Some of the boys at My Plumber

Here are some photos of the guys. 

Girl's Guide on how to fit a bathroom - Day 7

Girl's Guide on how to fit a bathroom - Day 6

Girl's Guide on how to fit a bathroom - Day 5

Girl's Guide on how to fit a bathroom - Day 4

Girl's Guide on how to fit a shower room - Day 3

Girl's Guide on how to fit a bathroom - Day 2

My interview with the Independent on women breadwinners

It is great to see that more and more women are making it to senior positions in the workplace and in their own businesses.    The IPPR think tank report released today has identified that one in three women is the breadwinner for the family.  See my interview with the Independent today to find out more.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/decline-in-traditionally-male-industries-economic-austerity-and-better-opportunities-for-women-mean-more-and-more-mums-bring-home-the-bacon-8744980.html

Video testimonial for a bathroom fitted by My Plumber

How to fit a bathroom - day one

Girl's guide video on where to start with a bathroom refurb

Girl's guide to replacing your boiler...

Benefits of having a new boiler

• 1) Reliability
• 2) Save costs in gas bills
• 2) Produces hot water on demand all year round
• 3) Produces heating on demand
• 4) No more tepid baths or showers
• 5) Enough hot water for the whole family
• 6) Relaxed bath times with the children
• 7) Get out of the house faster in the morning because you don’t have to wait for the water to heat up
• 8) 7 year warranties (full parts and labour) so cancel any monthly maintenance contracts (you get this for free with the installation)

We are accredited installers for Worcester Bosch and Vaillant for the London area. This means that we can offer our clients a 7 and 10 year guarantees on many of the boilers that we install. These boilers are the most popular boilers to be fitted in the UK and come highly recommended by Which? We have always found both brands to be completely reliable with a good after service. Other brands are available as well depending on the installation.

We can fit both combination boilers and gravity boilers depending on what is needed in your home. Our boiler installation guide explains what to consider when choosing a new boiler. Our senior Gas Safe engineer would be able to give you lots of free advice about which system is best for you and how you can save money in gas bills by installing a new boiler in your home. Click here for some information about the different boiler systems that are available.

How long does it take to install a boiler?

Our registered Gas Safe engineers are experienced in all types of boiler installations and will install your new boiler safely and quickly. Boiler replacements typically take between 1-3 days, depending on your central heating system and the type of boiler you are having installed. With all installations, we carry out a Power Flush. This means that your system water is cleaned out properly so that any debris that is in your system is removed in order to protect your boiler. Power flushing usually takes around a day to carry out and this is where many engineers fail. All our engineers are trained with Kamco and we use the Kamco Power Flushing Pump to clean your system water.

For advice and information on boiler installation in London, or to arrange a visit from one of our senior Gas Safe surveyor, call My Plumber now on 020 3078 5920.

For advice and information on boiler installation in London, or to arrange a visit from one of our Gas Safe registered engineers for repairs or servicing, call My Plumber now on 020 3078 5920.

How much will it cost to install a new boiler

If you would like a new central heating system or a replacement boiler in west London, we would come to your property to give you a free no obligation estimate. Prices range from £1,650+VAT (subject to survey).

Visit http://my-plumber.co.uk/boilers/boiler_installation for more information and call us for a free estimate on 020 3078 5920. 

Why you should service your boiler in the Summer

Just like cars, boilers need to be maintained if they are to remain reliable.   It makes sense that you organise to have your boiler checked annually to make sure that there are no obvious problems with it.  We never notice our boilers until they have gone wrong!  Then when they do fail it feels like the end of the world.  At the very least, it might mean a few cold showers while you are waiting for a boiler engineer to sort things out.  At worst, it could randomly fail on Christmas Eve - probably the most expensive time for your boiler to fail.   You can be left without heating or hot water - not funny when you have a family to keep warm. That's why we recommend servicing boilers in the summer.

