Category: Uncategorized

New home?

Are you buying a new home and not sure what telltale signs to look for that the plumbing just isn’t quite right? This blog tells you what to look for when buying a new home and explains in detail our new homeowner survey, which may help you pick up a few top tips!

Signs of Plumbing Issues

• Look for damp or browning patches on ceilings or walls. Pay particular attention to those directly below the bathroom and boiler, if it is located upstairs.
• If the sealant around the shower, bath or sinks is black and looks like it is coming away from the wall, there may be a leak that has not presented itself yet.
• Check under the kitchen sink. If the cupboards are showing signs of damp or water damage, it may be that a pipe behind the unit is leaking, which may be a costly repair if it has been leaking for a long time!
• Turn on the shower. It may seem another strange thing to do but it can highlight if there are any issues with the water pressure in the property and whether there are any underlying issues that may crop up in the future.

Signs of Central Heating Issues

• Check that the radiators aren’t showing any signs of rusting, either on the panels themselves or on the valves at the top and bottom. Rusting on the valves may be a sign of a leak, the current homeowners may have already had this fixed but it’s always worth checking! Rust on the radiators themselves can be caused by a variety of things, but may lead to needing new radiators or even a full central heating powerflush.
• They may find it strange, but ask the current owners if they wouldn’t mind turning on the heating. A new boiler is a big expense and one that most people don’t want to worry about when moving in to a new home!
• Does the boiler look in good condition? It isn’t always possible to tell to the naked eye but the main things to look for are signs of rust or water marks around the boiler area, the boiler being intact including the case and surrounding panels being attached correctly and that the boiler has been serviced regularly, for which the engineer should have provided a certificate.

How We Can Help

We have designed a plumbing audit to carry out on your current or new property to ensure everything is running smoothly and you wont encounter any nasty plumbing surprises! This includes:

• Boiler and hob gas safety check
• Radiator health check – ensure all radiators are getting hot when tested
• Thermostat is working correctly, safely and is in good working order
• Test all taps to ensure they are in working order and hot and cold water is running
• Test all valves throughout the central heating – this includes zone valves, radiator valves etc
• Visual check on all central heating pipework to ensure this is in good condition.
• Visual check on all basins and sinks to ensure they are in good condition and that there are no visible leaks when water is drained.
• All toilets are flushing, are in good working order and have no visible leaks.
• All showers are in working order, there are no visible leaks and hot and cold water is available.
• A written report to explain findings and give any recommendations that may be needed.

Plumbing audits start from £100. This may increase due to a higher number of gas appliances, radiators and the size of the property. 

For more information, contact us on 0114 2483011 or at enquiries@dtsplumbing.co.uk. For more handy tips, visit our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/dtsplumbingandheating

Happy 5th Birthday DTS Plumbing and Heating

August 1st marks the 5th birthday of DTS Plumbing and Heating being formed and we can’t wait to celebrate! After 5 eventful years, a lot has happened at DTS, many things have changed and we have lots to be happy about!

From then to now…

Dale started the company in 2014 as himself, an apprentice and his trusty green van. In 2019, this has grown to a team of engineers and office staff who make sure all our customers are getting the best possible service and quality they deserve. 

On this Day

On the day that DTS Plumbing & Heating was Happy-

• David Cameron was the Prime Minister.
• Top of the charts was Cheryl Cole with “Crazy Stupid Love”
• The first of the blockbuster trilogy Guardians of the Galaxy was released in cinemas across the UK.
• Manchester City were the premier league champions
• Millions of people dumped ice water over their heads to raise awareness for ALS

DTS Plumbing Proud Facts

• More than 500 customer reviews have been published across various platforms
• We have installed 176 boilers
• Over 13,000 jobs have been attended and resolved
• We have serviced over 1500 boilers
• We have developed and launched three tiers of customer care plans.

