Tag: plumber chessington

One of the types of hot water cylinder fitted today is one called an unvented cylinder. Below is a description of an unvented hot water cylinder and a couple of facts that are handy to know:The water that is stored in an unvented is at around 3bar which is in real terms equivalent to 3 times that of our own atmospheric pressure, and is judged to be safe. The interesting part is when the water starts to heat up. Normally water will start to boil at 100 C. Now if the water is being stored under pressure, for example 3bar, it will not begin to boil until about 132 C. This doesn’t sound much of a problem that is until the cylinder or vessel develops a crack. Should this happen the water that was a liquid at 3bar pressure immediately becomes steam at 1bar of pressure. Once again this does seem too bad, until you learn that steam requires a container 1600 times larger than the one it is sat in at the moment. The result is a massive explosion. Chessington Plumbers can identify and service an unvented cylinder. Stop this happening: An unvented cylinder comes with some safety devices, if one fails, another cuts in, if this fails, yet another cuts in. The problem is that these devices are only safe if they have been installed professionally and had regular servicing. For this reason the homeowner needs to stay well clear of them. A Chessington Plumber will be able to fit and inspect these safety devices.If you do have an unvented cylinder you should call for a G3-qualified plumber to service it every year. In the interim, keep an eye on it yourself. If you ever see water dripping running out of the pipes connected to the cylinder, call the G3-qualified plumber immediately to check it out.

Note: Capillary action is when a liquid flows in a narrow space without the affects of gravity influencing it.The use of joints in plumbing is a fundamental part of the job, because they are the connection that holds pipework together, guaranteeing that water, gas or any other flowing liquid does not spill or leak out, creating a massive problem in the home or even at work. One such joint is called a capillary type. It simply works by melting a soft soldering metal so it runs into the join between two fittings. This action is the one that gives the joint its name capillary. When the solder is cool it will form a secure and watertight join. Chessington Plumbers use capillary joints every day.This joint is available in a couple of types:Yorkshire:This type is called self-soldering, as it includes a ring of solder actually in the end of the fitting, and the direct heat of a blowtorch. Before use, the end of the pipework should be cleaned on the inside of the joint with some wire wool. Smooth some flux paste in the joint and on the end of the pipework. Push the joint together, and make sure that the pipe is in firmly. With a small pencil mark, you can check if there is any movement. With the blowtorch, heat the pipe and its joint and once you observe a thin silver ring of solder, thats when the joint is made. Use more solder if needed. A Chessington Plumber uses this type of joint End-feed:The end-feed joint has solder fed onto it when heated to form the joint. When the temperature is right the solder will melt and flow over the joint just like a liquid. Guide the solder into the joint until you see it gatherering at the bottom of the joint. Do not use too much that it drips. Allow the joint to cool completely before trying to move it.

Indirect Cylinder:The principle of operation of this type of cylinder is that known as a heat exchanger (in other words one that includes and uses a coil inside). The water contained inside of this vessel and supplied by the boiler is heated as it passes through the coil, and the heat is transfers to the stored cold water in the cylinder. This water inside the coil is in a self-contained system and never comes into contact with water in the cylinder that is for the taps. A Chessington Plumber is well trained in all systems.This method of heat transfer not only stops lime scale build up in the boilers system, it can also prolong the life of the system as it allows the use of anti-corrosion agents into the boiler water. A cold-water feed attaches to the bottom of the cylinder, there is also usually a small drain cock. Hot water for the taps leaves from the top of the cylinder through a tee-joint. An expansion pipe runs from this tee-joint to a feed and expansion tank fitted in the loft.Direct Cylinder:This version of the directly heated hot water cylinder is a simple system. Cold water is fed into the cylinder at the bottom, there is also a small drain-cock. The water heats either by a dedicated boiler or by a fitted electric immersion heater or heaters inside the cylinder. Chessington Plumbers understand these systems. A connection made at the bottom of the cylinder feeds the boiler, where the water heats. This hot water is then fed back to the hot water cylinder via a connection on the top of the cylinder. Hot water required for the taps leaves from the top of the cylinder through a tee-joint.

The metal called Copper is the most common metal that is used in plumbing today. This is because someone many years ago discovered that this metal was easy to work with and was tough, durable, yet, quite bendable. Chessington Plumbers use copper pipework.Listed below is some good to know information about copper:Pipework made of copper is made and supplied in a rigid and flexible style. This rigid type of copper is also well known to the plumbing professional as hard copper but does conform to all the local regulations for pipework, like the ones for domestic water systems. Copper is supplied in three types of thickness M-L-K:Type M: is the thinnest of all these types. It is also cheap to buy and is the preferred pipe material for nearly all do it yourself plumbing amateurs. It gives a very professional finish. Copper wears really well and has great properties which make it highly resistant to most kinds of corrosion . They are supplied in various diameters, but most domestic water supply pipework is 1?2inch/3?4inch. Type L: Flexible copper is used primarily?for gas supply-lines, because it will bend and is capable of resisting mild frost, used by most professional plumbers. Could be installed as part of a water supply system in unheated indoor areas, like crawl spaces. Type K: Used mostly on water supply lines that are underground. The flexible type of copper is also known as soft copper. A Chessington Plumber works with copper pipes and carries all the right tools.Note:These pipes are fitted using soldered compression, or flare type fittings. You must follow your local authorities recommendations for the correct types of pipework and fittings for your area. Soldered fittings, also called sweat fittings, are often used to join copper pipes. Correctly soldered fittings are strong and trouble free.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.