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How to keep your sink working

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 13:16:32 GMT

A little regular maintenance.....

Keep your home in top shape with regular maintenance and professional care. A small problem can grow into a big one if not dealt with quickly.

STAINLESS STEEL SINKS

A stainless steel sink is the most durable and low-maintenance kitchen sink as they are resistant to heat, stains, and scratches. What's more, they are also some of the most versatile sinks coming in a variety of styles and sizes meaning they fit in most kitchens easily no matter the size or style. They can be cleaned easily with baking soda and washing up liquid. Coat the wet sink in baking powder, add some washing up liquid and water and scrub the stains with a sponge.

Bleach and abrasive scrubs can alter the stainless steel finish Stainless stell sinks are notorious for leaving watermarks, these can be buffed away with a microfibre cloth.

PORCELAIN SINKS

Glossy porcelain sinks are susceptible to rust and stains like white sinks are. To clean a porcelain sink, to remove rust. coffee and wine stains and to protect its pearly finish, sprinkle salt on half a lemon and scrub the stain.

DRAINS

To reduce nasty smells, residues and blockages avoid tipping fats and other food down the plughole. To clean the residue away use one part baking soda to two parts white vinegar. Pour the baking soda down the drain, then slowly add the white vinegar. Wait 15 minutes for the bubbling duo to do its thing. Then wash away with boiling water.

To avoid blocking your waste pipe, if you need to tip away the meat fat from your grill pan, pour it into a disposable container and either add some scraps for the birds or throw it away in a household bin.

TAPS

All taps and handles can be cleaned using soapy water, no matter the material. Use a sponge or brush to wipe them down and a toothbrush for those super hard-to-reach areas.

Still seeing white spots after your scrub? That's limescale build-up from the minerals in your tap water - which is common locally as we are a hardwater area. Adding a spoonful of white vinegar to the soapy water mixture and doing one final scrub should do the trick .

How much value does a new bathroom add to your home?

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 13:14:59 GMT

Increase your property value by 5% by adding a new bathroom

On average a new bathroom can potentially add between 4-5% to the value of your home, this varies depending on your design and build. Even if you’re not planning to sell your home, renovating is a good way to invest in your property, plus you end up with a bathroom that works for you and your family.

Bathrooms need to be fresh and hygienic-looking, but they’re also a great place to add a touch of luxury for that value-adding wow-factor. Whether you are just making a few cosmetic changes or doing a complete refurb, planning is key. Be clear about what you need – do you want to create a sanctuary to soak in, an invigorating space to start the day or a practical family bathroom?

A bathroom should feel natural to use and be easy to clean, and all the essential elements must be accessible, clear, suitably lit, safe and functional.

If you have young children, it’s best to stick to a classic layout with a bath. If you have older children or just prefer showers over baths, then consider swapping your bath for a large walk-in shower. To create a dream bath-time sanctuary and wow-factor, you could think about adding a freestanding bath.

Remember to bear in mind that if you’re looking to sell your property at some point in the near future, it’s important to keep at least one bath in your home, as buyers will usually want both options. You might even consider the luxury option of two basins to save arguing over whose turn it is in the mornings!

A brand-new shower will instantly make your bathroom appear cleaner, brighter and more inviting. There are many different types to choose from - electric, thermostatic mixer, power showers, rain shower heads, wet rooms and shower columns, as well as options of a screen or sliding glass doors. Do your research and consider which shower type would suit your needs and space and make sure to opt for something that fits with the overall look of your bathroom.

Be sure to think about what you need to store in your bathroom and design appropriately for it. Built-in and freestanding cabinets are popular, but you can also get custom-made units to fit into awkward spaces. If your bathroom is smaller, consider shelving to utilise empty walls – the more floor space you have, the larger your room will appear. Under the sink is a great place for storage or even a discreet drawer inserted into the side of the bath.

Bathrooms are frequently given the spaces that are left once the bedrooms have taken the best spots and windows, but spare a thought for those relaxing times spent in the bathroom. Be sure to make the most of natural light from windows. Use light, bright colours to make your room seem larger and frame your window with a blind in a contrasting colour. If your bathroom is window-less, then make sure you’ve got bright spotlights in the ceiling and add a mirror or two to make the space seem larger and brighter.

If your master bedroom has the space, consider creating an ensuite bathroom. Research suggests that adding an ensuite could increase your chances of a buyer making an offer, to save them the effort of putting one in.

