“STEVE SAYS” Top tips from Steve Spooner, Property Services Team Manager, to help prevent problems in your home. You might even save some money on your energy bills!
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Be careful what you put down the kitchen sink - avoid putting fat down the sink wherever possible. If the fat can be solidified (e.g. butter) let it cool and dispose of it in the bin. If you need to dispose of liquid fat, run the hot tap for approximately three minutes before disposing.
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If you find water not coming out of your taps, don’t walk away leaving them open. Always turn them off in case the water comes back on when you’re out of the property. This will help prevent the risk of flooding.
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Use hair guards on hand basins and sinks. This will prevent hair and foodstuffs from blocking sinks. They can be bought for £2-£3 from most hardware shops.
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If you haven’t already done so, switch to LED energy saving bulbs. These bulbs last longer than traditional filament bulb and also require less energy – resulting in reduced energy bills.
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Once a week, boil a full kettle of water and pour down the sink, followed by approximately a third of a bottle of standard bleach. Finish by pouring another kettle of hot water in the sink. The process can be repeated for bathroom sink and bath. The hot water softens the ‘crust’, the bleach attacks & loosens it, and the final rinse washes the debris away. There are some more environmentally friendly alternatives to using bleach in your home, these include vinegar, lemons and tea tree oil. More information here: https://bit.ly/2Nt6Yh3 Out of hours hotline should be used for emergencies only What is an emergency repair? An emergency repair is any fault which threatens harm to persons or property. Only genuine emergencies will be dealt with out of hours. If an emergency call-out is not a genuine emergency, the costs incurred can be charged to you. If the contractor can not gain access to a property the resident can be charged for no-access. When an emergency repair is reported we aim to have a contractor at your property within 24 hours (with some repairs being made safe within 4 hours).
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