The valves that control you central heating system are sometimes called zone control valves and always indicate a direction of flow by markings on their body as direction of flow is really important in a system that carries a large volume of water. There are two types of electrically operated valves fitted in nearly all central heating systems. 1). The first of these types is known as a two-port valve which turns on and off.2). The second type is known as a three port valve called a diverter valve that will redirect the water flowing through the cylinder for the hot water as and when it is required to do so. Chessington Plumbers are able to supply and fit both of these types of valves. Valves are a relatively simple yet long lasting part of a heating system, capable of years of constant work by your central heating. Although having said that, like many things that work hard, valves can start to fail with the electrical parts developing faults, and failed seals leaking. These failures are very important in a home, because everyone relies on their heating system. These parts are not normally very expensive to purchase but just check and test the old one first just to make sure that the problem is not in the wiring or control timer, it may save some money.During an emergency it is sometimes possible to disconnect the wiring for the valve allowing the operation of the system to continue, however make the cable safe by disconnecting it at the controller and then opening the valve with a screwdriver or a small spanner. This procedure will result in there being no zone control but it is a good option in certain situations. A Chessington Plumber is a skilled professional.
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Central Heating (Pointers)
The Boiler:To find out what type of system you have fitted in your home would be to note down all the detail that is on the boiler, this includes model number, year, and any code numbers. Armed with this detail you are quite within your rights to contact the maker direct. Make sure you specific and bear in mind that it is possible that the boiler may have been part or completely replaced, for example while the casing is original, everything else could have been replaced.Sealed Central Heating:The sealed version of a central heating system has an expansion vessel that will let the water to expand as it heats up. If this type of system is fitted in your home, then, it should include be a tiny pressure gauge on your central heating boiler.Maintaining:The central heating system is prone to rust and corrosion as it carries water in metal pipework. This causes the reaction that causes a corrosive black sludge to gather in the bottom of radiators, and reduces their operation. Chemical agents and solutions are available for cleaning and protecting the system when it has been refilled. A Chessington Plumber can carry out all types of maintenance.Water Circulation:In many homes, the water in the radiator pipes is pushed through the hot water cylinder under the force of gravity (or convection), whilst in some there is a pump and electric valves used to force water through the cylinder. Chessington Plumbers know all about systems.Pipes:The majority of central heating systems have 15mm pipes that are connected to the radiators. If the pipes on your system are larger than this, then, you could be fitted with an older outdated one-pipe system, in which the water is pushed around the loop and diverted to each radiator using convection.Combination Boiler (Advantage):The advantage of a combination boiler fed system is that it does not require cylinders and pipes to be fitted in the loft. The boiler is very cheap to run because you only heat the water that you use. The disadvantage is that, while the water in the hot tub is really hot, but the flow is really slow. This is great in a small flat.
Airlocked pipework
When you open a tap and no water is released it could be the result of an airlock. To resolve this, connect a length of hosepipe to the tap and connect the other end to a working direct feed tap. In most cases this will be the cold tap at the sink. Open both taps together to allow the pressure of the mains water to force the air back out of the pipes. Leave them for several minutes and then turn off at the air locked tap first. Chessington Plumbers will do this..You may need to repeat this a few times to release the lock and allow water to run properly. When finished, undo the hose from the higher of the two taps, before releasing the lower and allowing the water in the hose to drain into the sinkAir lock at more than one tap.If more than one tap seems to have an airlock, it should be cleared starting with the lowest one. It may be possible to blow the air out of the pipes.Stick a length of hose into the outlet pipe within the loft tank. Open the tap at the other end. Blow through the pipe to dislodge the lock.Draining down to remove an air lock.A final method would be to drain the system. Isolate the water feed and open all the taps to drain away all the water. Close all taps until they are about a three quarters closed. Turn the water supply back on. Adjust them all until a light, even flow of water is achieved. Now go round opening them one by one to the half-open position, starting with the lowest and working upwards. Repeat at the three quarters open position. Once all air has been discharged, turn all taps off to a point where there is only a minimal flow. Broadgate Plumbers carry out this work fully guaranteed.