How to avoid frozen pipes and taps

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 13:14:59 GMT

Keep your home in top shape with regular maintenance and professional care. A small leak can grow into a major problem if you don't take care of it quickly.

Make sure you know where your stop tap is and check it’s working every six months.
If you are going away, leave your heating on low.
It's important to make sure water pipes and water tanks in the loft are insulated with good quality lagging. This will not only protect from freezing but it will help insulate your hot water system and save you money.
Ensure pipes in other areas that may be vulnerable to the cold, are insulated and your boiler is serviced.
Have the name and telephone number of your local qualified plumber to hand. Keep it by the boiler or stop tap.
Get a neighbour to check inside your home occasionally, if you go away.

How to thaw out a frozen pipe or tap

It's best to thaw out pipes and taps slowly, with hot water bottles or towels soaked in hot water. Never use a naked flame or blowtorch to thaw the pipe – as direct heat may cause permanent damage to the pipes and could also lead to a fire in the home. Alternatively your pipes will eventually begin to thaw on their own once the temperatures rise above freezing. As they do so, you may begin to hear your pipes making gurgling, clanging, or banging sounds as the ice begins to move. Once thawed check for split or dripping pipes

Sometimes pipes freezing and thawing can cause them to burst. If this happens: Turn off the water supply coming into your property at the stop tap and switch off your boiler. Open all your taps to drain the system as quickly as possible, saving some water in a bucket for flushing toilets and hand washing and call a plumber.

Air source heat pumps

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 12:28:16 GMT

The way we heat our homes is changing

The BBC reported in August 2023 that in 12 years time you probably won't be able to buy a gas boiler, as we move away from fossil fuel power towards electricity based heating systems. The government is planning to ban the sales of gas boilers by 2035. The front runner in replacing boilers is the air source heat pump as they are very efficient, especially if your home is well insulated and has double glazing. The government plans to have 600,000 heat pumps installed every year by 2028, that said there is a shortage of plumbers and heating engineers to fulfil this need. The UK has 4000 trained heat pump installers whereas we need 33,000 to meet the target. Due to this Chris will be training in heat pump installation in 2024/5.

There is a grant available to pay for part of the heat pump and the installation costs - the Boiler Upgrade Scheme has been extended up to 2028 and is up to £5000. VAT on heat pumps has been cut to 0% until 2028.

Heat pumps operate quietly on the outside of your home and generally they last about 20 years compared to a gas boiler which last about 10 years. An air source heat pump, sometimes referred to as an air-to-water source heat pump, transfers heat from the outside air to water, which heats your rooms via radiators or underfloor heating. It can also heat water stored in a hot water cylinder for your hot taps, showers and baths. Heat from the air is absorbed into a fluid. This fluid then passes through a heat exchanger into the heat pump, which raises the temperature and then transfers that heat to water.

Air source heat pumps are 300-500% more efficient than a gas boiler, but as they use electricity they cost (based on prices summer 2023) four times more than a gas boiler to run. However according to the Climate Change Committee gas will be 50% more expensive by 2030 and electricity is predicted to become cheaper from it's current price of 30.11 p per kWh to 11-12 p per kWh in the future.

Is an air source heat pump right for me?

Air source heat pumps are suitable for many types of homes and are the most common type of domestic heat pump, with tens of thousands of installations across the UK. However, there are a few things you should consider before deciding whether a heat pump is right for you.

Do you have somewhere to put it?

You’ll need a place outside your home where a unit can be fitted to a wall or placed on the ground. It must have some space around it to allow a good flow of air.

There are two types of air source heat pumps: monobloc and split systems. A monobloc system has all the components in a single outdoor unit, with pipes carrying water to the central heating system and a hot water cylinder inside your home. A split system separates the components between indoor and outdoor units. Whether a monobloc or split system is right for you will depend on your budget and the space available.

Monobloc systems tend to be cheaper and quicker to install and don’t take up as much space in your home, although they are generally slightly less efficient than split systems. The efficiency gain from split systems comes from some of the heat transfer taking place inside the building where it is warmer, resulting in less heat being lost. If you’re not limited by space inside your home, it may be worth the extra cost of installing a split system. Your installer should be able to talk you through your options and help you choose the design that works best for you.

How loud is a heat pump?

