Helpful tips
Looking after your home
You are responsible for keeping the inside of your home in good condition. To help you do this it is best to carry out small tasks and checks to prevent future problems:
- Wipe down on a regular basis all windows affected by condensation and if any mould has formed clean it off using a wash of diluted bleach, or a proprietary product available from supermarkets and DIY shops. See Condensation below.
- Limescale can be removed from baths, sinks, shower heads, and taps with a descaler available from all DIY shops.
- Blockages in kitchen sink waste pipes can be prevented by flushing through using a drain clearing product.
- Outside gullies should be kept clear of leaves and other debris so that water drains away easily.
- Make sure you know where the main stopcock is, and how to turn it off. Also, be sure you know how to turn off electricity and gas supply in an emergency. If you do not, ask any of our staff or contractors when they next visit you.
In the Autumn you should check the following list of items and notify us of any problems. We can then repair them before they get worse and cause you any inconvenience:
- If you use an open fire have you swept the chimney? This is normally your responsibility.
- Are all your heating controls set correctly?
- Are there any tiles or slates missing or broken on your roof?
- Are there any blockages or leaks from gutters and downpipes?
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs)
EPCs are provided on all new tenancies from 1st October 2008. The certificate carries an energy audit on your home, and recommendations on how to make it more energy efficient.
It gives your home a standard energy and carbon emission efficiency grade from A to G, where A is the most efficient and with the average to date being D.
You can also take action to save energy in the home.
- Use low energy lightbulbs
- Switch electrical appliances off when not in use: don't put them on standby
- Look for 'Energy Saving Recommended ratings when buying appliances
- Use lower temperatures for washing
- Make sure the dishwasher or washing machine is full before you switch it on
- Set room heating to 18°C
- Draught proofing
Condensation
Condensation occurs when there is an excessive build up of moisture in the air. There is always moisture in the air, but people create additional moisture in their homes by:
- Cooking, or boiling water
- Taking baths or showers
- Using paraffin or bottled gas heaters
- Drying clothes indoors
Warm moist air condenses and forms water when it cools: for example when it touches a cool surface. In your home these are outside walls, mirrors, windows, wall tiles and even clothes.
If this condensation cannot dry out it will cause mould to form on walls, in cupboards and on window sills, and mildew to form on clothes, especially leather goods.
There are four things you can do to stop condensation forming:
- Produce less moisture by covering pans and turning down the heat when boiling, switching off boiling kettles, and drying clothes outside, or in a well ventilated room, and not using paraffin or bottled gas heaters.
- Ventilation to let the moisture out, by opening a bathroom or kitchen window for a while to let the steam escape, or using an extract fan; and by opening windows for a while each day to change the air in your house.
- Keeping your home warm by at least keeping a low background heat: this need not result in significantly increased heating costs.
- Wipe down where moisture settles.
Leaking, burst or frozen pipes
When pipes leak
Place a dish or bowl underneath the leak. Pull back any carpets and lay down newspapers or towels to absorb any dampness.
When pipes burst
Turn off the water at the main stopcock, and any gate valves from the water tank, and switch off any water heaters. Open all taps to drain water from the system.
Can it be isolated?
Some items of equipment may have their own isolation valve (either a gate valve, or a service valve). If not, you may be able to isolate the fault by just turning off a gate valve on a pipe coming out of the cold water tank. This will leave you with some services, even though it might only be cold water at the kitchen tap. You could then temporarily flush toilets using a bucket of cold water.
If electric fittings get wet
DO NOT TOUCH and turn off electricity at the meter.
When ceilings bulge
To prevent the ceiling falling down, place a bucket under the bulge and pierce a small hole to let the water through.
When pipes freeze
Turn off the water at the main stopcock and open the cold taps. It is best to leave the pipes frozen but you may try to thaw the pipe using hot water bottles or a hair dryer. DO NOT USE A BLOW LAMP. Take care to thaw from one end of the frozen section and not from the middle. Conserve hot water until the pipes are thawed.