Our Proud Moments

As well as all of these, plumbing related proud moments, there are also many other things we are proud of. Some of these are:

• Working alongside Cathedral Archer Project and Support Dogs, two local charities that we are extremely passionate about. We have completed numerous fundraisers and events for both of these charities including doing a sponsored sleep out and sponsoring a puppy.
• We are accredited installers across 3 of our favourite boiler brands, which means we can offer extra benefits to our customers.
• The development of our apprentices over the last 5 years who have all had major influences on our company.
• The launch of a brand new website that reflects our brand and company values.
• We now have a working office with a dedicated office team! 

We wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of our customers, new and old, for your continued custom and support. Without the loyalty and recommendations from our customers, we could not have reached the position we are currently standing in today!

Thank you again!

From all of us at DTS Plumbing & Heating

http://www.facebook.com/dtsplumbingandheating

http://www.dtsplumbing.co.uk/meet-the-team

Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer. It is a poisonous gas that has no smell or taste. Carbon monoxide is responsible for up to 60 deaths in England and Wales each year and up to 4,000 medical visits, according to the NHS.

Do you know if carbon monoxide (CO) is present in your home? It isn’t always clear to the naked eye. Therefore, this blog will give you tips on how to prevent a carbon monoxide leak and what to look out for.

Symptoms

The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are not always obvious and can present themselves in many ways, sometimes even leaving you feeling as though you have a hangover or flu. Symptoms when exposed to small amount of the gas may include; Headaches, nausea, dizziness, tiredness, confusion and shortness of breath.

These symptoms may be different if you are exposed to carbon monoxide for an extended period of time or a high level of the gas. 

Causes of CO Leaks

Carbon monoxide leaks are often caused when the fuel supplying your home doesn’t burn correctly. This can come from appliances such as boilers, gas fires and cookers, as well as other fuel supplied appliances.

If these appliances aren’t installed or maintained correctly by a qualified professional, this increases the risk of CO leaks and exposure to the gas. Other causes of CO poisoning may be blocked chimneys, poor ventilation and exposure to the gas in confined spaces. 

Think You Have a CO Leak?

If you believe there may be a CO leak in your home, make sure the room is well ventilated by opening all windows and doors where possible. Call Cadent, the emergency gas line on 0800111999. It is advised you visit your GP or nearest medical facility as soon as possible to rule out any medical issues. 

How to Prevent CO Poisoning

1. Ensure all of your gas appliances are serviced regularly by a gas safe registered engineer.  If you have a new gas appliance installed, check the credentials of the installer and never attempt to do this yourself.
2. Be sure you have a carbon monoxide detector near all gas appliances. Ensure these have the British kite mark to show they have been tested to acceptable standards.
3. If you have a gas cooker or hob, ensure that you have an extractor fan or hood fitted above it to extract any harmful gases that may occur.

We hope you will never need these tips, but they are there should you need them. 

Thanks as always. For more tips, head to our Facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/dtsplumbingandheating

Dale

For this fortnights blog, we wanted to tell you all about our current promotion that we have running. Its one that is a bit different and that everybody can get involved with!

What is the Competition?

In local pubs, bars and hotels around the Sheffield area we have distributed 1000 drinks mats with details of our company and what we do on one side and a competition on the other. All you have to do is send us a selfie of you and the drinks mat, let us know where you are and tag us or post the photo to our Facebook. Once we receive it, you will be entered into the chance to win a Nest Learning Thermostat! (RRP £219).

What is a Nest?

Find out more here: https://store.google.com/gb/product/nest_learning_thermostat_3rd_gen?hl=en-GB

Who is Involved?

