Central Heating Maintenance: Keeping The Elderly Warm in Their Homes

We’ve learnt over the last few years to stop using the term ‘global warming’ when referring to the effects of industrialisation and the use of fossil fuels on the weather. Although average temperatures are indeed rising, what we are actually seeing is more extreme conditions of all kinds, meaning that we are now more accurately talking about ‘climate change’. What this means in practice is that we should not become complacent about the potential for cold winters and what effect they could have on the most vulnerable in our community. In the winter of 2021/2022, the UK saw 13,400 excess winter…

Fitted kitchen with a cooker displaying gas rings in the centre of the image.

What is the Gas Safe Register and Why Is It Important?

When discussing the matter of gas safety and why we always need to be mindful of it, we often refer to the importance of using Gas Safe registered engineers. If you’re not sure what the Gas Safe Register is, or why it is so important that you use Gas Safe registered engineers for any work involving gas in your home, this article will tell you all you need to know. What is the Gas Safe Register? In 2009, Gas Safe Register replaced the Council of Registered Gas Installers (CORGI), making it the only gas registration body in Great Britain and the…

Landlord Gas Safety Certificates

If you’re renting out a property, you have many responsibilities that you need to be aware of, not least those that relate to the safety and wellbeing of your tenants. Where you provide gas appliances, such as a boiler, cooker, or gas fire, it is essential that these are working efficiently and that they pose no risk to those living in your property. This article will examine what landlords in the UK with gas appliances in their property need to do to keep their rental in line with the law and their tenants safe, as well as how A&D Plumbing can…

7 Central Heating Servicing Tips That Are Essential For Your Home

The central heating system is one of the most fundamental elements of your home. As the winter months and cold nights draw in, you’ll be relying on your central heating now more than any other time of year. With this in mind, it’s essential that it’s always in good working order so that it doesn’t let you down when you need it most. The best way to keep boilers, radiators and other central heating systems performing at the top of their game is to ensure they’re frequently serviced so any issues are picked up on and addressed before they become more…

Image of hands with copper pipe looking at radiator plumbing

Who to Call if Your Central Heating Stops Working in Ipswich this Winter

With the nights getting longer, darker and colder, it’s the time of year when our boilers start to get their annual workout, making sure that our homes keep us warm over winter. And no matter how carefully we manage them and make sure they get their annual service, there’s always the worry that they may break down at the wrong time. However, before we look at the question of who to call should the worst happen, let’s examine what we can do before the onset of winter to give our boilers the best chance of making it safely through until spring….

Air Source Heat Pumping: What you need to know

What are air source heat pumps? Air source heat pumps take heat from the air outside and use it to function radiators, hot water systems, underfloor heating and warm air convectors. Quite the opposite to refrigerators, air source heat pumps extract warmth to increase the temperature inside (rather than expel heat from the inside) and they still function well in a -15 degree environment. Two types of heat pumps Air-to-air heat pumps – takes heat from the air outside, brings it into the home, and extracts it through a fan system, which then heats up your home’s interior. Air-to-water heat…

Plumbing engineer completing boiler maintenance.

What is an HVAC Technician?

HVAC is short for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and HVAC/R, includes refrigeration. A HVAC Technician installs, repairs and maintains all of these units and ensures these machines and technologies run at full capacity. All of these systems are installed into a variety of buildings whether that’s the home, office, retail shop, town halls, buses, cars, etc. to ensure maximum comfort and environmental regulation. What do HVAC Technicians do? On particularly cold or hot days, you’ll be gravitating toward the air conditioning or heating, to alleviate yourself and others from extreme temperatures, which have been installed by skilled HVAC/R Technicians. Being…

OFTEC and the Green Deal Fund Extension (article update)

The Green Deal initiative is a scheme backed by the UK Government which is designed to help homeowners and businesses cut down on their emissions and save money on their energy bills. Applicable to any home and business premises in England, Scotland and Wales that is fitted with an electricity meter, the scheme works by giving homeowners and business owners the opportunity to have any efficiency improvements required carried out, but with only a small percentage of the installation costs paid upfront. The savings allow homeowners to gradually pay back the loan using the savings made on the energy bills. When…

Top Tips for Your Household Radiators

Keeping your radiators in top condition is vital for getting the most out of your system, but it can be difficult to keep this condition as a constant, which is why this article will run through some of the best ways to look after your radiators. Painting It may seem like a rather innocuous issue, but being careful with the number of layers of paint on your radiator is important to ensuring the efficiency of your radiator. The more layers there are, the less efficient your radiator will be. It is also very difficult to remove layers of paint from a…

Water Treatment for Central Heating Systems

Central heating systems are used on a nearly daily basis by people around the world, and like any other system, it is liable to encounter faults over time, especially if you have it for a significant number of years. However, there are a number of ways you can treat your system to maximise its performance and minimise the possibility of faults. Water treatment is a very effective method of caring for your system and coupled with various other factors it can significantly enhance the performance and lifespan of your central heating. Building Regulations, British Standards and the majority of boiler manufacturers…