CHAPS’ Covid-19 Policy

by | Mar 18, 2020 | Infosheet

A message to all of our valued customers:

The safety and well-being of our customers and colleagues is always our number one priority, even more so now with the ever-changing progression of the Coronavirus outbreak.

We know that people’s day-to-day lives are being disrupted and this is likely to become significantly worse but as far as possible for CHAPS, we will endeavour to provide the service and customer care we are known for. As the situation evolves, we will do everything in our power to resolve any plumbing & heating issues you may have.

Our policy:

If you are currently self-isolating, or suspect that you might be suffering from Coronavirus, we ask that as a precaution you inform us when booking an engineer visit so that we can plan the most suitable approach. Whilst the situation develops rapidly each appointment involving a customer who is self-isolating, will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

In order to ensure we get to as many vulnerable people as possible during this period, we’re looking at our demand and capacity and prioritising as you would expect us to.

For all other work, our engineers will undertake the following;

  • Engineers have been instructed that they must self-isolate if they display any symptoms
  • We will be requesting customers to clear any working areas
  • No handshakes on arrival
  • Currently, keeping suitable distance between ourselves is recognised as best practice, we trust our customers will support our engineers and maintain a safe distance whilst they are at the property
  • Our engineers all carry personal protective equipment that can safeguard the working environment
  • We are providing our engineers with regular updates and coaching on hygiene and how to deal with their work in these situations

Thank you for your ongoing support as we work through these challenges.

If you have any further questions regarding our Covid-19 strategy please do not hesitate to contact us.

Are you prepared for the cold spell?

by | Feb 28, 2020 | Blog

Winter Boiler Advice

Our winter has been pretty mild so far but there are talks of some freezing weather coming our way in March. Therefore, we have created this blog to give you some boiler advice and to help you avoid the loss of hot water or central heating.

  • An easy way to check your boiler is working

It is only natural that during the warmer months we turn off our central heating to reduce energy bills. However, when we go to turn it on again in the winter the boiler can often struggle. It’s like not starting your car engine for 6 months, it’s bound to struggle! Therefore, we recommend that you warm up your boiler and have it on regularly throughout the day and night. Worcester Bosch (one of the UK’s top boiler provider) recommends running your boiler and radiators at the highest temperature for approximately 15 minutes and if your boiler doesn’t struggle with this it is a good indication that your boiler is working fine.

  • Check your boiler pressure

If your boiler doesn’t seem to be working as well as it should, it’s a good idea to check its pressure. There is a dial or indication of boiler pressure on all boilers. The optimum boiler pressure is between 1 and 1.5 when the system is cool. By keeping the boiler at the correct pressure you are avoiding a breakdown.

  •  Radiator care

It is common for air to build up in your radiators over time and this effects their efficiency and warmth. All you need to do to resolve this is to bleed your radiator system, if you need further assistance with this please give us a call on 01491 571 743. Once your radiators have been bled check the boiler pressure as this can effect it.

  •  Keep up with annual boiler services

Looking after your boiler is very important and one of the best ways is to ensure it is serviced on an annual basis. By servicing your boiler you are ensuring it is being checked by a professional once a year, the engineer can then give you advice on whether it needs replacement parts or minor repairs. Annual services prolong the life of your boiler and ensures it is running safely at all times.

  •  Frozen pipes!

Some parts of your boiler may be outside which means when the freezing weather hits the condensate in these pipes freeze up. This is one of the most common boiler problems we see in the winter and can cause your boiler to stop working. Follow this link to find out how to safely unfreeze pipes.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us – we are here to answer your questions and assist with any central heating or boiler issues you may have.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

by | Feb 24, 2020 | Blog

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

The Importance of Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

The safety of our customers is of utmost importance to us at Chaps – this blog explains the importance of having working, reliable smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home/in your tenanted properties (if you’re a landlord).

We are all taught from a young age the dangers of fire and therefore we are likely to ensure our smoke detector is working. Although, it is very easy to forget about as a smoke detector is one of those appliances that we don’t notice every day, it sits there silently until we burn a bit of toast… It is very important that you check your smoke detector regularly to ensure it is reliable and doing its job.

Landlords and Tenants

By law a smoke detector must be installed on every floor of a property where a room is used wholly or partly as living accommodation and carbon monoxide alarms must be installed in any room containing a solid fuel-burning appliance such as a wood burner, coal fire or biomass.

On the first day of a new tenancy the landlord/letting agent must make sure the alarms are tested and in working order.*

Carbon Monoxide Awareness

What is carbon monoxide (CO)?

CO is an odourless, colourless poisonous gas produced by incomplete burning of carbon-based fuels, including gas, oil, wood and coal.** Don’t worry, carbon fuels are safe to use, it’s just when they’re not burnt properly that they release the harmful CO.

Signs of CO Leakage

There are a few signs you can look out for which may indicate that incomplete combustion is occurring in your boiler:

  • Soot or yellow/brown staining on or around appliances
  • Increased condensation inside windows
  • Pilot lights keep going out
  • Yellow or orange rather than blue flames (except fuel effect fires or flueless appliances which display this colour flame).

