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Posts Tagged ‘sink<’
Posted in Electrical Work on Apr 02
Children and teenagers are tomorrow’s people. It is with their safety in mind that we present some straightforward safety tips in your bathroom and kitchen.
Caution: If you have any faulty electrical equipment or appliances, rather find an electrician to check for problems. Fiddling with gadgets ourselves is all fine and dandy, but just think about the consequences of getting it wrong. Electricians take several years to qualify, and there’s a good reason for this – they have to learn a lot, and then put their knowledge into practice throughout their working lives.
Child Safety
Be sure to dry your children thoroughly after bathing or showering, and before they approach anything electrical in the house. Water and electricity are a lethal combination. Teach your kids to keep drinks far away from any electrical appliances. It’s also a good habit to teach your youngsters to switch off appliances at the wall socket, whenever they are not in use.
Keep electrical appliance cords out of the reach of your children too, particularly for hot gadgets such as kettles, irons and hair dryers. And, never keep a charger plugged in without connecting to the actual appliance – kids love to explore and may regard a dangling cable as a tasty item to put in their mouths!
Kitchen Safety 
One recipe never to be followed is water and electricity…this combination will prove stunning, and may even turn out fatal. When you plan your new kitchen, ensure that sockets and switches are located a safe distance from water sources such as the sink. If you are thinking of a quote for electrical work, make sure the drawings include safe distances between water outlets and plugs or switches.
One of our London Electricians suggests you make sure your heavy-duty appliances such as washing machines or dishwashers connect through a fusible-link switch. This should be above the worktop surface, so that you can switch on or off quickly in emergencies.
Some Definite No-Goes
- Never use any electrical equipment or switch with wet hands.
- Don’t wrap power cables around an iron or a kettle while still warm or hot
- Always unplug an appliance from the wall socket when cleaning it.
- Unplug irons and kettles when filling them with water.
- If bread sticks in your toaster, don’t stick metal objects inside the toasting compartment to dislodge the bread. Switch off all kitchen appliances when not in use.
Tags: appliance, bathroom, children, cord, dishwahers, electrical safety, electricity, equipment, find an electrician, hot, kettle, kitchen, lethal, london electricians, power cable, quote for electrical work, safety, sink, switch, washing machines, water, wet
Posted in Electrical Work | Comments Off
The kitchen truly is at the heart of every home, and if you think about it the sink tap is at its core. First thing in the morning we use it to fill the kettle. Last thing at night we rinse the dirty dishes. Cook uses it at least a dozen times a day. The family gathers around it to do the washing up.
 There are some really handsome kitchen taps around these days. Why not Find a Plumber and spoil yourself with a new one. If you are thinking of doing it yourself, then here’s what’s involved.
1. Isolate the hot and cold water supply, making sure the flow stops completely. Position a bucket beneath the tap under the sink.
2. Loosen off the nut that holds the tap in place. London Plumbers always travel with a basin wrench – if the nut is hard to get at, you’ll know why.
3. Disconnect the flexible water lines connecting the tap to the water supply at the lower end. Be careful not to strain the piping. As you remove the couplings a little water will flow out. Make sure the bucket is in place before you do!
4. Remove the old tap complete with the flexible pipes attached. Clean the sink surface thoroughly where the old tap rested. Take your time to do this properly. Apply a  generous bead of plumbers putty around the hole in the surface of the sink, and gently bed the rubber gasket into it.
5. Insert the new tap assembly through the hole including the flexible water lines. Locate the fixing nut, position the tap, and tighten the nut firmly. Attach the pipes to the water supply remembering to be generous with plumber’s tape.
6. Re-tighten the nut that secures the tap as it will have bedded down. Remove the surplus putty that squeezed out and clean the sink top thoroughly. Turn on the water and test the tap. No leaks? You’ve earned a cup of tea and a biscuit too!
Sound’s easy, doesn’t it? But there are various things that could go wrong, resulting in water leaks that could ruin expensive kitchen cabinetry. Why not get a Plumber’s Quote on Mr-Skill instead? You’ll save pounds off normal rates, and could still enjoy that cup of tea and biscuit.