 When we carry out a standard boiler service, we do it properly:

• We will check your gas boiler, controls and components.
• Vital parts (Heat exchanger and ignition).
• Boiler seal is tested.
• Visual inspection to check for corrosion and leaks.
• Flue analyser test to check combustion and burner pressure. Specialist test equipment is used to enable the engineer to measure the concentrations of the pollutants present in the boiler and to adjust your burners for optimal combustion. This means that the correct amount of gas will go through your system and help to identify dangerous levels of carbon monoxide

So, why get your boiler serviced in the summer?  The first reason is that you don't need to depend on it for heating at this time of year.  This means that, if there is a problem it won't inconvenience you as much as it would if your boiler failed in the autumn or winter.  Secondly, boiler engineers have more availability. This means that you will have more choice as to when you can have your boiler serviced.   Thirdly, it is a good time to make sure that everything is working ready for when you want to turn the heating on in the autumn. Any problems can be identified when there are lots of parts in stock and more time for the engineers to fix problems.

For more information on the My Plumber Boiler Services, please go to http://my-plumber.co.uk/boilers/london_boiler_servicing or call us on 020 3078 5920. 

Cold patches on radiators - Powerflushing Explained

Many people have not heard of "Powerflushing".  They do not know what it is let alone what a benefit it could be to a cental heating system.

Put simply, Powerflushing is a procedure that is carried out in your home using a specialist pump.  The procedure is carried out to resolve problems with the central heating or when a new boiler is being fitted.

Here are a few reasons why people choose to have a Powerflush:

1)  It cures flow and circulation problems in a central heating system

2)  It restores system efficiency which will ultimately mean that you boiler does not have to work so hard to pump water around your system (saving you money in gas bills)

3)  To help radiators to heat up evenly (have you got cold patches at the top of the radiator)

4)  To clean the whole central heating system including underfloor pipework

5)  It cures or prevents boiler noise

6)  Minimises boiler warranty problems

How is powerflushing carried out?

The Powerflushing pump is connected to the system across the flow and return pipework. All debris and corrosion is then dislodged by the flow generated by the pump. The dislodged material is then flushed through the pump's drain. At the same time, the pump fills the system with fresh water  from the connection to the cold water main.  Then inhibitor is added to ensure that the system continues to stay clean.  We use Kamco which is the best known brand for Powerflushing.  All our engineers have carried out the specialist Kamco course.

There are thousands of ageing central heating systems with circulation and boiler noise problems caused by accumulations of sludge, corrosion, debris and scale.  Powerflushing will cure most circulation problems.

Boiler manufacturers recommend that a heating system should be powerflushed when fitting a new boiler to an existing system. When a new boiler is fitted, the system alterations and high efficiency of the new boiler can dislodge accumulated debris which has been in the system for years. This is why boiler manufacturers may be reluctant to carry out warranty repairs where it is suspected that the fault has been caused by debris and sludge in the system. Only by Powerflushing a system can you be sure that a system really is clean to the standards demanded by modern high efficiency boilers and heat exchangers.

Radiators that are cold or partially cold are often this way because there is sludge trapped in them. The sludge tends to sink to the bottom of the radiator. This is why radiators can sometimes feel cold at the bottom and hot at the top. If the sludge is removed by powerflushing, then the water is able to circulate around the whole radiator rather than just the top part of that radiator.

If you are looking for a reputable plumber to carry out Powerflushing in Chiswick or west London, please let us know on 020 3078 5920 or email services@my-plumber.co.uk for more information.

Chiswick Bathroom Moodboard

When planning your bathroom, you can put together a moodboard for inspiration and themes for your new bathroom.  It is also handy when you have completed it as you can show your bathroom fitter what you would like to see in your bathroom.  It pulls all your ideas together.    

Here is the moodboard that we made for my Chiswick bathroom.  There is more to putting together a bathroom than at first meets the eye.  You have not only the technical aspects of what can and can't be done but also there is the design side.  At My Plumber, we specialise in both these very important aspects.   Give us a call if you are looking for Chiswick bathroom fitters on 020 3078 5920.

Moodboard for my Chiswick Bathroom

If you would like further information on my Chiswick bathroom project, or if you would like to organise a free quote for your new bathroom.  We are long established bathroom fitters in Chiswick.  We also carry out all plumbing and heating work in west London and central London.

Angela Lyons-Redman is the owner of My Plumber Limited which is a bathroom company in Chiswick.  Please drop her an email on angela@my-plumber.co.uk if you would like any information on either this bathroom project or a bathroom project that you will be working on soon. 

