Plumbing Checks For The Amateur

Checking to see that your plumbing and heating is working correctly is important, especially if you are going to undertake some improvements to your home. Many people don’t see the relevance of these tasks, or just leave all the decisions to tradespeople. So here are some simple checks that you can carry out. Water Suppliers Stopcock is a good place to start, so look at the main stopcock, located under a flap near garden gate. The tap at the bottom of the hole should be quite easy to turn ‘on’ and ‘off’. If it is difficult to turn or will not turn at all, then youshould call the water supply company and ask them to make it good. London Power Flush plumbers are qualified professionals. Take a good look at the Cold Water Storage Tank in the loft, it should have a tight fitting lid. Get someone to run off some water while you watch the tank. If all is well, the water level will go down, the float will fall, and water will gush from the feed pipe. Turn off the tap. When the level of the water rises in the tank, the float should rise and the water should cut off. The level of the water should be well below the level of the overflow pipe. If the valve is dripping, noisy or intermittent, it must be replaced. Are any of your Taps dripping? If there are stains down the side of the bath or sink, you need to fit new washers. If these items have been neglected there is a good chance that the rest of the system will be in a bad way. Look at the Copper Pipes that run around the house, under the sink, in cupboards, and so on. If they are stained green with little dots of dampness it is about time they were replaced. A London Power Flushing plumber can replace pipes.Move to the outside and visually inspect the Drains that take the waste water from the bathroom and kitchen. If they are pottery with cast iron covers, and the Waste pipes are made from copper or steel this is a good indication that they are old and need an overhaul. Check the Main Interior Stopcock under the sink. Will it turn on and off? This stopcock must be in first class condition so that, in an emergency, you can turn the water off immediately.


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