The participating pubs so far are:

• Toolmakers Brewery – Neepsend, S3
• The Forest Pub – Neepsend, S3
• Fat Cat – Kelham Island, S3
• Kelham Island Tavern – Kelham Island, S3
• Three Merry Lads – Lodge Moor, S10
• Shiny Sheff – Lodge Moor, S10
• The Bridge Inn – Ridgeway, S12
• The Swan – Ridgeway, S12
• The Devonshire Arms – Dore, S17
• The Hare & Hound – Dore, S17
• The Cross Scythes – Totley, S17
• The Crown Inn – Totley, S17
• The British Oak – Mosborough, S20
• The Queen – Mosborough, S20
• Angel & Harlequin – Spinkhill, S21
• Renishaw Golf Club – Renishaw, S21
• The Mossbrook – Eckington, S21
• The Crown – Killamarsh, S21
• The Black Bull – Aughton, S26
• The Beehive @ Harthill – Harthill, S26
• Robin Hood Inn – Aughton, S26
• Rother Valley Golf Club Bar – Wales Bar, S26

Rules & Regulations

You can gladly enter more than once if you see them in more than one location, just make sure you tag the location!

Just a few boring rules that we hope you can follow:

• Competition is open to everyone over 18 years of age
• No unsolicited photos (no rude’s please!)
• Be creative and share with your friends.
• DTS plumbing and Heating have the right to withdraw your entry at any times if rules are broken.

When Will it Finish?

The winner will be announced on Sunday 1st September, keep your fingers crossed and your eyes peeled!

We can’t wait to see your entries and good luck!

Thanks,

The DTS Team

Small drips can become big bills! Not only do these pesky leaks hike your water bill up, they also damage the environment by using more energy! We have put together a blog with some handy tips on how to save water and what are the main culprits of water usage!

Bath & Shower

• Do you find yourself taking more baths than showers? Five minute showers use less than 30 litres of water, whereas baths use between 55 and 95!
• There are now water saving shower heads available. These combine air and water through the head to save the amount of water being used!

Taps

• If your tap drips more than twice per minute, you could be wasting over 4 litres of water a week. This could be due to a perished washer or the cartridge or tap may need replacing!
• Turning the tap off whilst brushing your teeth could save you over 12 litres of water if you brush for the recommended time of 2 minutes!

Toilet

• Did you know, flushing the toilet accounts for up to 30% of your water bill. An average flush can use between 7 litres of water, for an ultra low flow toilet, all the way up to 16 litres for older, less water efficient toilets.  Considering the average person uses the toilet 2500 times per year, that’s a lot of water! 
• A continuously running toilet not only becomes annoying, it can also waste over 500 litres of water daily! Thats enough to send your water bill sky high if it is left without repair!
• Our advice to save money would be to have the internal mechanisms of the toilet changed if they are starting to show wear or small leaks. These will make your toilet work like brand new! 

Garden

• There’s nothing we like more than a lovely hot summer, after all we don’t really get them that often!  However, a long dry period takes its toll on our lawns and gardens.  Instead of hiking up your water bill, consider having a water butt fitted, not only will it save money on your water bills it’s also much better for the environment. 
• If you have no space for a water butt, be sure to water your garden with a watering can rather than your hose pipe. The garden hose can use up to 1000 litres of water an hour. In a prolonged dry spell, why not use your bath or washing up water to water your beds and baskets?

Thanks for reading, for more handy hints visit our Facebook page

www.facebook.com/dtsplumbingandheating

Thanks,

Paula

What Cathedral Archer Project Do

“At the Cathedral Archer Project (CAP) we help homeless and vulnerable adults to lead fulfilling and enjoyable lives. We believe that every person who comes through our doors is an individual with talents, the ability to lead a healthy, sustainable life, and who in time and with support, will have aspirations they want to achieve. It is our experience, supported by research, that through building positive relationships, we can help people change their lives for the better.”

About Cathedral Archer Project

Cathedral Archer Project provide so many services to the homeless people of Sheffield. We were amazed by these when we first visited the project around 2 years ago. The project has visiting doctors and dentists to help with any issues the service users may have, they offer classes, support to attend drug and alcohol treatment services, a safe place to keep their belongings as well as showers, laundry and hot food.