Top Tips for refurbishing your shower room

 The shower room is finished after 12 days of work.  This is about the average time you would expect for a small shower room.   You can really see the difference and I have to say, it is wonderful to be able to walk into a clean shower room with a wonderfully warm floor!     

Here are some photos to show you the difference between the old bathroom and the new one:

Girl's Guide to Plumbing.. Top Tips on Choosing a Good Plumber in London

When I first decided to set up My Plumber, believe me, I knew nothing about plumbing.  I was just a posh girl from the City.  Quite honestly, changing careers from being a commercial solicitor to owning a plumbing company was like walking into a different world. 

Ladies, you need to have your wits about you when choosing someone to work in your home. This is not just about plumbers.  These tips apply across the board to all trades.

Day 6 - How to get your shower room refurbished

We are getting to the more interesting stages of the job now where some of the bathroom furniture has been fitted.

Day 5 - Top tips on refurbishing a shower room

The tiling seems to be getting finished really quickly now despite the fact that the tiles are porcelain and the cuts can be quite difficult. Always check the type of tiles with your tiler before you buy them.  If you can think about it, ask him where the cuts will be so that this is agreed in advance.  You definitely do not want any irritations at the end of the job when you are looking at your wonderful new shower room. 

Day 4: Considerations when refurbishing a shower room

Today was a long day for our fitter. Not only did he finish fitting Aquaboard around the room (which is a waterproof board base) but also he has started tiling.  Even though only half the wall is tiled, you can get an idea of what the finished shower room will look like.

Day 3 - Plumbing in a new shower room

We are just at the end of Day 3 of our case study.  A considerable amount of progress was made today and I am pleased to say that it is becoming much clearer where things will be going.  The recessed shelves in the showering area were created today so we can see where our "his" and "hers" bottles will be stored in only a few days time! 

Day 2 - Starting a shower room refurbishment

Yesterday I got in from work at 7pm to see what progress had been made through the day. Our fitter had completely removed everything from the room.   It was clear to see some rotten wood from our leak and this will need to be replaced.  Interestingly enough, the leak was a result of some poor workmanship by bathroom fitters who fitted our shower room before we had purchased the property.    A lot of bathroom fitters cut corners by using normal MDF in the shower area (as in our case).  This is such a big mistake because if the water does seep through the tiles, the MDF rots and you then have problems with leaks.  At My Plumber, we always use high quality materials including waterproof backing board onto which the tiles are fixed. This ensures that our bathrooms are even more watertight.  It also explains why people have no problems even 10 years on.

Update: Day One Shower room Refurb

We are half way through day one and our fitter has stripped out most of the main pieces of bathroom furniture. You will remember that I told you that there was a leak coming through to the kitchen, well once the shower tray was removed, it was possible to see that there was damage to the wall. 

Here are some pictures: 

 

Real Life Shower Room Refurb Case Study - Day One

I have decided to do a real life video case study of a shower room refurbishment to show people what to expect when they are having work done in their home.  For the first time in a long time, I am going to be the client.  The client from hell probably! but I will try to be reasonable!  I started recording last night and will get up some video footage really soon to show you what my shower room looks like at the moment.  We are going to do a day by day breakdown of a real shower room refurbishment so you can see what it is really like before you take the plunge!   I must admit, I feel very excited to think that, in a couple of weeks, I will have a beautiful new shower room which will last me 10 years or so.

How to find your stopcock in an emergency!

WHY DO I NEED TO FIND MY STOPCOCK?
In moments of crisis people often panic and have no idea what to do. That is why we always recommend to our clients to be proactive and prepared.  You never know when a leak might happen; leaks are unpredictable.  They will require you to take action promptly to prevent water damage from occuring to your property and possibly to other properties around you.     The most obvious first step is to turn off your stop cock. Your stopcock is a valve which turns off the mains water within the property. 

Gas Safe Regulations - Flues in Voids

Important advice for consumers who have flues which run in ceiling spaces

Some properties, mainly flats and apartments, have been built with boiler flues which cannot be inspected because they are hidden behind walls or ceilings. The boiler flues that this information relates to are connected to room-sealed fan assisted boilers.  If you live in one of these homes then please read on for more information so you know what to do.