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Posts Tagged ‘chemical<’
We had a call from a customer the other day, who was confused as to why a cleaner wouldn’t take some old acid containers away – especially after they loaded all the cardboard boxes they cleared from his garage. We thought it would be a good idea to explain the difference, and to generally set the record right.
- Generally speaking, cleaners tidy sweep and clean a home or office, pretty much the same way we might do ourselves, if we
 only had the time. In the course of this, they bag the contents of waste-paper baskets and rubbish bins, so you can leave these out on the next council collection day.
- If you want the service people to take the bags down to the council depot as well, then you need to ensure they include this as an option on their cleaning quote. That’s because this job will involve extra time and petrol, and they’re entitled to their compensation.
- Certain types of materials and chemicals are classified as toxic, as they could harm an operator at a landfill site who comes in contact with them. The government has established rules for their safe disposal. Councils have procedures in place to make this possible.
 Our client who called us actually needed to find a waste disposal expert to remove the acid containers, not a cleaner. They would be equipped with specialist protection to avoid contamination themselves. It’s vitally important to understand the distinction, and not to pressurise a regular cleaner to take risks.
Mr-Skill has both kinds of service people on their books. Our customers have rated almost all of them down the years too.
Should you require the services of a top-rate London cleaner, or assistance with cleaning or waste disposal almost anywhere else in Britain, why not log onto our website and log your request right now? Our operators are on standby, and waiting for your call.
Tags: acid, bag, chemical, clean, cleaning quote, container, contaminate, contamination, council, depot, disposal, empty, find a waste disposal expert, garage, garbage, harm, hurt, landfill, london cleaner, material, protection, rubbish, specialist, sweep, tidy, toxic, waste
Posted in Cleaning Services, Disposals & Waste Removal | Comments Off
Preparing the exterior walls of a house or bungalow for painting is an onerous task that few private homeowners attempt. Does that sound too much for you too? No worries. We can help you Find a Painter who’s been rated by other customers already.
When he or she arrives they complete the preparation of the outside as summarised below. That’s assuming they don’t find anything exceptional, that they did not anticipate when preparing their Detailed Painting Quote. If they do, they’ll negotiate in good faith.
 Cast an eye over the structure to make sure there are no cracks that might admit water and cause damp. They’re likely to report any structural concerns they may detect too, although that’s not the job you’re paying them for.
Clear out and close-up any gaps with rendering. They’ll work elsewhere on the building for the next few days while the fresh plaster dries.
Remove all flaking or damaged paint using a combination of hand-scrapers, sanders, power washing and chemicals. Attend to any mould or fungus.
Discuss the best paints to use and the colours that you like and are practical too. When that’s done they can begin apply the paint.
I was chatting to my old friend a retired London Decorator who has a thought on anything and everything. I just can’t understand, he said, why so many folk try to paint outside in winter, when it makes so much more sense to do the inside then.
Mr-Skill provides a FREE service to UK customers requiring the services of a Painter / Decorator, or for that matter any other Skilled Person. They pay to list with us after we have checked them out. That’s the only money that ever changes hands as far as we are concerned. We make not a penny more from it, no kidding, so all this is FREE to you with our compliments. Isn’t it nice to know that you can still get good service like this today?
Tags: bungalow, chemical, clear, close, colour, cracks, damaged, damp, decorate, decorator, exterior, find a painter, flaking, fungus, house, london decorator, mould, paint, painter, painting quote, plaster, prepare, redecorate, remove, render, sander, seal, structure, wall, wash, water
Posted in Painting & Decorating | Comments Off
Posted in Bricklaying on Nov 10
United Kingdom soil is always damp provided you dig down deep enough, and when it gets saturated, capillary action causes moisture to rise up to the surface.  If that happens and you rest a cardboard box upon the ground, the water dampens the cardboard too. Similarly, moisture naturally rises up through porous brick walls, and that’s what we call rising damp.
A damp course is a physical damp-proof barrier above the ground on which the walls of a building rest. It may also be a vertical barrier to prevent rainwater intrusion from outside, although this is less common. The earliest horizontal barriers were inserted using slate which being dense is impervious to water. These days cheaper plastic strips are more common.
