The Covid-19 pandemic has seen both the Government’s and the public’s interpretation of what makes a key worker redefined. On Tuesday 28 April, in the daily coronavirus briefing, Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, not only recognised the vital role emergency plumbers are playing, but rolled out further testing for those in the construction and plumbing industry.
With the full extent of the COVID-19 outbreak rearing its ugly head, the pockets of many working families have been hard-hit. Even before the outbreak, research shows that up to 3 million households struggle to afford their rising water bills.
With the UK Government’s 'lockdown measures' inevitably meaning more time at home and more water used, I share my tips for reducing water usage in times of lockdown.
Be mindful when gardening
Earnings for self-employed plumbers fell by 12.7 per cent last month as the launch of the lockdown hit the construction industry, according to latest figures released by Hudson Contract.
Analysis of payroll data for more than 2,200 construction companies in England and Wales shows weekly pay for plumbing contractors averaged at £1,030 in March, compared to £1,179 in February.
In response to customer demand, Marley Plumbing & Drainage has launched a new range of adoptable inspection chambers for both type three and type four installations, which are compliant with Sewers for Adoption and Building Regulations.
The new BSI approved range of inspection chambers, which are suitable for adoptable and non-adoptable applications, have been developed to be compatible with Marley’s 150mm Quantum sewer structured wall drainage and its 110mm and 160mm solid wall drainage, in order to provide specifiers, contractors and housebuilders with a ‘one stop shop’.
Take good care of your hand and power tools and enjoy the fluid workflow of every plumbing job.
DIYers often neglect their instruments. The lack of proper maintenance leads to many issues. A damaged or worn-out tool can become heavy on your wallet and even cause injuries.
A well-maintained toolset makes every task simple, saving you both time and effort. If you look after it properly, a plumbing instrument may keep its best condition for up to 7 years. Whether a drill or a simple wrench, take care of each of your plumbing tools and expect good service in return. Read more and learn how to:
The Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF), the leading trade body for the plumbing and heating sector in Scotland and Northern Ireland, has chosen to mark World Plumbing Day today (March 11, 2020) by highlighting the young people who represent the industry’s future.
The member organisation has tirelessly advocated the value of apprenticeships in sustaining quality and professionalism in this vitally important sector as well as creating a pipeline of continually improving skillsets.
The end of gas central boilers? By Izzy Schulman, Director, Plumbers4U
A new report in May 2019 declared the UK is set to become carbon neutral by 2050, slashing the country’s emissions by 80 per cent.
The energy use in our homes contributes to around a fifth of greenhouse gas emissions, and naturally, our boilers play a significant part in this.
As a result, energy regulator OFGEM revealed its plans to remove gas central heating from all homes by 2050 to meet the government’s target of net-zero carbon emissions.
So, what does this mean for those of us with gas central boilers in our homes? There are currently four options being shared with homeowners…
Hot water and air
Kensa Heat Pumps have succeeded in securing their full suite of 3kW to 13kW thermal output single phase ground source heat pumps on the Energy Networks Association (ENA) Connect & Notify database.
The move means British-based manufacturer Kensa has the largest number of ENA Connect & Notify approved ground source heat pump products in the UK – over 60% of the ENA single phase database - enabling simpler, quicker and lower cost ground source heat pump installations.
Kensa Heat Pumps’ Technical Director and co-founder, Guy Cashmore, comments:
“Installers of heat pumps will be familiar with the complications, hassle and potential additional costs of a heat pump not being ENA Connect & Notify approved.
The construction industry takes great care in protecting staff from visible risks, ensuring all precautions are taken to maintain the physical wellbeing of its workers.
Despite this, construction is still one of the most dangerous sectors to work in thanks to the big presence of a risk that isn’t visible: employee mental health.
“Safety is one of the biggest concerns in the construction industry,” says Daniel Ure from online PPE retailer Vizwear, “and since one of the biggest risks to workers in construction today is that posed by mental health problems, addressing them needs to be at the top of an employer’s list of priorities.”
According to the Construction Insurance Risk Engineers Group (CIREG), insurance claims for escape of water occurrences have increased substantially, both in their frequency and severity, since 2015. Even more worryingly, the body states that large losses from escape of water are now as prevalent, if not more so, than fire related incidents.