General information
Know where your main stopcock is and check that it turns easily and is able to shut off the water supply. It is usually where the water pipe enters the house or near the kitchen sink. Get to know where the gate valves for the hot and cold water tanks are.
If you go away for a few days in winter, lower the setting on your central heating room thermostat but leave the heating on.
Bleeding a radiator
When to do it
If the top part of a radiator is cold while the bottom is warm, this is because air is trapped in the system. Bleeding the radiator releases this air and allows hot water to fill the whole system.
Do not bleed if
Do not bleed the radiators if you have a combination boiler: this type of boiler will have either a pressure gauge or a low pressure light on the front or underside of the boiler, and you will probably not have a hot water cylinder.
Before bleeding
If the whole radiator is cold, check that the radiator valve is open. If more than one radiator is cold, the whole heating system may need to be checked by a plumber.
Turn off the heating system before bleeding, otherwise the pump might draw more air into the system.
You will need a special radiator key, available from most DIY and hardware shops. You will also need a rag or cloth and a bucket or bowl.
How to bleed
The bleed valve is the small square nut at the top end of the radiator. Place the key over the valve and hold the cloth around it to catch any water. Gently turn the key anti-clockwise until you hear a hiss - this is the air being released. When water starts to come through, turn the key back clockwise to shut the valve off. DO NOT unscrew the valve completely as the plug will come right out.
Smoke detectors
Smoke detectors need to be cleaned and tested regularly to make sure they will operate effectively.
Most smoke detectors can be cleaned using a soft brush adaptor on the end of a vacuum cleaner. It is important that they should remain free from dust and grease. Care should be taken not to damage any of the internal parts. Never allow a smoke detector which is run from mains electricity to get wet.
Loss of electric light or power
Warning
- Never tamper with the electricity company's fuse and seals.
- If in doubt, contact your landlord.
Turning off electricity
If you need to turn off all electricity (eg because of water penetration), use the main ON/OFF switch on the electricity consumer unit.
Fuse or trip switch
Check your consumer unit or fuse box: it will either have fuses or trip switches (see diagrams). Modern electric circuits are fitted with a circuit breaker fuse system: if a fault develops, a switch is tripped and the circuit is broken.
When a switch is tripped
Open the cover on the consumer unit to expose the trip switches. The consumer unit is usually next to the electricity meter. Check which switches have tripped to the OFF position and put them back to the ON position. For more detail, refer to any information supplied.
If tripping occurs again
It is probably being caused by a faulty appliance. You need to identify which circuit is affected and which appliance on that circuit is causing a problem.
Which appliance is faulty?
Go around the house noting which set of lights or sockets are not working. Unplug all appliances on that problem circuit and switch off the immersion heater. Switch the tripped switch to the ON position and plug in the appliances one by one until the trip goes again. Leave that appliance unplugged. If one of our appliances is at fault, report the repair; otherwise get it fixed yourself by a qualified electrician or service engineer.
What causes it to trip or blow a fuse?
- An overloaded circuit
- Too many appliances being used at the same time
- A faulty or misused appliance
- Overfilled kettles
- Unclean toasters
- Cooker rings worn out or cracked
- Faulty immersion heaters
- Faulty connections on leads to appliances, eg hi-fi, TV, etc
- Light bulbs blowing
No power at all
The most common cause for no power in your home is a tripped switch or blown fuse. If you have a coin or credit meter, ensure it has enough credit. If neighbours are also affected, contact your electricity supplier, using their website or the number on the bill. If your home is the only one affected, and you have checked the consumer unit, you are sure the bills are paid or the meter has credit, contact your electricity supplier. If they are unable to help, contact us.
Plugs
The socket outlets in your home will take square pin plugs. The plug which you require will have a fuse inside it. We do not supply plugs and you will have to obtain them yourself. To find out the correct type of fuse to fit in a plug, check the rating plate on the appliance. Do not overload plug sockets by using multiple plug adaptors.
