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Plumbing and Heating engineers work over Christmas!

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Great news this festive season is that many plumbing and heating engineers are hard at work. If your business has an emergency, calling on a plumber or installer who you know could pay off big time! A recent survey by the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineers (CIPHE) has revealed that 69 per cent of engineers will respond to known customers and 31 per cent will provide service for all callers.

One in four engineers will be available for emergency call-outs on Christmas day, with 48 per cent on Christmas Eve, 33 per cent on Boxing Day, 42 per cent on New Year’s Eve, 29 per cent on New Year’s day and 47 per cent on January 2.

Kevin Wellman, CEO of the CIPHE, says: “Heating and plumbing engineers are the unsung heroes of the festive season and they richly deserve the spotlight this survey shines on them. Every planned or responsive job is important, but at this time of year, when emotions run high, the pressure is really on to deliver the goods, so there should be great pride that so many can say they’ve ‘saved a Christmas Day.’

So, what type of issues could your business experience while employees are enjoying mince pies and mulled wine with their families? Reasons for call-outs cited in the survey are: burst pipes, boiler breakdowns, heating system issues, plumbing problems and blocked pipes. Of those responding to emergency call-outs over Christmas, 47 per cent said that the job was not an emergency and 82 per cent said the job was due to botched work.

The moral of the story is: to have a reliable engineer on tap in case of a heating or plumbing emergency and make sure that it is indeed an emergency because your call could mean that someone misses out on an important personal event.

If you’d like further information, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Source: Phamnews.co.uk – “‘TIS THE SEASON FOR DEDICATED HEATING & PLUMBING TRADES”

How to find a good plumber – eight top tips!

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A sudden leak or a boiler breakdown can be a real headache for small businesses that don’t have a trusted plumber or heating engineer (who knows your system) on tap! And using the first or cheapest option in the directory is not usually the best option – rogue traders smell desperation, and will take advantage.

So, what is the best course of action if you have a crisis at work? Steve Playle, lead officer of the Trading Standards Institute (TSI), has some handy tips that are sure to help your business out of any plumbing/heating emergency:

  • Don’t go with the first free engineer you find – while most emergency plumbers may be legitimate, many may not be properly qualified and are past-masters at dragging the job out to maximise their income.
  • Ask plenty of questions about what the job involves and how long it will take.
  • Don’t just leave the trader to it but keep popping in on them to check on what they are doing) or delegate the task to someone else if you’re busy).
  • Ask friends, family or other businesses for recommendations – preferably before you ever need to call anyone. Keep the numbers on your phone.
  • Seek out bona-fide trade organisations – most local authority websites have approved trader schemes where you can locate previously vetted Gas Safe engineers.
  • You can also search for reputable tradesmen in England and Wales via the Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors (APHC) and in Scotland and Northern Ireland through SNIPEF.
  • Have the confidence to question or get a second opinion.
  • Check if the tradesman has the right credentials to work on your appliances.

Emergency repairs tend to cost more than your standard callout; the last thing you want is to straddle your business with an opportunist plumber! Take five minutes to think…before you act.

If you’d like further information, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Source: bbc.co.uk – “How to get a decent plumber without going round the U-bend”