Tags: attach, basin, bucket, change, clean, cold, flexibly, flow, gasket, heart, home, hot, insert, isolate, kitchen, leak, line, loose, nit, pipe, putty, rubber, save pounds, sink, supply, surplus, tap, tape, test, tight, water, wrench
Posted in Plumbing, Heating & Gas | 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
Posted in Kitchen Fitting on Mar 22
As we get more gadgets in the kitchen, worktop space just seems to drift away. Eventually we get to the point when we feel like getting Kitchen Fitting Quotes to rip everything out and  start again. However, is this really necessary? Perhaps we ought to learn to work smarter instead, and save some money. Here are a few of the better tips that I acquired through the years:
o Buy a cutting board that fits over the sink, instead of taking space on a countertop. An added advantage is ease of cleaning up afterwards.
o If you have the luxury of space, then why not add a central preparation island. This provides extra working space, and there is room for storage space below for pots and pans.
o Perhaps you could extend a kitchen counter top in the length. Think laterally – this could also be a fold-down shelf that tucks away neatly when not required.
o Have a friend comment on how you use your under-counter storage space. We all keep things we never use in kitchen drawers. Be strong – DECLUTTER.
o  Every Kitchen Fitting London Job includes fitting door racks. You can store all kings of things this way. Kitchen towel, jars, bottles, spices – the list is almost endless.
o Fit a pot and pan rack above the stove. You could clear an entire cabinet like this, and no longer have to stoop down to find them either.
o Look for space to fit slide-out mobile storage units in gaps between appliances and cabinets.
o Use hanging baskets to store fruit and vegetables. They stay fresher longer, look great and you also know when you need to buy more.
This works for you. That’s great. No good? Ah well, then perhaps it is time to Find a Kitchen Fitter on Mr-Skill, after all. At least you tried.
Tags: counter, cutting board, door rack, drawer, find a kitchen fitter, gadget, hanging basket, island, kitchen, kitchen fitter london, kitchen fitter quote, kitchen fitting london, kitchen fitting quotes, mobile, pan, pot, room, sink, space, storage, store, top, under counter, unit, work smart
Posted in Kitchen Fitting | Comments Off
Posted in General Building on Mar 14
 Are planning an uptick on your bathroom for 2011 – if so then you ought to bear in mind the following trends recently announced by the National Kitchen and Bath Association.
 o Quartz countertops are still in vogue and continuing to take expensive homes by storm across the globe. It seems that while granite is not yet quite passé, more lively quartz is catching up. And the reason – a far better range of colours and effects from which to choose. Bear this in mind when finalising a Bathroom Fitting Quote.
o The trend is firmly away from countertop sinks back to undermounts, most likely for entirely practical reasons and common sense. Satin-effect taps and other bathroom fittings are continuing to dominate the markets because of their soft-effect that matches modern bathroom luminescence.
o My lady friend who is influential among other Bath Fitting London Experts was almost lyrical when she discussed the move towards green colours generally. Although whites, off-whites and beige’s are still the most popular, almost 25% of orders she received so far this year are for shades of green.
So now you know the latest trends according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association you can go ahead and Find a Bathroom Fitter on Mr-Skill. I’m thinking of redoing my bathroom too – satin taps and shades of green sound virtually yummy.
Tags: bath fitter london, bath fitter quote, bath fitting london, bath fitting quote, bathroom, bathroom fitter london, bathroom fitter quote, bathroom fitting london, bathroom fitting quote, colour, countertop, find a bath fitter, find a bathroom fitter, fitting, granite, green, practical, quartz, satin, satin-effect, sink, tap, trend, undermount
Posted in General Building | Comments Off
The last thing you really want in life is to have your kitchen sink drain burst just as you and your in-laws are washing up after Sunday lunch. Don’t wait until the inevitable happens – at the first sign of seepage get a Plumbing Quote from Mr-Skill. If you are handy here is how the job is done.
 o You will need the right drain replacement kit, a short piece of pvc pipe (to connect to the bottom of the drain trap), pvc glue, pipe cleaner, plumbers tape, an adjustable wrench of the right size, a medium-sized pipe wrench, a bucket, a connector sleeve (to attach the drain pipe to the existing pipe), a hacksaw, light grade sandpaper and lots of patience.
