Frozen water pipes are a big problem in homes and businesses in cold weather . The initial problem is no water supply – but this can be followed by burst pipes and flooding.  A frozen pipe doesn’t leak, so you’ll only discover the damage after the ice melts, and a ruptured pipe can cause a great deal of damage. Here’s a guide on what to do if you suspect your pipes have frozen.

Turn off the water at the main stop cock (stop valve): this is normally found near where the water pipe enters the building, often under the kitchen sink. It may be outside the house – and you will need a special tool to turn it off.  If you don’t know where it is – find out now. Ask a neighbour where theirs is.
Do this even if you only suspect your pipes are frozen, since they could also have burst, and, by turning off the water, you will reduce the amount of water that can escape, and so minimise damage to your home.

Examine the water system for fractures in pipes or any sign of pipes being pulled from joints. Ice on the outside of a pipe is often an indication that it has burst.#

Try and empty the cold water tank by opening taps that are working and flushing toilets. This will reduce the amount of water in the cold water tank – and therefore reduce the amout left to cause damage.

Thawing Pipes : Before you start to thaw the system, try and remove or protect  items that might be damaged by  water. Cover electrical junction boxes and wiring.
Switch off the central heating and any other water heating installations at the same time.

Begin thawing the pipe from the tap side of the frozen area, by warming it gently, and work back towards the header tank.  Use  a hairdryer or hot water bottle or cloths soaked in hot water .  Heat the house with appliances not connected with domestic hot water or water-based central heating.

If  you do get water leaks coming through the ceiling, collect it in buckets. If the ceiling starts to bulge, pierce the plaster with a broom handle to let the water through and stop it spreading in the ceiling.

These days – with many more people out of work – more homeowners are doing the little jobs around the house themselves. If you know what you are doing – and use good tools – DIY can save you hundreds of Euro as well as keeping you busy.
To get good priced tools and DIY equipment – you can shop online and get them delivered. For good prices try these UK online shops that all deliver to Ireland.

Amazon sell a big range of tools, hand tools, power tools and other DIY materials. Free delivery to Ireland available on orders over £25. You can also buy some great books and guides on DIY.

Tooled Up also sell tools for all jobs – from drills to saws , sanders and sockets, spanners and spades. Delivery charges  to Ireland depend on the order weight – but range from about £10 to £25

Anglia Tool  Centre do free delivery to Ireland and the UK on orders over £100. (£5 on orders under £100) . They specialise in power tools and also sell other  items for your home such as Mira showers, Karcher Pressure washers. House alarms etc.

Maplin also sell a range of tools – power and hand tools , soldering tools, tool boxes etc. Delivery to Ireland is just £8.78 per order.

Mira Showers are probably one of the biggest selling showers in Ireland.
If you want to get a Mira approved service agent to repair your Mira shower in Ireland  – you need to contact

Customer Services & Spares :

Modern Plant Ltd (Dublin)

Telephone: 01 4591344

Mon to Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm

E-mail: sales@modernplant.ie

Fax: 01 4592329

Solar water heating

An average household can save about 50% of the annual cost of hot water using solar panel.

There are two main types of solar water heating panels - flat plate and evacuated tubes (referring to the way in which water interacts with the panel). Evacuated tubes are more efficient than flat plate versions, so are often smaller but generate equal amounts of hot water.

Choosing a solar water heating system

When choosing a solar water heating system, you’ll need to consider a number of factors including your average hot water usage, the area of south facing roof, the existing water heating system and your budget.

You’ll need roughly one square meter of collector area per person in the household. Each metre of panel area will need between 30 and 60 litres of water tank volume.

If you use a less efficient collector (like flat plate solar water heating panels), you’ll need to cover a larger area than if you use a more efficient collector (like evacuated tubes). You’ll also need to select system components (like a hot water cylinder, controls and pipe work) and choose the location for your panels considering shade, pipe runs, roof pitch and future access.

Solar water heating can provide about a third of your hot water needs
Pros

* Solar water heating can provide you with about a third of your hot water needs and about £40 a year off your hot water bills, depending on the fuel replaced.
* Solar energy is free, plentiful and clean.

Cons

* Provides hot water but not electricity.
* An unshaded, south-facing location is necessary to install solar panels.
* Initial costs are higher than conventional electric and gas-heater systems.
* Solar panels can be heavy, so your roof must be strong enough to take their weight, especially if the panel is to be installed on top of existing tiles.
* Solar panels are expensive compared to the amount of electricity they’ll produce in their lifetime.

Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels

PV solar panels generate electricity from the sun’s energy rather than just heating your water. You’re more likely to see these on offices or large developments than on homes.

You can use PV systems for a building with a roof or wall that faces within 90 degrees of south, as long as no other buildings or large trees overshadow it. Less energy will be generated if the roof surface is in shadow for parts of the day.

The are three basic types PV panels: monocrystalline, polycrystalline (or multicrystalline) and amorphous. All are made from silicon, but differ in the way the silicon is cut and treated to create collar cells.

To install a system you need to decide how much electricity you want to generate. After submitting details of your property, a PV installer should help you to conduct a site survey and discuss your options with you.
Pros

* Only daylight is needed to create energy – not sunshine.
* Can cut average household electricity bill by about 30%.
* Solar energy is free, plentiful and clean.

Cons

* A large roof area is needed to generate lots of energy.
* Significantly more expensive to buy and install than solar water systems.
* Solar panels are expensive compared to the amount of electricity they’ll produce in their lifetime.
* The efficiency of solar panels depends on the number of solar light hours and climate.
* Initial costs are higher than conventional electric and gas-heater systems.
* An unshaded, south-facing location is needed for installation.
* Solar panels can be heavy, so your roof must be strong enough to take their weight, especially if the panel is to be installed on top of existing tiles.