The external unit for a heat pump is identical for both monobloc and split heat pumps. Noise is created by large fans moving air across the heat exchanger. Unless the heat pump is working very hard (eg in cold weather or producing high temperature water), you can expect the noise to be a similar volume to a fridge, if you were standing within a couple of metres. You could easily hold a normal conversation next to it, without raising your voice. As it gets colder outside, this noise will increase while it’s operating, but should still allow you to hold a conversation easily, only raising your voice a little. The inside unit for a split system only contains valves and pumps and makes very little noise at all.

How will you heat the rooms in your home?

Most homes in the UK use radiators or underfloor heating to circulate hot water. If you don’t currently have radiators or underfloor heating, you will have to decide whether you’d like to install them. This is a great opportunity to make sure the system is optimised for a heat pump, resulting in lower running costs.

Do you have a hot water cylinder?

A standard heat pump doesn’t provide hot water on demand like a combi boiler, so you will need a way of storing hot water for when you need it. The size of hot water cylinder required will depend on the amount of hot water that your household typically uses, but the cylinder can usually be fitted inside any cupboard that measures around 80x80cm.

We have had an air source heat pump at home since 2015 - the government grant then was a much more generous 100% of purchase and installation. It reduced our heating bill by half as we replaced an oil boiler and 25 year old radiators. By far the biggest bonus for us - as a family of four - was the much improved supply of hot water which meant that we no longer had to wait 2 hours between filling a bath! Air source heat pumps have improved since 2015, they have become even more efficient, smaller and can be used with smaller more efficient radiators.

Adapting your bathroom

Sat, 26 Aug 2023 11:29:04 GMT

What is an adapted bathroom?

Washing, bathing and using the toilet can become some of the most difficult aspects of continuing to live at home – especially if your sense of balance isn’t what it once was. Many people find it hard to ask for help with these private things – and it’s understandable if you want to keep doing them yourself for as long as possible. Here's some helpful advice from Age UK and Parkinson's UK.

"Fortunately, some small adjustments can make a big difference. Some of the equipment you could look into includes:

• a raised toilet seat or rails that could help you get on or off the toilet by yourself

• a bath board or seat to help you get in and out of the bath

• grab rails around the bath or shower

• a special safety plug that limits water level

• a flood detector that alerts a monitoring centre if the bath or sink starts to overflow

• long-handled sponges

• non-slip mats for safety, or foot-cleaning mats to save you bending

There are also some larger adaptations that may be suitable for you, such as:

• a bath with a side opening so you can get in and out without having to climb over the side

• a level-access shower or ‘wet room’

• a wall-mounted sink at the right height for you to use in a wheelchair or mobile shower seat

• a battery-powered bath lift with a seat or platform to support your weight

• a hands-free toilet with an automatic washing and drying function that works while you are still seated."

www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/housing-options/adapting-your-home-information-guide/

Here is more advice from Parkinson's UK

"Grab rails are helpful in bathrooms and toilets because they can help give you stability and confidence. It is also a good idea to apply a slip resistant material to the bottom and edges of the bath or shower, as well as to railings. Shower heads on a hose are useful as then you can get the water exactly where it’s needed.

Toilet grab rails

A grab rail can help you get on and off the toilet. It can also help with balance problems while standing and using the toilet.

There are different grab rails to choose from, including free-standing rails and hinged drop-down rails that fix to the wall behind the toilet.

Toilet grab rails are usually supplied by social services or social work department. The type of rail that is best for you will depend on whether a fixed rail will fit the area around your toilet, if it will be at the appropriate height and whether you will need to adjust the rail at all. Vertical handrails from floor to ceiling may be useful for getting in and out of the bath, or beside a toilet where lack of space means other rails won’t fit.

Converting a bath to a shower or wet room

Some people convert their baths to shower units or wet rooms. In some cases, it may be easier to convert a small bedroom or large storage area into a shower room instead of replacing a bath. If you find it hard to climb stairs, it may be an option to add a bathroom to the ground floor of your home.

Some people with Parkinson’s find that a shower with a suitable seat and grab rails makes washing much easier, especially if the shower floor is level with the bathroom floor.

Any major building work in the home can be expensive. It may be possible to get some funding to pay for your conversion, but it's important to talk to an occupational therapist about whether changing your bathroom is right for you. They can also advise you about financial support you may be able to apply for. You can also speak to your local council, social services or Parkinson’s local adviser about grants."

www.parkinsons.org.uk/information-and-support/equipment-personal-care

This information guide has been prepared by Age UK and Parkinson's UK and contains general advice only, it should not be relied on as a basis for any decision or action and cannot be used as a substitute for professional advice