If you are planning to Find a Builder outside of Mr-Skill we recommend that you carefully research the details of what they propose by way of damp courses. Should you source a tradesman through us though, there is no need to worry. That’s because all our craftsmen follow the practices of the best London Bricklayer Firms.
 A horizontal damp course should be laid between two brick courses at least six inches above the ground at the highest point, and it should never be covered afterwards by soil because this can counteract it. Should the brick course subsequently fail, then there is little point in getting Bricklaying Quotes. The only workable solution is to arrange expensive chemical injections.
This is why we always recommend employing qualified, Rated Bricklayers such as we provide at Mr-Skill. The pleasures of saving a few pounds on a bricklaying job through employing glorified handymen is easily forgotten, after you receive an expensive chemical injection repair bill.
Tags: barrier, brick, bricklaying quotes, capillary, chemical, course, damp, damp course, dig, earth, find a bricklayer, ground, horizontal, injection, intrusion, london bricklayer, moisture, plastic, rain, rise, rising damp, slate, soil, surface, vertical, water
Posted in Bricklaying | Comments Off
We’re all becoming a bit more green-minded these days, as energy prices soar and global warming starts to take effect. The devices that we use to heat our water are especially important, because the heat-exchange process is so energy-intensive. I’ve even heard of increasing sales in shops of de-scaling kits for electric kettles.  But how many of us spare a thought for our closed-circuit hot water systems, or consider getting Plumbing Quotes on Mr-Skill to descale them.
The root cause of the problem lies in the impurities in the water that we heat, and the damage caused by chemical contamination in different regions. In all cases there is a gradual build-up of harmful scale, as the by-products of calcium carbonate and black iron oxide begin to take effect.
The twin results of these two types of contamination are lowered thermal efficiency, and rust that corrodes the pressure tank until the system is no longer safe. This comes down to unnecessary expenditure of two kinds – higher electricity bills and eventually expensive hot water system replacements.
The same contaminated water finds its way through pipes to taps and sinks. As it does so, it gradually blocks the pipes the same way as cholesterol does to our arteries. Its final act of vengeance is when it  causes irreversible stains to expensive bathroom tiles and showers. By then of course the damage is largely done.
If you hear kettling noises in the roof space, spot scale build-up or find it necessary to turn up the boiler thermostat, then it’s definitely time to Find a London Plumbing Expert or someone nearer to advise. There are many techniques these days to repel the effects of scale, and the savings can be quite significant.
You can Find a Plumber on Mr-Skill that we’ve rated personally, and when they quote they’ll know that they’re being compared too. They’ll also know that in the unlikely case of problems you’ll be talking directly to us about them. Who said you can’t find quality anymore these days.
Tags: calcium, chemical, contamination, corrosion, cost, damage, descale, electricity, exchange, find a london plumbing expert, find a plumber, global warming, green, hot, impurity, oxide, pipe, plumbing quotes, rust, scale, shower, sink, tap, thermal, thermostat, tile, water
Posted in Plumbing, Heating & Gas | Comments Off
We are all becoming a bit more conscious about the state of our planet these days, aren’t we? A related theme is the quality of the food we eat, after farmers have finished bombarding it with chemicals to increase the yield per acre. Commercial honey is a case in point. If the jar does not say organic, then what in heaven’s name is waiting  for us beneath the cap?
Because bees are a loyal gardener’s friend that pollinates the next season’s flowers for us, attracting them to our gardens makes a great deal of sense. Who knows, perhaps we shall be making our own honey soon, and I personally think that that would be a really great idea. Perhaps next time we Find a Gardener we should be checking out their green profile too.
Bees are active between March and late October every year and the trick is to sow seeds accordingly. Bees like striking colours, fancy petal shapes, enticing scents and sweet nectars which are great for gardeners who love variety too. Bees also look out for movement and prefer to land in open spaces, meaning that single flowers on supple stems are just perfect for them. Perhaps this is why so many of our native flower species are made just like that.
 The borages are the most effective way to attract bees to the garden, with comfrey coming up a close second best. All varieties of fabaceae are good too, including clover and other species of pea. Next time you are looking for a Gardening Quote, remember to consider the seedlings they will be planting out for you.
