Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Do you charge for estimates?

A. No. All estimates are FREE of charge and are valid for 30 days.

Q. Do you offer a supply and fit or fit only service?

A. Either! It's entirely up to the customer. With the vast range of products available we appreciate that some customers prefer to source their own products. Others prefer us to supply and fit, which reduces the risk of incorrect or missing items and faulty components etc.

Q. What are Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRV)?

A. Thermostatic valves control the temperature of an individual room or area. They are fitted to your radiators (one per radiator) and have an internal thermostat to enable temperature control to the individual rooms around your home. They can also help reduce your fuel bills by automatically adjusting the valve once the room has reached the required temperature.

Q. Why is my radiator cold at the top and hot at the bottom?

A. This usually means there is air trapped in the top of your radiator. You may want to try to bleed the radiator to release the air. If this does not help we suggest that you have your central heating checked over by an expert in case there are any underlying system problems.

Q. Why is my radiator hotter at the top than at the bottom?

A. Assuming the radiator has reached operating temperature, this usually means there is a build up of sludge at the bottom of your radiator. In this situation the heating system will be operating inefficiently and should be attended to, sooner rather than later. GASWORKS Plumbing & Heating would advise that the heating system is checked over in case there are underlying system problems. Our explanation on Power Flushing may help explain the problem.

Q. Why are some of my radiators hotter than others?

A. This usually means that your central heating system is incorrectly balanced. This results in the hot water not flowing evenly to each radiator. We suggest that you have an expert check your central heating system.

Q. How long between accepting a quotation and the job starting?

A. This varies depending on our current bookings, the size of the job and whether we need to order any special items. We will always try and fit in with the customers requirements.

Q. Do I need to take time off work while the work is being carried out?

A. No, all we need is access to your property and a contact number.

Q. How do you charge?

A. We either work to a fixed price or to our hourly rates. We always try and quote a fixed price for the complete job, but where this is not possible we work on a time and materials basis. This generally applies to investigative work or jobs where there is limited access until the job has started.

Q. Why do I have a noisy plumbing system?

A. Noise in your plumbing system can be caused by various reasons, but is quite often attributed to the velocity of the water running through the pipes. By reducing the velocity you can reduce the noise. It could be that the system has been designed with undersized pipes or that there are faulty components (stop valves, ball valves, etc) which should be replaced or adjusted as necessary.

Q. What is a Powerflush?

A. Power flushing is the process by which heating systems are forcibly cleansed using water at high velocity, but low pressure, so that no physical damage is caused to the system. The process can be made even more effective with the addition of powerful cleansing and mobilising agents to breakdown the sludge and remove limescale build up. A clean and protected system improves the boiler efficiency, helps the pump and divert valves to last much longer and reduces corrosion. Click here for a more detailed explanation.

Q. Are Immersion Heaters safe?

A. Following the recent media exposure regarding immersion heaters, we would recommend that all immersion heaters are controlled by a thermostat with a built in over temperature cut out device to ensure the water does not boil. A recent article (Jan 2008) published by WRAS explains the dangers. Click here for more details. In response to this new safety recommendation, GASWORKS Plumbing & Heating are offering to carry out this upgrade for a flat fee of £75 +VAT (including parts and labour). Please call for further details.

Q. Ceramic Disc Taps v Spindle Taps

A. Ceramic disc and spindle refer to the way the internal mechanism of the tap operates: Ceramic disc technology is commonly used on more expensive taps, as they perform better and last longer. When the handle is turned, two ceramic discs are parted opening the valve and allowing the water to flow. The traditional spindle design is commonly used on lower quality, cheaper tap designs. The tap has a spindle through the centre, with the valve seat connected via a screw thread. A standard tap washer (either ½" or ¾") is fixed to the end of the valve seat. As the handle is turned the spindle rotates and the screw thread moves the valve seat up and down to regulate the flow of water.

Q. Do I have a Low Pressure System?

A. If you have a cold water storage cistern in the loft and a hot water cylinder in an airing cupboard, then you have a typical gravity fed system. Your water pressure is determined by the height of your cold water storage cistern in relation to the appliance outlet. For example, a weak shower could be due to low water pressure, but in an ideal world this could be solved by raising the height of the storage cistern. However, this isn't always possible and pumps can be used to boost the pressure.

Q. What is an Unvented or Megaflo System?

A. An Unvented System is where hot water is stored at mains pressure and therefore hot water flow rates are much better than traditional open vented systems. Megaflo is a market leading name for unvented cylinders. For more information see Unvented Hot Water Systems.