plumbing

“Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain...” are the immortal words spoken by the Wizard of Oz to Dorothy in the classic 1939 film as it is revealed that all the magic is happening behind the curtain.

For more than 100 years, Thomas Dudley has been providing the magic behind the curtain. In the world of washrooms and bathrooms, that curtain is often a concealed cistern hidden behind a wall, within furniture, or integrated into a modern installation. While unseen by the end user, these products play a vital role in delivering reliable performance, water efficiency and long-term durability.

Walk into the plumbing workshops at South Devon College and you will find something that sets this department apart: students getting hands-on with the same equipment they are likely to see on their very first day in the job.

That has taken another step forward. DAB Pumps UK, a world-leading name in water technology, has donated an ESYBOX and ESYTANK pressurisation system to the college. This is the kind of kit found in homes, businesses, and buildings right across Devon and beyond. For the students training in Paignton, it means learning on up-to-date, industry standard equipment, not something that bears little resemblance to what they will find on site.

Awareness of the potential health problems caused by lead in the water supply, particularly in infants and children, is growing.  In redevelopment of properties the quality of the water supply pipe should be you first priority. 

Removal and replacement of lead water supply pipes is not only good for occupiers’ health, but part of UK water companies ‘Green Recovery Programme’.

Last year’s Heat and Buildings Strategy set out the UK’s route to net zero, when it comes to our buildings, and decarbonising buildings is one of the topics in the spotlight in the elemental content theatres at this year’s InstallerSHOW – including a keynote delivered by Business & Energy Minister Lord Callanan to open the event on 21st June.

Following on from the opening speech, visitors can listen to expert speakers in the free-to-attend theatres addressing issues including large-scale social housing retrofit, local renewable energy generation, the Future Homes Standard and much more.

Burst pipes are the most common cause of home insurance claims in the UK [1] and cost an average of £3,500 in damage to property and contents.  The expense is not the worst of it, months of disruption follows as the property is dried out and repaired.
Frost is the greatest threat to water services throughout the winter.  UK Water Regulations require any fitting or apparatus to be correctly insulated to prevent frost, unless in a location that is heated for more than 12 hours a day [2]. It seems obvious when you are scraping the ice from the car on a frosty morning. However, the insurance claims show that many homeowners, landlords and occupiers seem to be unaware of this requirement.

A housing association has highlighted the positive impact that apprenticeships and traineeships have on individuals, businesses and the economy.

Hightown Housing Association says 19-year-old Levi Pierre apprentice has shown great potential and will become a role model for future learners.

Levi, who lives in Hemel Hempstead, spends four days a week at Hightown as a Property Maintenance Apprentice and one day a week studying at West Herts College for his Property Maintenance qualification.