Services for Heating/Plumbing

Hi, we have for each category of service, compiled relevant information that you may find useful.
Please note: All information contained within this section is for guidance only. It is best that you check current sources of information.
If you would like to contribute or make a suggestion, please click here.
  • Accountancy/Legal
  • Agencies
  • Antiques
  • Appliance Repair
  • Capital/Funding
  • Carpentry/Joiners
  • Cleaning
  • Conservatories
  • Conversions/Extensions
  • Disposal
  • Drainage
  • Driveways/Patios
  • ECO
  • Electrical
  • Floor
  • Garden
  • Glaziers
  • Groundwork
  • Handy Work
  • Health & Fitness
  • Health & Safety
  • Heating/Plumbing
  • Hire Building
  • Home Care
  • Hospitality
  • Insulation
  • IT/Telcomm
  • Life Style
  • Metal Work
  • Moving/Relocation
  • Office Services
  • Pest Control
  • Pet Sitting
  • Protection
  • Property
  • Re-cycling
  • Refurbishment
  • Roof
  • Shop Fitters
  • Security
  • Surface Work
  • Transport
  • TV/Aerial/Satellite
  • Tuition
  • Walls
  • Weddings
  • Windows
Heating/Plumbing
Services
Useful Links
Products
Jargon Buster
FAQ

Areas covered under this Category are as follows:
  • Air Conditioning
  • Air to Air Heating
  • Air to Water Heating
  • Bath
  • Bio-Mass Boilers
  • Boiler Install
  • Central Heating Install
  • Certification
  • Cylinder
  • Dishwasher
  • Electric
  • Emergency
  • Fireplaces
  • Gas Fired Boilers
  • Ground Source Heating
  • Immersion Heater
  • Inspection
  • Kitchen
  • Leak/Burst Pipe
  • Leaking Tap
  • Oil Fired Boilers
  • Overflow
  • Pumps
  • Radiator Install
  • Refrigeration
  • Servicing
  • Shower
  • Solar Heating
  • Stop Taps
  • Stoves
  • Tank
  • Thermostat
  • Toilet
  • Tumble Dryer
  • Under Floor
  • Ventilation
  • Washing Machine
  • Wet Rooms
For this Category Please note: By law only a Gas Safe registered engineer can fit, fix or service your gas appliances
National Home Improvement Council
Gas Safe Register
Gas Safety Trust
The Electrical Contractors' Association
SELECT
National Association for Professional Inspectors and Testers

NHIC membership comprises many of the most important companies and organisations operating in the home improvement sector - www.nhic.org.uk

Gas Safe Register is the official list of gas engineers who are legally allowed to work on gas appliances. By law only a Gas Safe registered engineer can fit, fix or service your gas appliances. Always check the engineer's Gas Safe Register ID card. To check an engineer is currently registered visit www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk.

The Gas Safety Trust is the UK's leading gas/fuel safety charity providing funding for, and supporting: Research, Training and Education, Lobbying and Evidence Gathering and Information into to gas and fossil fuels safety. The Trust works in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders and interested parties, including governments - www.gas-safety-trust.org.uk.

The Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA) - www.eca.co.uk - Is the trade association representing the interests of contractors who design, install, inspect, test and maintain electrical and electronic equipment and building services in England and Wales. Founded in 1901, it has over 3,000 Registered Members, ranging from local contractors to national building services organisations.

Founded in 1900, SELECT - www.select.org.uk is the trade association that represents the interests of electrical contractors operating throughout Scotland. There are now over 1200 members, from small local contractors to large UK companies, accredited in one of eight technical disciplines giving SELECT member companies proven capability across a wide range of design, manufacturing, testing and commissioning skills.

NAPIT was formed in 1992 as the National Association for Professional Inspectors and Testers - www.napit.org.uk - its members are active in the Domestic, Commercial and Industrial sectors and members can register and be assessed by NAPIT in the fields of electrical installation, plumbing, heating and ventilation (which includes air conditioning).

BPEC - www.bpec.org.uk

Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) - www.ciphe.org.uk

City and Guilds - www.cityandguilds.com

Construction Skills - www.cskills.org

CORGI - www.corgiservices.com

Heat Pump Association (HPA) - www.heatpumps.org.uk

Heating & Hot Water Industry Council (HHIC) - www.centralheating.co.uk

Heating & Ventilating Contractors' Association (HVCA) - www.hvca.org.uk

Institute of Domestic Heating & Environmental Engineers - www.idhee.org.uk

Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installers (iKBBI) - www.ikbbi.org.uk

NICEIC - www.niceic.org.uk

OFTEC - www.oftec.org

SAFEcontractor - www.safecontractor.com

The Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors (APHC) - www.competentpersonsscheme.co.uk

