The Daily Telegraph is reporting a number of water companies are being accused by plumbers’ groups of turning down the mains pressure and thereby threatening boilers and power showers.

The newspaper reminds its readers that Ofwat, the water industry regulator, has already fined a number of water companies, notably Severn Trent and Southern Water, for giving false information, not reducing bills and telling porkies about leaks.

And it quotes two major plumbing firms which say that complaints about water pressure are on the increase, about five times what they were three years ago.

The plumbers feel frustrated because low mains water pressure means a boiler will not fire up properly and the consumer calls out a plumber to investigate. By the time they arrive, the pressure has reverted back to its normal levels, but the customer still has to pay the call-out charge, causing ill-feeling all around.

And the plumbers are saying customers feel that Ofwat, hard on the water companies in many areas, are not taking the problem seriously enough.

It’s pointed out if a customer sees their water supply drop below a certain level for more than an hour on two occasions in a month, they can claim £25 in compensation. But to prove their case, a customer is required to time how long it takes to fill a gallon of water into a bucket.

How many consumers will be bothered to conduct such tests, plus all the necessary paperwork, for a £25 refund remains to be seen, but a number of water companies asked for their opinion seemed to downplay the issues involved.

One replied that water pressure changes were designed not to help the water companies themselves, but the consumer. They point out that a too high water pressure causes many more problems, mainly leaking joints and pipes. And if they have to reduce water pressure on certain grids, then they let customers know when it’s to happen.

Another water company said they had reduced leakage by a quarter in the last four years and one way they did this was to ‘stabilise’ water pressure. Whether the word stabilise means decrease wasn’t clear, but with complaints rising all the time, it will remain a problem for plumbers and their customers for some time.

An Ofwat official was quoted as saying:
“Companies work hard to maintain pressure within an optimal range so that it is neither too high nor too low.”

Guest Article by Neil Camp

Picture yourself sitting in your home in the middle of winter. You are enjoying the comfort and warmth of your heating system and suddenly the boiler goes on the blink. You are then left to make do with blankets and the old fan heater that’s been lying down in the basement for months. Even if you’re a bit of a DIY enthusiast, there will at least be an uncomfortable and uncertain period whilst you get the faulty appliance back up and running again. For the rest of us, boiler problems can cause huge inconvenience and discomfort, not to mention the worry and expense of getting someone trustworthy in to fix it.

That’s why so many people take proactive measures to make sure their gas boiler is kept healthy and serviced regularly by professionals.

Maintenance work should always be done on your boiler at least once a year, preferably well before winter starts, to minimise the risk of boiler breakdowns and the need for emergency boiler repairs. That way you can have everything properly checked out and replace whatever is needed well before the cold weather arrives. Some boiler manufacturers recommend that you run your gas boiler at least once a month, even during summer, just to keep it working smoothly and allowing you to detect any problems well in advance.

There are a few simple things you could regularly check on your heating system to aid maintenance and it won’t need a technician to help you out. You should check the outlets, or flues as they are called, for any blockages. It is important to make sure there is no congestion or build up of exhaust gases. Also try to make sure your gas boiler is kept clean and tidy as even dust can become a problem and it should never be covered with anything.

If you are confident at DIY, there are often telephone information lines that you can call to get help. Some manufacturers even have web-based support sections that provide interactive help and they will guide you through the entire service or repair process. Once you have diagnosed what the problem is, you can locate your local ‘heating and ventilation hardware’ store to get whatever parts or spares you might need. Either way, you do need to take care to get the job done properly as gas can be extremely dangerous and if something goes wrong there can be very serious consequences indeed.

Whatever your circumstances, prevention is always better than cure and a professionally maintained boiler will give years and years of reliable service. Apart from the peace of mind and security of knowing that you won’t be left without heating and hot water, your safety and the safety of those living with you will be assured. You can find lots of useful problem-solving tips and advice on boiler safety, as well as information and reviews on boiler servicing contracts, throughout this site.

Look after your boiler now and you can look forward to warm and trouble-free winters for years to come.

Guest Article by Max Rickman