Controlling your central heating
How to set a digital timer
Check the clock is showing the correct time. If not, put the timer switch to 'clock' and adjust the time using the 'forward' and 'reverse' buttons. Reset the timer switch to 'auto'. Set the 'heating' and 'hot water' switches to come on once, twice, or stay on all the time, as you require. During freezing spells, keep the heating on all the time, and turn the thermostat down during the night and if you are out all day.
How to set a clock timer
Turn the clock until it is showing the correct time. Decide when you want the heating to come on and go off and set the pins or arrows for those times (see below for how to change pins and arrows). Set the timer switch to 'timer' or 'auto' as appropriate to the unit. During freezing spells, keep the heating on all the time, and turn the thermostat down during the night and if you are out all day.
How to control the temperature
To set the thermostat turn the dial so that the arrow or marker is against the temperature setting you want. A comfortable temperature is between 18°C and 22°C.
Storage heaters
These operate by storing heat during 'off-peak' periods when the electricity is cheaper, usually overnight. This heat is then released into the room the following day and evening. There are two controls (input/charge and output/boost) on the majority of storage heaters which have to be adjusted in anticipation of the following day's weather.
'Input' or 'Charge' control: This must be set manually to ensure that an adequate amount of heat is stored during the night. In the winter, the input control must be set higher as the outside temperatures are usually colder.
'Output' or 'Boost' control: The output control tells the heater how much heat to give out during the day. If this is at the maximum setting (usually 6 or 9) you will find that the stored heat is distributed fairly quickly. It is important to set the controls to reflect the temperature outside and the times that you are in the property, e.g. if you are going out or to bed then turn the output down to the minimum setting.
Although storage heaters can be large and bulky in size because they use offpeak electricity they are much cheaper to run than panel heaters or bar fires. A well controlled storage heater should give you ten hours of useful heat a day.
As the weather gets warmer and you find you no longer need the storage heaters on, then simply turn them off at the wall. Be sure not to put clothing or ornaments on top of the heaters as they can become very hot and lead to a fire risk.
Clearing a blocked waste pipe
Clearing a sink or bath blockage
Bail out most of the water using a suitable container. Hold a rag firmly over the overflow opening, and place a plunger over the drain hole. Pump the plunger up and down rapidly. Plungers can be obtained from most DIY shops. After clearing the blockage, it is advisable to clean out the waste trap.
Cleaning out a waste trap
First bail out any excess water from the bath, basin, or sink using a jug or bowl. Place a bowl underneath the trap and unscrew the joints to remove the trap. Clean thoroughly and replace the trap, checking that the seals are in place and that all joints are screwed up tightly.
If more than one fitting is blocked
The problem may be in the soil stack or main drain. This will need to be cleared by one of our contractors. Blockages are usually caused by the build-up of fat, tea leaves, hair, etc. It is advisable to clean wastes with a drain clearing product.
Clearing a blocked WC
Clearing blockages
If the pan is already full, remove some of the water into a suitable container using a jug or bowl. Push the toilet brush or plunger to the bottom of the pan and pump up and down vigorously about 10 times. This creates a vacuum and pressure which may shift the blockage. Check by flushing the toilet to see whether the blockage has gone. You may need to repeat the process several times before the toilet flushes normally. Do not use plungers with a metal disk, as these may chip or crack the toilet bowl.
Avoiding blockages
Air fresheners that attach to the rim of the toilet pan should be fastened securely to ensure they do not fall in and cause a blockage. Blockages are usually caused by unusual objects: nappies, toys, sanitary towels, air fresheners, etc. If such a blockage occurs as a result of one or several of these objects becoming lodged, you may be charged for clearing the blockage.
Overflows
To stop an overflow
If the toilet cistern is overflowing try lifting the float to close the ball valve: if this stops the overflow, try to tie it up, using a piece of wood and some string, as in the diagram.
You can do the same with a cold water storage tank as a temporary measure.