How we Help

We love working with the Archer Project for many reasons. The number of rough sleepers on the streets is becoming more and more by the day and we want to do whatever we can to help. This ranges from donating key items such as clothes, shoes and food supplies to serving breakfast and having a chat. We also collect monetary donations for the Archer Project and try to raise money wherever we can. The atmosphere at the project is positive, everyone is polite and the facilities they provide are amazing!

Why we Help

None of us at DTS Plumbing have ever experienced homelessness, and we hope we never will. But after working with the Archer Project, we realise that this can happen to anyone and want to continue to support the charity to help these people back on their feet. We don’t do this for any other reason other than to help others to have the things in life that we often take for granted.

Upcoming Events

The Cathedral Archer Project are holding their first ever music festival “Music for the Homeless” on Saturday 8th June. We will be there and hope you can come too, the money raised all goes to a great cause. There will be fun for all of the family and live music playing all day. There is also a chance to take part in a sponsored sleep out straight after the event!

Thanks for reading,

Shannon – DTS Plumbing & Lynne – Cathedral Archer Project

https://www.archerproject.org.uk/

We believe in making sure that all of our customers are gas safe. Whether this be through boiler service reminders to make sure you don’t miss the date, to giving you handy hints and tips to make sure everything is as it should be. This blog will give you 5 top tips on gas safety to make sure you are warm without worry. 

Tip 1 – Invest in a carbon monoxide alarm.

These can be vital for detecting the harmful gas that is carbon monoxide in your home. It is advised that a detector is kept near each gas appliance, ideally no more than 5 feet from the ground. This is due to carbon monoxide being even lighter than air so it rises more rapidly and takes effect quicker. Make sure your carbon monoxide detector has a British kite mark. This way you know it is up to standard and will protect you and your family as well as possible.

Tip 2 – Be sure to have your boiler serviced annually

Having your boiler serviced annually puts your mind at ease that your boiler is working safely and efficiently. When a boiler service is conducted, tests are carried out to ensure there are no gas leaks and the boiler is performing as it should. The engineer will also make sure no carbon monoxide from the boiler is coming back into your home. In a confined space, could be extremely dangerous. Not only that, it could save you money in the long run.

Tip 3 – Know how to turn your gas off

If there is ever an emergency, be sure you know how to turn your gas off at the mains. If there is a gas leak, this will prevent any further gas from leaking into your property until an engineer can get to you to resolve it! This is likely to be located near your gas meter but ask your gas engineer on their next visit!

Tip 4 – ALWAYS use a Gas Safe registered engineer.

According to Gas Safe, there are 7,500 unregistered gas fitters in the UK and 250,000 illegal jobs being carried out each year. Don’t cut corners, always look for the yellow triangle! Also, make sure the gas engineer that attends your home is qualified to do the work they are there for. They may have a gas safe card but it isn’t to say they are qualified to work on all appliances! To avoid further disaster, check your engineers qualifications shown on the back of their gas safe ID card or on www.gassaferegister.com. Never feel as though you cant ask, better to be gas safe than sorry!

Tip 5 – Don’t block any ventilation from gas appliances

Your gas engineer will check there is enough ventilation for your gas appliances to burn correctly when they service them. In the meantime, make sure that no vents are blocked that provide air to gas appliances, nothing is put in the chimney to try and stop potential draughts and that the flue from your boiler has a clear area around it. This shouldn’t be blocked by things such as garden sheds or fences which may be erected between services.

Thanks for reading!

Shannon

https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/find-an-engineer/business-engineers?type=standard&page=1&businessid=129063&centreid=0&rno=564403

No day is the same as a DTS Plumbing and Heating apprentice. One day I could be hanging radiators, the next fitting a boiler. I have therefore put together this blog of what it’s like in a week in the life of DTS apprentice.

Day 1

Today I am working alongside Drew. We are magnetically flushing a central heating system using the ADEY Magnacleanse. This will attract all the sediment and magnetite to the magnets on the machine to clean and restore the central heating system. This build up of components cause all sorts of problems in your central heating and removing it will mean much healthier radiators!

