We are once again approaching ‘that time of year’, when many of us will be making more extensive use of our property’s plumbing and heating systems – but also, as a consequence, needing to be particularly vigilant against anything that could go wrong with them.
Our Chertsey, Leatherhead and Barnes plumbers here at PGS Plumbers are renowned for their ability to respond quickly to local homeowners on an emergency callout basis. However, we’re sure you would ideally prefer being able to prevent such emergencies from arising in the first case.
So, how can you be proactive in warding off potential issues with your property’s heating and plumbing systems, so that you hopefully won’t have to call a professional this winter?
Preventing radiators from leaking
It is important to be alert to the signs of a leaking radiator, such as water pooling around the radiator, and hissing, gurgling or knocking sounds being heard when the radiators are in use. If you leave a leaking radiator unaddressed, serious damage could be caused to furniture and furnishings.
There are various things that can cause a radiator to leak, such as rust or corrosion to the system, poorly sealed valves, and/or pipework damage.
The good news is that you can easily help prevent radiator leakages from occurring at all by regularly checking valves, bleeding your radiators every few months, and being careful not to bump or knock into your radiators.
What about if any of my radiators cease working altogether?
This is, unfortunately, also a particular possibility during the winter. However, it isn’t the winter in and of itself that typically causes radiator failure – it is factors like the radiator being old, or having been accidentally damaged, that present a heightened risk of this happening.
One simple way to minimise the risk of radiator failure, then, is to only move your radiators when it is absolutely necessary to do so. And on those occasions when you do move them, you should take particular care. Ensuring your radiators are compatible with your boiler will further help drive down the risk of a radiator breakdown.
Thermostatic radiator valves can also develop faults
If you find that your home’s radiators are struggling to change temperature correctly, or there isn’t any resistance when you turn the thermostatic radiator valve, you can probably blame a problem with the TRV itself for this. You may discover that a TRV in your property is stuck in an on or off position, which can easily arise if the TRV has been installed on the wrong side, or if it has been left in position for a long period.
Thankfully, simply ensuring your boiler is compatible with TRVs, and checking your TRV positioning and adjusting it from time to time, can go a long way to preventing TRV faults from arising.
Naturally, even if you make all the ‘right’ moves to protect your heating and plumbing systems over the colder and rainier months, there is always a chance of something going wrong that requires a professional’s intervention.
That’s why our Woking, Purley and Barnes plumbers are always happy to provide free advice and a fast quote for any specialisedwork you may need us to undertake at your property.