If you don’t have all this and don’t appreciate the thought of fitting yourself in under the kitchen sink either, don’t stress – Mr-Skill can help you Find a Plumber at no extra cost at all.
o Assemble the drain replacement kit according the instructions – remember to fit all the washers the right way round and apply plumbers tape where indicated. When done this should exactly match the existing part in terms of connection points etc. If not a perfect match abort the job and get the right part before proceeding further.
 o Put the bucket under the drain you wish to remove (it is full of dishwashing water) and cut through the pipe below the trap. Then you can unscrew the drain from where it attached to the underside of the sink and remove it, hopefully without messing dishwashing water everywhere.
o Smooth the cut edge of the pipe under the sink using the sandpaper and a twisting motion. Clean this up nicely afterwards, and the threaded bit under the sink too.
o Attach the assembled replacement drain to the underside of the sink remembering to use a generous amount of plumbers tape. Attach the connector sleeve to the stub of pipe with pvc glue and measure the gap between this and trap above. Cut a piece of pvc pipe to the right length, install this and you are ready to test your job when you are sure the glue is dry.
When I last had a Plumbing Job in London like this done they charged out two hours for labour. Friends tell me that sounds a little steep but then everything costs a bit more in the City, does it not.
Tags: assemble, attach, bucket, burst, cut, drain, drip, find a plumber, glue, leak, pipe, plumber london, plumber quote, plumber tape, plumbing job london, plumbing quote, PVC, replacement kit, sandpaper, saw, screw, seep, sink, sleeve, test, washer, wrench
Posted in Plumbing, Heating & Gas | 1 Comment »
Posted in Kitchen Fitting on Jan 28
 Installing kitchen worktops and sinks should be well within the capabilities of a skilled home craftsman with a straight and level eye and the right tools too. Bearing in mind the high costs of the cabinetry involved and the virtual impossibility of reversing an over-cut, you could also be wise to find a Kitchen Fitter with experience to do the job for you instead.
o When fitting a pair of kitchen counter tops the first thing to consider is the overall effect. It is better to fit the top across the far wall first (when viewed from the kitchen entrance), because that way the joint will be less obvious to the eye.
o After cutting and loose-fitting this top, measure for the other one, carefully allowing for the fact that wall corners are seldom square. When you are absolutely sure, mark up the top and cut it carefully to avoid chipping the laminate. Loose fit the complete set, and adjust where necessary. Remove and seal all raw edges (except the one that will be exposed) with a polyvinyl acrylic product.
 o Run a bead of silicone along the top of the cabinetry where the first counter top will be fitted, press it down firmly and immediately secure it with screws from the underside. Apply the joining strips with silicone on both sides, run silicone along the top of the remaining cabinetry, push the second counter top firmly into place and secure it with screws as well. Remove all excess silicone immediately.
o Place the kitchen sink upside down in position and mark the outline with a carpenter’s pencil or indelible fell-tipped pen. Double check with the manufacturer’s template and adjust your line as required. Mark out a second outline a centimetre inside the original one and cut this out carefully using an electric jigsaw. Remember to support the surplus piece before you start. When done, seal the cut edge with the same polyvinyl acrylic product.
 o After checking the sink fit and making any adjustments, install the taps and drains including traps. Fit the sealing ring around the edge of the sink-top. Run a bead of silicone along the top of the cut-out in the kitchen top and lower the sink carefully into position. Secure with the clips supplied. Finally, fit matching laminate to the exposed edges. Kitchen Fitters London and surrounding areas sometimes prefer to finish the job off with strips of wood instead.
As I mentioned, not an easy job especially accounting for the cost of kitchen counter tops. Do not attempt to do this job unaided unless you are confident of success. Rather play safe and get Kitchen Fitting Quotes courtesy of Mr-Skill for installing worktops and sinks instead. If not an expert, you could just be glad you took my advice.