But please, when your little friends arrive to share your flowering garden with you, remember that pesticides also kill bees too. In fact, why use pesticides at all when so many useful plants have been found that do the same job just as well. A firm of London Gardeners I visit often, have a sign above the door that says this so perfectly. A garden is a place where birds and bees come home to share with us – the gardener is just the custodian. Now that’s something for every gardener to think about.
Tags: attract, bee, bird, borage, chemical, clover, colour, comfrey, custodian, fabaceae, find a gardener, flower, food, friend, gardening quotes, honey, kill, london gardeners, loyal, march, nectar, october, organic, pea, pesticide, petal, planet, pollinate, quality, scent, season, seed, shape, share, sow, specie, state, yield
Posted in Gardening & Landscaping | Comments Off
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery on Jul 03
All of us start off in life with the simplest of workshops, especially when we move away from parents to our first own homes, and need to make a quick adjustment.  If we are lucky enough we have a garage to store our tools. Otherwise we have to keep the few tools we have in bedroom cupboards, use the kitchen table as a workbench, and generally risk criticism from you-know-who. If you have passed this point in time and are ready to upgrade, here are a few tips to get you salivating.
I agree with you that it sounds like Taking Coals to Newcastle to Find a Carpenter to help you set things up. On the other hand, if you are busy and lack the heavy tools you need to do the job, this could just make a great deal of sense. Mr-Skill makes it really easy to get a couple of Carpentry Quotes, and you don’t have to accept any if they turn out over budget.
You need to have a proper plan before you start. By this I mean of scheme of things where you have sufficient working and storage space that’s properly separated for safety. If you are planning to afford a lathe next Spring, by all means plan it in. Who knows, you may influence somebody’s Christmas Gift list.
This time you really should do something about decent extraction. Modern power tools create a deal of dust and most of this is bad for us because of the chemicals present. I know a Carpenter in London who  specializes in creating home workshops for the rich and famous. He refuses any job, no matter how grand it may seem to be, if extraction is not part of the basic plan.
Lighting and electricity are an essential part of any workshop, and here there should be no skimping for safety’s sake. You need comprehensive lighting without shadows, and a ring of counter-top-height plug sockets all the way around the room. Do remember to ask Mr-Skill to send an Electrician around to do this bit for you. Some power tools are still are not properly earthed back to ground.
Keeping the floor clean is another thing to think about. A screed over an under-floor heating grid is the best dream that I could think of, and if you bolt everything to the walls there’s even a chance that the floor could get swept from time to time. Besides, how else will you ever find the springs and screws that mysteriously go to ground?
Tags: adjust, bedroom, bolt, budget, carpenter london, carpenter quote, chemical, clean, cupboard, dust, electric, extraction, find, find a carpenter, floor, garage, heat, help, home, kitchen, light, plan, scheme, screed, separate, shadow, simple, socket, storage, store, sweep, table, tip, tool, upgrade, wall, work, workshop
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery | Comments Off
Some say that uPVC Windows are the greatest thing since sliced bread, and I for one do not miss the annual chore of sanding down and sealing wooden window frames. While some suppliers may claim that their uPVC windows are maintenance free, I still believe they need a hand kept to them.
That does not mean that you need to rush off and Find a Window Fitter, provided you perform these simple tasks from time to time.
o Glass – Wash when necessary by hand with a mild detergent solution or proprietary glass cleaner. Remove hand jewellery first and use a soft cloth to avoid scratching. Rub repeatedly to loosen stubborn dirt, and never be tempted to use a scraper.
o Gaskets and Seals – Clean with a mild non-abrasive detergent every three months. Make sure they are correctly located. If damaged, or otherwise in need to replacement Get a Window Fitter Quote to do what is a specialised job.
o Frames – Wash by hand with a mild detergent solution quarterly. Never use abrasives, scrapers or chemicals either. While doing so, make sure that the external drainage slots are clear.
o Moving Parts – Inspect and clean all hinges and locks once a year and lubricate these with light oil. Remove all traces of oil from the glass and uPVC frames immediately.
Specialists in Window Fitting London increase the frequency of inspections because of the grease and grime born by the air pollution. This applies equally to other large cities as well. Look after your uPVC windows as circumstances require, and you should not need to replace them ever. This is just as well, because uPVC windows are expensive to replace.