It is important to keep a regular eye on your boiler so that you can recognise these signs before it is too late. This is one of the main reasons annual boiler services are undertaken – if your boiler is due a service book it in now. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Follow this link to find out the full symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, here are just a few to be aware of:

  • Headaches or dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Breathlessness
  • Erratic behaviour

If you or other members of the household are displaying these symptoms please act immediately:

  1. Call an ambulance if you or a member of the household is unconscious/having difficulty breathing
  2. Switch off the faulty appliance and shut off the gas supply at the meter control valve
  3. Open all doors/windows to ventilate the space
  4. Call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999
  5. Visit your GP if you feel you have been exposed to CO

How can Chaps help?

At Chaps install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors – so if you don’t have one already, let us know and we can get an installation booked in now.

We also test and provide Gas Safety Certificates to landlords once we’re happy their appliances are safe to use

References:

*https://www.propertymark.co.uk/advice-and-guides/landlords/safety-it-s-more-than-smoke-alarms-and-gas-checks.aspx

**https://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/co.htm

Frequently asked questions

by | Jan 23, 2020 | Blog, Infosheet

Frequently asked questions
Here are just a few common questions we get asked on a day-to-day basis, we hope this blog answers any questions you may have. If not, simply contact us and we will work hard to help you with any queries.

Q There is no water in the house

There are a number of reasons why this can happen, such as an airlock. However, sometimes the water board have to turn off the water supply in the area if there is a burst water-main nearby.

First test to see if there is water to your kitchen tap – this is normally mains water supply coming into the house. If there is no water at this point it would be a good idea to either check with your neighbours to see if they have water or contact your local water board.  If there is water to your kitchen tap then there is probably an issue in your property, if this is the case then call Chaps.

Q I can smell gas

If you think you have a gas leak or can smell gas, leave the house and phone the National Gas Emergencies number immediately on 0800 111 999. If you’re at home, and you can do it safely, turn off your gas supply. … Move the handle a quarter turn until it’s at 90 degrees from the pipe to shut off the gas supply

Q I live in a flat and have a leak coming through my ceiling from the flat above

The chances are that there is a leak in the flat above. Try contacting the occupiers of the flat above as it may be their responsibility to arrange for their own plumber to attend. If you have a communal area where the water meters are fitted you could look at your neighbours’ meter to see if it is running constantly, if it is you could try to turn the water off at this point but you will need to be careful just in case your neighbours are in the shower or their washing machine is running.  Alternatively you could call Chaps so that we can assess the situation.

Q Should I turn my water off when I go on holiday?

If you are planning on leaving your property empty for a few days then you should turn off your incoming water supply. This is normally done on the stopcock where the water enters the property. You may not be covered under some insurance policies if you do not do this. If you find you cannot turn off the water then just call Chaps. We can locate the stopcock and check that it is working correctly for you.

Q I cannot turn off the water supply to my property

There should be two isolating points to your property. The external one normally on your drive or pavement belongs to the water board so if you cannot find this or it is difficult to use then you should contact them. The other one is where the water supply enters your house.

Q My heating is not working

Check that the programmer is set correctly and your room thermostat is set to high. We have many calls asking for an engineer to attend and it could be something simple like this. If it still does not work then give us a call.

Q My oil boiler has stopped running

The most common oil boiler breakdown is due to no oil. If you are confident that you have oil and the boiler is still not working then call Chaps and we will arrange for one of our specialists to attend.

Q My heating won’t turn off

The likely cause is due to a faulty motorised valve which is fitted on the pipework between your boiler and the heating system. Unfortunately all you can do is turn off the electrics to your boiler system and give Chaps a call.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

Legionella – What is it and how can it be avoided?

by | Jan 15, 2020 | Blog

Legionella – What is it and how can it be avoided?

What is legionella?

Legionella is a pathogenic bacterium which is most commonly found in water. The bacteria can cause Legionnaire’s disease which is a type of pneumonia or a less serious illness called Pontiac fever which presents as mild flu-like symptoms.

The bacteria can multiply in water between 20-42 degrees centigrade – below 20 degrees the bacteria will remain dormant and above 60 degrees, the bacteria will not survive.

How can you be effected by legionella?

Legionnaire’s disease is uncommon but can be very serious; people catch the disease by inhaling water which contains the bacteria. The most common environments in which legionella is able to build up are in hospitals, offices and hotels – it is very rare to catch it at home.

How can legionella build-up be prevented?

If water is left stagnant and constantly remains at the optimum temperature, legionella will grow and multiply. Therefore, it is really important for companies and hospitals to maintain their building’s water management systems.

Legionella is most commonly caught through the following:

  • Air conditioning units
  • Hot tubs and spa pools
  • Hot water tanks and heaters
  • Decorative fountains
  • Showers, taps and toilets

There are various ways in which legionella build-up can be prevented such us using chemicals like chlorine or installing a water temperature control system.

How can Chaps help?

One of our surveyors can visit your company’s building and carry out an extensive legionella risk assessment, we will then create a report and send this over to you. Once our report is received your business will then be able to take measurements to prevent the build-up of legionella in the water system.

You can then rest easy knowing that your employees and customers are safe.

For more information regarding our Legionella Risk Assessment service, please contact us today.

References:

NHS Website

Centers of Disease and Prevention

Clear Water Services