Tags: adjust, adjustment, clips, cost, cut, drains, edge, exposed, find a kitchen fitter, jigsaw, join, joint, kitchen, kitchen fitter london, kitchen fitter quote, kitchen fitting london, kitchen fitting quotes, kitchen sink, laminate, level, loose fit, outline, polyvinyl acrylic, raw, screws, secure, securing clips, silicone, sink, straight eye, strip, taps, template, traps, wood, work top, worktop
Posted in Kitchen Fitting | Comments Off
Posted in Tiling & Flooring on Dec 29
Often we move into new or previously occupied homes because they are the closest to perfect that we can find within restrictions. At that time we are full of ideas of things that we need to change – like fixing those awful tiles in the family bathroom? Of course because we are creatures of habit we seldom do what we set out to do, with the net result that we often end up accepting second best.
 This New Year, why don’t you do something different by resolving to find a tiler on Mr-Skill to finally sort out that awful tiling job for you. These are the things you may need to discuss with them:
o Do you need a complete bathroom makeover, or just new tiles and tile fittings to spruce things up? The important thing to remember here is that it is seldom possible to replace baths, sinks and toilets without damaging tiles, making it sensible (if you can afford it) to do a complete job at the time.
o What size tiles do you need? Large tiles may make a room look more spacious, smaller tiles make it look friendlier and cosier too. Rectangular tiles with the longer side set horizontally make a space look wider, turn them around and the room is suddenly taller instead.
 o Colours are important because they set the ambience for a room. Blues and greens seem cooler on a hot summer day, but are cold and unfriendly on a winter morning. For this reason, many homeowners prefer to go for neutral, lighter colours and then accent these with seasonally adjusted colourful towels.
o Is a trim line necessary? While these may look good in a shopping centre or grand hotel bathroom, they can easily double the cost of tiles and end up as an over-statement. For this reason Advanced Tilers London often recommend a simple under-stated line instead, just to divide the vertical space and make it homely.
Are you feeling inspired now? Are you in a mood to fix that awful tiling job you inherited? Before the moment passes, why not get tiler quotes on Mr-Skill and start your New Year off on the right foot too.
Tags: ambience, bath, bathroom, change tiles, cold, color, colour, find a tiler, fittings, horizontal, kitchen, large, line, makeover, new, re-tile, rectangular, retile, sink, size, small, tiler quotes, tilers london, tiles, tiling, toilet, trim, vertical, warm
Posted in Tiling & Flooring | Comments Off
As the quality of water on our overpopulated planet continues to degrade, and authorities pump it full with more and more chemicals to make it safe to drink, even people living in the most advanced societies are turning to water purifiers in the  interests of their health. Plumbers London based especially, report steadily increasing demand and can see no end in sight of this.
If you are handy and have the right tools then you might even be able to do the job yourself. If not, it could be better to avoid flooding expensive kitchen cabinetry, and find a plumber on Mr-Skill to do the work for you instead.
o Install the water purifier in a suitable place under the kitchen sink according to the supplier’s instructions, making sure that the connections are accessible and that is does not get in the way of other priorities. When you have connected up to it, you will find freshest cleanest water in the cold tap every time.
o Turn off the water supply at the mains. Open the sink tap. Drain the cold water in the pipes at the lowest point in your home.  Place a bucket in a suitable place to catch water spills before cutting through the cold water supply line at a convenient point underneath the sink. Drain the remaining water into the bucket before adding an inline tap, closing this and turning on the water mains again.
o Connect the outlet side of the inline tap to the pipe going to the sink using suitable compression joints. Use two spanners to tighten these in order avoid straining other connection points in the line.
o Close the sink tap. Turn on the inline tap and check for leaks. Turn on the sink tap and let the water run until is flows clean. Now your job is done.
If you are not comfortable with the above, do not take a chance and end up with burst pipes and no water in the house. It is better to rest easy by getting plumber quotes from Mr-Skill.
Tags: bucket, cabinetry, cold water, compression, compression joint, connections, dirty water, drain, faucet, install, kitchen sink, priorities, purify, sink, tap, tighten, water, water purifier, water quality, water supply
Posted in Plumbing, Heating & Gas | Comments Off
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