Service valve (repair or replace)
These type of valves isolate various sections of a system to allow for it to be serviced or repaired. Knowing how to repair or replace a valve will save you money and get you out of trouble in an emergency. There are many different valves used in domestic plumbing. In order to carry out work on one of these valves you will need to switch off the water and drain down the appropriate section of plumbing. Chessington Plumbers are experienced in all plumbing issues.Replacing a Service Valve.If the leak cant be fixed, you will probably need to fit a replacement with one of the same type and size. Some valves have a specific direction of flow so before removing the old one, make a note of the direction of flow for you reference.Undoing the Valve.To carry this out you should use two wrench tools. Holding the main body with the first wrench to prevent it from moving as pressure is applied. Use the second to undo the nut. Repeat this on the other end of the valve and gently ease the valve away. The fitting is often quite tight as the pipe sits inside the valve at both ends. With the valve removed, you now need to take the olives mounted over the pipe work off the pipes. Olives are squashed tight against the pipe in a compression fitting so they may be difficult to remove. Use a junior hacksaw and cut through the olive at an angle being careful not to cut or damage the pipe at all. Finally, clean up the pipe ends using a wad of steel wool.Fit the New Valve.Run the nut onto the pipework, then the olive and then carry out the same for the other end. Fit the valve onto the pipe work this may require a little work. With the valve in position double check the flow direction. Hand tighten the compression nut on both ends. When the nut feels moderately tight, give another half turn to fully tighten but dont overdo it. Remember, you can always nip it up a bit but if its over tightened youll be back to square one. A Chessington Plumber can replace valves.*switch water back on and check all work for leaks.
Electric Shower (consider this)
The shower itself heats cold water from the mains by passing it over an electric element and the pumping it out through a showerhead. It is not a DIY job for the faint hearted. Chessington Plumbers are skilled in all aspects of this type of work. Thermostatic control is required to regulate the temperature of the water. A connection to the main water supply provides the feed and is usually fed through a 15mm plastic pipe. Where the shower unit is to be mounted over a bath, there is obviously no need to consider arrangements for drainage since they already exist and the bath becomes the shower cubicle and drain in one otherwise this would have to be considered.Where the shower is to be installed as part of a cubicle, you will need to refer to the manufacturers instructions for installing a new shower cubicle. Establish the position for the shower components. The shower unit itself will need to be easily operated and functional. The spray head rail will need to provide lots of adjustment to suit the various different height of people who are going to use it.The shower will also need an electrical supply:You must seek a Professional Electricians service for this work and plan your installation around this. A Chessington Plumber can provide or arrange this service.Water supply for the electric shower.Hold the shower unit in its intended position and mark the point at which it will be connected to the water supply. Run a 15mm copper pipe from here to the riser. If possible it should be taken through the wall adjacent to the shower so that only a minimal amount of pipework is seen. An isolating valve should be fitted in the pipework near to the shower unitend to provide a separate means of isolation. Mount the shower unit on the wall as specified in the manufacturers instructions and connect to the water supply pipe using a compression fitting, or the supplied connector if there is one.Isolate the supply for the main riser and connect a 15mm branch to this. This is done by fitting a Tee piece using either compression type or soldered fittings depending your preference. Switch the water back on and check for leaks.
Leak (patching)
When winter arrives the water in a pipe can turn to ice, which expands and will cause a split in the walls of the pipe or even force a joint apart. Copper pipework is more likely to split than lead, which can stretch to accommodate the expansion and thus survive a few hard winters before reaching breaking point. Chessington Plumbers can sort this problem. If the pipework is still lead, then replace it with copper pipe as soon as you have the leak under control The only other reason for leaking plumbing is the failure of a component either through degradation of the materials or because a pipe joint has failed. If possible, make a permanent repair, by inserting a new section of pipe or replacing the leaking joint. For the time being, however, you may have to make an emergency repair. Drain the pipe unless it is frozen, in which case make the repair before it thaws. Binding a leaking pipe for a temporary repair you should cut a piece of rubberised hose and slit it along its length, so you can place it over the pipe that is split. Tie the hose with some hose type clips, or, using some pliers, twist some wire around the hose. Alternatively, use self amalgamating tape that is made to seal burst pipes. Epoxy putty can be used and sticks to most materials and will produce a good long-term repair, although it is better to insert a new length of pipe. The putty is supplied in two tubes which are mixed will start to solidify, giving about 25 minutes to complete. Now clean a 25 to 50 millimetres of pipe on each side of the split, using a scotch pad. Mix the putty and press it into the hole or around a joint, building it to a thickness of 3 to 6mm. It will cure to full strength within 24 hours, but you can run low-pressure water immediately if you bind the putty with self-adhesive tape. A Chessington Plumber carries all the necessary tools for plumbing work.