Tags: chemical, clean, cleaner, damage, detergent, dirt, door fitter quote(s), door fitter(s) london, door fitting london, door fitting quote(s), drain.moving, find a door fitter, find a window fitter, frame, glass, grease, grime, hinge, lock, lubricate, maintain, oil, pollution, replace, rub gasket, seal, service, uPVC, wash, window, window fitter london, window fitter quote quote(s), window fitting london, window fitting quote(s)
Posted in Uncategorized, Window & Door Fitting | Comments Off
Posted in Cleaning Services on Mar 09
Wood is a beautifully natural medium that can last forever if correctly cared for. Because it is natural though, it starts to decay as soon as a tree is cut down, which means it must be looked after all its life. If you have especially valuable  antique wooden furniture you should consider getting Housekeeper Quotes from those specialised in the field.
The first step to caring for wood it is to determine which finish was applied to it
Expert Tip: Test in a less obvious place first.
Step 1: Rub a few drops of boiled linseed oil into the wood. Is the oil absorbed? Is yes, the wood either has an oiled finish, or it is natural wood – if neither, read on.
Step 2: Rub a little acetone over a spot in a gently circular motion. Is the acetone repelled? Then the finish is polyurethane. Is the acetone dissolved? Then the wood is lacquered – if neither, read on.
Step 3: Try a few drops of denatured alcohol. If the finish dissolves quickly it is shellac. Does it react slowly instead? Then the wood has been varnished.
 Generally speaking, wood that has been oiled will benefit from a monthly application of a little good furniture oil to prevent it from drying out or cracking. Check to make sure that the oil will not make the wood go darker first. With this exception, you can keep all your furniture in tip-top condition with a general-purpose surface cleaner once a month, and a dusting once a week between.
Never expose wooden furniture to harsh chemicals or bright sunlight. Do not allow moisture to lie on any piece of wood for long, or else it may stain it permanently. This includes plastic or rubber objects that can generate their own humidity because they do not breathe.
If your wood furniture becomes water stained, a rated Cleaner in London may be able to provide some expert advice. Our advice is not to take chances with things you do not understand – rather Find a Housekeeper on Mr-Skill.
Tags: acetone, alcohol, antique, care, chemical, clean, cleaner london, cleaner quote, dust, find a cleaner, find a housekeeper, furniture, housekeeper london, housekeeping quotes, lacquer, linseed, natural, oil, polyurethane, rub, shellac, stain, sun, sunlight, surface clean, test, tree, varnish, water, wood
Posted in Cleaning Services | Comments Off
 It can be quite tempting to decide to strip away old paint instead of attempting to recover a painted surface. There can be considerably more to the process than meets the eye though – it can be time-consuming, laborious and quite dangerous too. While Mr-Skill provides the following information in good faith we cannot guarantee it under all eventualities. In fact we really do think that you should consider getting a Decorator Quote instead.
o Conduct Research. How old might the paint job be? This can provide a useful clue to the materials used and the right stripping procedure to follow. Depending on the application you could burn the paint off, or use a chemical stripper. In the former case be aware of fire hazards, in the latter beware of chemical burns. It is also possible to remove paint manually using a paint scraper – this is the hardest but perhaps the safest way.
 o Wear Protective Clothing. We cannot over-emphasize this point. If burning paint away wear safety goggles, a safety mask and heat resistant long-sleeved gloves. If using chemicals substitute more appropriate gloves and wear overalls to protect your clothes and skin. For manual stripping you just need a pair of good strong gloves and loads of patience.
When I was a supervisor doing Painting Jobs in London we refused to do a burn-off job without a liability waiver and a fire extinguisher handy, and never used a chemical stripper where ventilation was inadequate. My motto is why take a chance just to save some money – Find a Decorator who is competent instead.
There are many rated ones on Mr-Skill that you could trust to do the job for you and save you hassles.
Tags: bore, burn, chemical, chemical stripper, clothing, decorating job london, decorating quote, decorator london, decorator quote, find a decorator, find a painter, glove, goggle, laborious, mark, material, paint, painter london, painter quote, painting job london, painting quote, recover, scraper, strip, surface, time consuming
Posted in Painting & Decorating | Comments Off
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