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Let The Doctor Solve Your.
Plumbing & Heating Dilemmas: This Week: Another Christmas Tale? |
With Christmas just around the corner and as you are all getting ready for the coming festivities, either the last minute shopping or what to wear to the office party. I would like to remind of a story not of Christmas or the “Three Wise Men”. But just as relevant do you remember the story of the “Three Little Pigs,” these little characters learned a very importance lesson in quality house construction and how it protected themselves from their foe the Big Bad Wolf.
It does not matter how well your home is constructed, it's only as good proactive maintenance resign that will tip the balance in your favor. While we may not yet be fighting off any wolves, winter sometimes can present itself all dressed up in sheep's clothing. As we now are experiencing the phenomena called El Nino which brings ferocious, wind, rain, snow and ice are a few of the things this winter that will put your home and its heating and plumbing systems to the acid test.
Is your home prepared for winter?
In all the years that we have spent in the construction business, I have found that water is the single greatest threat to a home. Whether it's from a leaking shower, a burst pipe or blocked drainage, water damage will only result in one thing costly repairs. So, the first step in getting your home ready for winter is to protect it from all forms of water damage.
Most people expect household emergencies to happen in the cold of winter - but the pre-winter months often prove to be just as problematic. I would advise all householders to give their home a pre-winter check better to be safe than sorry.
Murphy's Law
Murphy's Law anything that can go wrong will go wrong especially in the winter months, a sudden cold snap causing burst pipes, or the first storm brings flooding often many householders are unprepared and, worse, unable to find a professional to help them sort out their problems.
Winter Home MOT Checklist
With the cold weather on its way and the possibility of frozen heating and plumbing pipes and plumbing emergencies. Throughout this period it may be difficult to find a professional plumber who isn't already inundated with work, but there are a few things you can do to help yourself.
Check that your central heating boilers and all other heating appliances have been serviced this year.
Make sure you know the location of, and have labeled, the stop valve on the incoming water supply main periodically checking that they are working correctly.
Make sure you know the location of all drain valves by which you can drain the water from your central heating systems.
Ensure that all exposed pipes and storage tanks are properly insulated, particularly in the roof space or attic.
In very cold weather take special care to prevent water pipes becoming frozen. If you have a water storage tank in the attic it would be sensible to open the door to the attic and allow some heat from the house to keep the storage tank from freezing.
Inspect your cold water storage tank regularly and, if it is metal, make sure it is not corroding. Call in your plumber if there is any sign of a problem.
Check the condition of flexible hosepipes to plumbed-in domestic appliances at regular intervals.
Dripping taps and ball valves are a sure sign that your plumbing system requires maintenance. To avoid them becoming major problems call in your plumber without delay.
Look after the Elderly
This group of people can become very venerable at this time of year. Mainly caused by cold weather this then has a knock on effect which can lead to illnesses caused or exacerbated by exposure to the cold.
The main underlying reasons why elderly people can find this time of year difficult is the weather. Cold weather and damp homes this is a commonality you will find as, older people tend to live in older property's which are always the hardest to heat. These homes also tend to have no or inadequate insulation, leaving the occupant's very cold and the property damp during the winter months.
If you have elderly parents or if you have elderly neighbors please this winter check that they will be also warm this winter. Here are a few tips which you can pass on and which may make all the difference to someone else's Christmas.
Always dress for warmth
Keep your house warm
Keep warm at night put on extra blankets on the bed.
Christmas Holidays
If you are one of the luckier ones and are going away for the Christmas and New Year, remember to leave the thermostat set low to help prevent pipes from freezing. Also check with your insurance company in case your policy has specific conditions imposed.
Fire safety at Christmas time
With the hustle and bustle of Christmas, it's easy to forget about fire safety. Unfortunately, domestic fires are more common at this time of the year and I would recommend that you take the following precautions:
Check that your chimney has been swept before lighting over the festive season a task than quiet easily over looked amid all the hustle and bustle of the season.
Always place the fire guard around the fire especially if you have small children or elderly parents staying for Christmas.
Christmas time is all about looking at the flames dancing on an open fire as you sit back in your favorite armchair, enjoying your mince pies while drinking a glass of mulberry wine.
Suggestions
If you have any suggestions on how to make this checklist more useful, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you would like any assistance over the festive season log on to our website www.diy.ie .
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