy throughout the rest of the c0ld season. Winter Proof the Outside of Your Home Roof: Check your roof and replace cracked or missing tiles. These can let rain in, causing the roof to become damp and rot. Gutters: Clean your gutters and remove leaves and other debris so that melted snow can flow freely to help prevent damp from getting into your walls. Walls: Seal the cracks in the outside walls of your home and use weather proofing to seal the openings or gaps in roof openings. Vents: Regularly remove snow that may be blocking your vents that are bringing air into your home for your heating system. Pipes: Make sure that the pipes are not cracked, repair ones that are damaged. Insulate pipes that are exposed to the elements to prevent them from freezing. Winter Proof the Inside of Your Home Draught proofing: Draught proof your windows, doors and floors. Even the keyholes on your doors can cause heat loss. Use draught sealant on your doors and windows and draught excluder for your doors. Loft, basement or attic: Make sure these rooms are properly insulated. Adequate insulation can help reduce heat loss inside your home. Just having your loft properly insulated can save you up to £175 annually. Curtains: Close your curtains,...

What is Economy 7 Tariff

Are you on Economy 7 Tariff? Learn more about it and how you can make the most out of it. What is Economy 7 Tariff? Economy 7 Tariff is a differential tariff offered by electricity providers in the UK. This electricity plan offers two different rates to its users: one during the day and another in the evening. Simply put, it work very similar to the way peak and off peak hours work for phone service providers. Customers will receive 7 hours of cheaper electricity in the evening, hence the term ‘economy 7’. The specific hours that are charged lower will depend on where you are located in the UK, and your electric provider. In general, the 7 off peak hours are typically sometime between 10 pm and 8:30 am. If you are not sure about the exact times of when economy 7 applies for you, call your energy provider or check your most recent energy bill Economy 7 users have a different meter that separately shows the electricity usages during the days and the evenings. This helps them track their energy use more accurately. Find out if you are an Economy 7 Tariff user The easiest way to find out if you are using economy 7 is by looking at your energy bill. Basically, if you see two charges – one for daytime use and one for evening use – you are on economy 7 tariff. If you don’t have a bill available, check your meter. If you see two different numbers, then you are on economy 7. These numbers are usually indicated as “normal” and “low”. How to make...

Winter Boiler Tips

Get your home ready for the cold weather with these winter boiler tips from RJ Gas. Winter Boiler Tips: Regularly check you boiler’s ability to heat up. If you have not used your central heating since last year, now is the perfect time to do a test run on it. Regularly checking on your heating system to make sure it is working will help avoid surprises when winter hits. You certainly don’t want to be caught on a freezing night only to find out that your boiler is not working properly. Check the boiler’s pressure. A sudden change in the boiler’s pressure is a common boiler problem. Check the pressure gauge, which should read between 1 and 1.5. Learn how to increase a boiler’s pressure here. Bleed the radiators. Trapped air in your radiators can prevent parts of it from heating. Check you radiators and see if the top or bottom part remains cold. “Bleeding” the radiators simply means getting that pocket of air out. You can learn how to bleed the radiators yourself, with no need to call for an engineer. Insulate the condensate pipes. – Condensate pipes are the ones that take the condensation out and are located outside the building. Hence, they are exposed to the elements, and during winter, they can freeze and become blocked. You can insulate the pipe to avoid freezing, or you can relocate it inside or replace it with a wider pipe. Thaw your condensate pipe. Learn how here. This will come in handy if the pipes freeze. Read the manual. Keep your boiler manual in your home and remember to follow the instructions...