UKAS - www.ukas.com


  • A & J Gummers
  • Acova
  • AirBloc
  • Aircon247.com
  • Airflow
  • Albion
  • Alpha
  • Altecnic
  • AmbiRad
  • Andrews
  • Aqualisa
  • Ariston Thermo
  • Armitage Shanks
  • Backer
  • Barwood Products
  • Bathroom Village
  • Baxi
  • Biasi
  • Bristan
  • Broadway Systems
  • Buderus
  • Build4
  • Buildbase
  • Buteline
  • Cheap Boilers
  • Copperform
  • Creda
  • Crown Heaters
  • DAB
  • Danfoss
  • DeLonghi
  • Deva Tap Company
  • DEVI Electrical
  • Dezine Bathrooms
  • Dimplex
  • Discounting Heating
  • DiscreteHeat Company
  • Draper
  • Drayton
  • Duravit
  • Electrorad
  • EnconAir System
  • Ferolli
  • Firebird
  • FlaktWoods
  • Flamco
  • Flexseal
  • Flowserve
  • Franke
  • Gainsborough Showers
  • Gal Showers
  • Glow-worm
  • Grundfos
  • Halstead
  • Hansgrohe
  • Heat Electric
  • Heatline
  • HeatProfile
  • Heatrea Sadia
  • Henrad
  • Hep2O
  • Honeywell
  • Horne Engineering
  • Horstmann
  • Hotfoot
  • Hoval
  • Hudson Reed
  • Ideal
  • Ideal Bathrooms
  • Just Taps
  • Kaldewei
  • KBB2000
  • Kensa Heat Pumps
  • Keston Boilers
  • Kingkraft
  • Lakes
  • LAUFEN
  • Livinghouse
  • Main
  • Majestic Shower Co
  • Marflow Enginerring
  • Mark Vitow
  • Max4Therm
  • Mayfair
  • Mcalpine
  • Merlyn
  • Merriott
  • Mira Showers
  • Mitchel l& Hewitt
  • Monsoon Ventilation
  • Monument
  • Multikwik
  • MX
  • Myson
  • NIBE
  • Nordair Niche
  • Novellini
  • Nu-Heat
  • Olive Bathrooms
  • On The Level
  • Online Heating
  • Pegler
  • Phoenix
  • Plumb Centre
  • Plumbase
  • Plumb-Bay
  • PlumbNation
  • Polypipe
  • Potterton
  • Powrmatic
  • Purus
  • Quinn
  • Radsnrails
  • RAK Ceramics
  • Red Dot Products
  • Redring
  • Reflections Studio
  • Remeha
  • Renznor
  • Robert Lee Distribution
  • Roman
  • Roper Rhodes
  • Rothenberger
  • RWC
  • Salamander
  • Salus
  • Saniflo
  • Santon
  • Showerlux
  • Showerpower
  • Siemens
  • Simpons
  • Sirrus
  • Sissons
  • Smiths
  • Speedfit
  • Stelrad
  • Stemik Living
  • Stiebel Eltron
  • Stiebel Eltron
  • Stokvis Energy Systems
  • Stuart Turner
  • Sunvic
  • Tavistock
  • Telford
  • The Radiator Co
  • The Unico System
  • Thermtec
  • Trane
  • Trevi
  • Tribune
  • Triton
  • Ultra
  • Uponor
  • Vado
  • Vaillant
  • Vent Axia
  • Victoria Plumb
  • Victory Lighting
  • Viessmann
  • Vitra
  • Vogue
  • Vokera
  • Vortice Lineo
  • Walney
  • Watermill
  • WD Bathrooms
  • Westco
  • Wilo
  • Wolseley
  • Worcester
  • Xpelair
  • Zip