Waste Pipe (new appliance)
This pipe collects waste water from appliances. Alternatively, the waste may be fed to a hopper or an outside gulley. With gullies, it is necessary to terminate the waste pipe below the grid, but above the water level inside. Chessington Plumbers will carry out this work. The pipe should run downhill slightly along its entire length (6mm fall / 300mm length) and be adequately supported by brackets at regular intervals to prevent sagging.Fitting and connecting the waste pipe.Once you have figured out the way the pipe will run. make a check that there will be no obstructions like cables or pipes in the external wall. Also make careful measurements to determine the position of the soil stack outside.Drill through the wall using a bit of the same size as the external diameter of the new pipe. Insert a short length of pipe through the wall and assemble the external pipework to the gulley or hopper. DO NOT tighten the connections yet. Instead, move the new pipework to one side. To make the connection a number of different types of fitting can be used. A strap type boss is the easiest to use. Mark and drill the pipe with a hole cutter of exactly the diameter specified for the fitting you have. Place the boss over the hole, following the manufacturers instructions and fasten it in place. Insert the connector piece, which usually has a rubber gasket pre-mounted to provide a watertight seal. Connect to the soil stack and reassemble your external pipe run making the connections. A Chessington Plumber is experienced in these connections. Then, once the external waste has been completed, the pipes and fittings for the internal run can be made. Fit supporting clips at regular intervals on all pipework to prevent it from sagging. Job done. The size of plastic waste depends upon its use:21mm ? overflows, 32mm – hand basin, 40mm – bath and sink,110mm – soil pipe
Toilet Seat (fit or replace)
The majority of toilet seats are attached to the toilet bowl itself by means of a pair of brackets with hinges. These may have a cover piece over the pan fixing point so that the fixing is smooth and easily cleaned. One section of the hinge fixes to the pan and, the other fixes to the toilet seat itself. Chessington Plumbers are experienced in this area.Seat (loose).Lift up the covers on the hinges if there are any fitted. A Chessington Plumber carries the correct tools. The fixing bolts may have a screw head. If so, reach round to the underside of the fixing and hold the nut in position underneath while you slacken this screw head slightly. With it loosened, you can now make sure the seat lines up squarely with the bowl before tightening fully again. Hold the nut underneath and use a screwdriver to do up the screw head from the top. If the bolt has no screw head, it will be shaped so that it is held in position in the upper fixing plate. Or, you may have an upper plate with an integrated bolt. Undoing the Toilet Seat.Again, lift up the covers on the hinges, and you will see one end of the fixing bolts which could made from plastic or metal. If this has a screw head, you can undo it from here. Reach round to the other end of the bolt and hold the retaining nut in place while you unscrew the bolt. If there is no screw head, you can simply undo the retaining nut underneath. The seat should loft away.Fitting a New Toilet Seat.With these hinged brackets securely fixed to the toilet seat, put the bolts through the securing points remembering to add the upper side washer arrangement first. Mount the underside washers and nuts and tighten so that the seat is roughly held. As before, this may be done by tightening the upper screw heads if there are any, or by tightening the nut underneath. Align the seat so that it opens and closes to the right position. There is usually some play in the fixing points allowing this to be done. Once the seat is correctly aligned, finish tightening the nuts. These only need to be hand tight. Over tightening may damage the seat or bowl.
Why Plumbers Chessington is a Better Choice
Realizing that you are in desperate need to take some action and hire an expert plumber in the long run can pretty much save a lot of your money and save a lot of time. As opposed to that if you are in the habit of hiring that plumber when you are standing in front of your house with water leaking from every corner, then you should understand that the problem has become a lot more extensive and now it requires help from experts or it may just destroy your house. That is why it is way better that you act before the time when there is an extremely high risk for these defects and their repairs to place more damage to the mess.When situations that you are unable to handle or understand, arise, the best decision you can make is to call for a professional plumber from Plumbers Chessington because the plumbers that you will receive from here, are licensed in tackling with such messy situations. So you should always keep yourself updated with a reliable plumbing facility of the area you are living in and keep their contacting information stacked in your freezer because you can never tell when a plumbing emergency might rise up. A common problem, like if you are not getting hot water are alright and bearable in the summers, but when winter hits, you just do not know what went wrong. For emergencies like these you can call an expert from Plumbers Chessington and they will let you know what the issue is. If the tank for the water is leaking the plumber might have to perform some more inspections to find out what the real source of this leakage is. The same can happen with the thermo heaters which are installed in your house.