A cool feature about the Magnacleanse is that the clear hoses allow you to see the water getting gradually cleaner, letting you know the flush is working and has been done correctly. The sun is shining too which is also a bonus!

Day 2

The first job today was at a call centre in Rotherham to replace a leaking radiator. This is an enormous commercial building. It was so interesting to see the grand scale of the plumbing and heating throughout. We luckily were able to replace the radiator by locking both sides off. Draining down the entire system in a building this size would have taken forever!

From there, we set off to our next job which was rerouting a cold water feed to the boiler to a better suited route. This ensures the pipework was more efficient and better insulated. Chris ran the 15mm copper pipe to the boiler whilst I ran some 15mm plastic pipe to the feed. It wasn’t long before I got home either as the job was on my road!

Day 3

Up bright and early on a Saturday this week! Me and Drew attended a restaurant kitchen in Park Hill needing to be completed before the company opened for trade! With a quick change of the sink trap and new tap cartridges installed, the kitchen was back in business! 

Repetition, repetition, repetition. I have found thats the best way to learn things that are new and unfamiliar! By spending time working with Dale on Saturdays, I am able to see lots of boiler servicing.

As an apprentice, by taking notes, I have picked up plenty of techniques and tips that are helping me improve every day. These include; gas safety standards, gas safety regulations and visual boiler checks. These are a must know when servicing a boiler or gas appliance.

Day 4

No Monday blues here! Every day on the job is different for me and gives me new experiences. Today was the first time I had seen a soil pipe installed from start to finish. I am proud to say I played a part in it too! I started by preparing all the tools that we would need and laying dust sheets to protect the customer’s house.

Once we were ready, I then made sure the soil pipe was stable when Chris was working on it and secure when it had been finished. I also filed down the ends of the soil pipe and made sure the fittings connected properly.

Day 5

Another day, another magnetic flush! We also ensure a magnetic filter is fitted when completing a magnetic flush. This protects your boiler from any build up of sediment which can cause major damage! 

Day 6

First job of the day was to safely remove a radiator from the wall for the customer to decorate. We emptied the radiator water in a drain to avoid causing any damage or discolouration to anywhere inside. After that, we made sure the valves were isolated on both sides, avoiding any leaks onto the carpet!

We then headed over to a leak from a bathroom which was coming through a light fitting in the kitchen! We started by looking for the leak in the most accessible places. A great place to start, plus the customer had had new floor fitted in the bathroom as well as an impressive new bath panel.

Thankfully, we found the leak on one of the flexible hoses on the basin which had started to show signs of wearing. This made the customer very happy, the bathroom had just been renovated so it caused minimal disruption.

Day 7

A long day for me today!

With plenty to get done, myself and Chris started our day by completing three boiler services. After that, we installed a new shower and did some work upgrading a bathroom. Finally, disconnecting another radiator for a customer decorating! Everyone must have a spring clean feeling!

Lots of useful things learnt on this day, which is what I love about being an apprentice! From different parts and functions of older boilers, to what the most effective way to install a shower screen is. With plenty to take in, I sure did sleep well that night!

Thank you for reading my blog on a day in the life of a DTS apprentice, I will keep you updated with my progress throughout my apprenticeship 🙂

Logan

https://www.facebook.com/dtsplumbingandheating/

Hello everyone!

Welcome to both our new website and new blog!

We will add to our blog each week with promotional offers, events, handy tips and generally the things we have been getting up to! We aim to raise awareness of gas safety, whilst having fun at the same time. If you like the content we are adding, please don’t hesitate to give us a follow on Facebook or Instagram or send us an email to join our mailing list!

For those who don’t know us, we are a local plumbing and heating company operating in Sheffield, Chesterfield and Rotherham. We strive to change the negative perception of tradespeople by offering 5 star service and a high quality of work. We also support two local charities based in Sheffield and are always looking for donations or ideas on how to raise money for both of them.

If there are any topics that you would like us to cover, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – we always are looking for new ideas and would love to hear from you.