A-B | C-D | E-F | G-H | I-J | K-L | M-N | O-P | Q-R | S-T | U-V | W-X | Y-Z
A to B
  • Air lock: is a bubble of air that gets trapped in a water pipe and can reduce or stop the flow.
  • Air release point: a place where air can be released from a central heating radiator system.
  • Air separator: a central heating system as this device to eliminate small bubbles of air circulating in the system.
  • Backflow: a flow in a direction contrary to the intended normal direction of flow, usually caused by siphoning.
  • Back-siphon: water which left the system and is pulled back into the supply pipes.
  • Balanced flue: this is a system that allows a boiler to draw fresh air from and expelling gases to the outside of the building.
  • Ballcock: is the system of a float and a valve that controls the water entering the toilet water tank.
  • Bleed valve: used to release air that has slowly built up inside a radiator, which prevents the radiator to heat properly.
  • Boiler flues: are devices that safely exhaust the spent fuel gasses from the appliance to the outside of the property.
  • Boiler fume thermostat: on a boiler that measures temperature of gasses entering the flue after the burner.
C to D
  • Check valve: can be called a non-return valve, it allows liquid to flow in one direction only. commonly fitted to combination boilers.
  • Circulation pump: a device used to pump water to the central heating system.
  • Cistern: is a container holding a small amount of water usually used for flushing toilets.
  • Coil: is the heating element in a domestic hot water tank. Known as the 'primary circuit' it circulates water from the boiler to give hot tap water.
  • Cold water storage tank: a container for holding water usually used for providing a feed to domestic cold water.
  • Combination boiler: is an appliance that burns fuel to convert to hot water for the central heating system and the hot water supply.
  • Combustion chamber: area within the boiler where the fuel is burnt.
  • Compression fitting: forms a joint with a mechanical seal.
  • Condensing boiler: an energy-efficient appliance that converts its fuel burnt into useful energy cooling most of the vapour present in the combusted gases back into water.
  • Conventional boiler: is a water tank fed central heating appliance.
  • Conventional open flue: a heating appliance that uses the air from within the premises for combustion.
  • Corrosion inhibitor: is a chemical compound that, when added in small concentration stops or slows down corrosion in your boiler.
  • De-scaling: a process that is used to remove lime scale from boiler waterways.
  • Drain the system: this when one empties the water from a central heating system.
  • Draincock: a device with a valve to drain a system.
  • Ducting: a purpose made passageway to allow the installation of water pipes.
E to F
  • Electronic ignition: an electronic ignition that lights the burner automatically when the heating system controls call for heat.
  • Expansion tank: small tank used in a central heating system to absorb water pressure and extra volume of hot water as it is heated.
  • Expansion vessel: failure of the expansion vessel can result in a pressure rise as the system heats up too much and the relief valve opens.
  • Fan assisted convector heater: is an appliance with an electric fan to distribute the warmed air.
  • Float: a device fitted along with a water valve / ballcock to automatically maintain a desired water level in a water tank.
  • Flue liner: an insulated liner within an existing chimney that ensures expelled gases are at the right temperature and ensures there is a sufficient draw of outside air to maintain correct combustion.
  • Flue outlet: where the boiler flue discharges to the atmosphere.
G to H
  • Gas shut off valve: this is usually located next to the gas meter. If the meter box is located outside, then you would usual need a gas key to open the box.
  • Gravity circulation: A natural (un-pumped) flow created within a water heating system.
  • Header tank: small open cistern (tank) that feeds water to a central heating system.
  • Heating flow: is the hot water pipe from a boiler to the radiator system.
  • Heating return: is the cooler water pipe returning the water from the radiator system to the boiler for re-heating.
  • Hot water cylinder thermostat: this thermostat controls the temperature of hot water stored in the cylinder.
  • Hot water cylinder: hot water passes through the cylinder heating up the stored water.
  • Hot water storage tank: stores the domestic hot water.
  • Hot water thermostat: is on the side of the hot water tank. It controls the highest temperature of the hot water.
I to J
  • Inlet valve: isolation device to control substances entering an appliance.
K to L
  • Lime scale: a white chalky deposit found inside of an inadequately maintained central heating system.
M to N
  • Motorised valves: an electrically powered valve for the control of water flow through pipes.
  • Nipple: a short pipe installed between fittings.
O to P
  • Open flue: a chimney taking flue gases from an appliance which ends in the open air, usually above roof level.
  • Pilot light: a small gas flame which is kept alight in order to serve as an ignition source for a gas burner.
  • Pressure gauge: tells the pressure of the water in the system pipe work.
  • Pressure vessel: is a hot water storage container usually at water mains pressure.
  • Primary heat exchanger: main heat exchanger in a boiler, usually serves the radiator system.
  • Pump: a device used to circulate water around the central heating system.
Q to R
  • Radiator valves: used to control and isolate the water flow and return on a radiator.
  • Reducer: a coupling that connects two pipes to each other.
  • Riser: vertical water pipe from the mains.
  • Room sealed: a combustion appliance using a balanced flue.
  • Roomstat or Room thermostat: controls the temperature by means of simple on-off switching of the boiler - or the pump.
S to T
  • Safety valve: a device used to prevent the build up of excessive pressure.
  • Scale: scale builds-up due to hard water.
  • Service valve: this shuts off the water supply to a fixture so that maintenance can be carried out.
  • Soil pipe: vertical pipe to take water and sewage out of a building.
  • Stack: vertical pipe carrying waste from sinks and toilets.
  • Stopcock: controls the flow of water and will shut off the entire supply in an emergency.
  • Temperature pressure relief valve (TPV): a horizontal lever-like valve located near the top of a boiler at the water outlet joint.
  • Thermocouple: detects whether the pilot light is on and, will then, send a signal to the gas valve so it knows it's safe to let the gas flow.
  • Thermostat: this stops the boiler running when the desired temperature has been reached to control the room temperature.
  • Trap: a curved section of drain that holds water, providing a seal that prevents odours from escaping.
  • Trapped air: if radiators or a heating system is making a noise then there may be air trapped usually in the radiators, which can be fixed by bleeding them.
  • TRV: thermostatic radiator valve - non electric valves which regulate water flow through a radiator in accordance with the amount of heat required to maintain a pre-set temperature in a room.
U to V
  • U-bend: trap water to prevent bad smells from the drains entering the home.
  • Valve: regulates the flow of fluids by opening or closing passageways.
  • Vent: pipe that lets air into a drainage system to balance the pressure.
  • Ventilation: an adequate air supply for heating appliances in order to burn a fuel correctly.
W to X
  • Washer: a thin plate (usually disc-shaped) with a hole in the middle used to seal or shut off the a flow.
  • Wet central heating: a heating system that uses water to carry the heat energy.
Y to Z

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