Keeping Warm in Camberley this Winter

It is the time of the year to get ready for the winter and

the time of year when the boiler decides not to work just as you need it to

spring into life!  Last year we needed to

replace our gas boiler and so were able to stay beautifully warm when the snow

came in January – in October the year before it was however a different and

very much colder story – one that made me long for a warm towel on the towel

rail in the morning.  So who do you

recommend to check out your boiler, fix your pipes and give advice on keeping

the house warm?  If you have any good

local recommendations we would love to hear them!

In the meantime there are a variety of organisations and

websites that you can go to for help and advice.

GAS SAFETY

The Gas Safe Register is the official body for gas safety in

the UK

and any gas engineer who does work on your property must by law be on the

Register.  Twenty one million of us use

gas to heat our homes, cook our food and heat our water and we should get our

gas appliances checked annually to make sure that they are working safely.  The Gas Safety Register has taken over from

CORGI (Council for Registered Gas Installers) as the official registration

body, a change that took place in April 2009, but one that some of us may not

be aware of.  So to be up to date, check

the Gas Safe Register to find a qualified gas engineer, but also make sure that

the engineer is qualified to work on your appliance – not all engineers are

qualified to carry out all types of gas work. 

You can check whether a gas engineer or business is qualified online.

All Gas Safe engineers carry a Gas Safe Register ID card.

  

INSULATION

More than 50% of the heat lost in a typical home escapes

through the walls or the roof, so it pays to insulate.  The Energy Saving Trust website has details

about insulating you home and a search engine (powered by the National

Insulation Association) to find an installer in the local area.  The site gives advice about cavity wall

insulation, solid wall insulation, floor insulation, loft insulation, tank and

pipe insulation and double glazing.  For

more information look at the Directgov page on Insulation and heating, which

also gives advice on how to get financial help to make your home more energy

efficient.  If you are on certain

benefits, you may be eligible for a Warm Front grant.

PLUMBING

If the weather does turn bitterly cold and we have snow like

we did at the beginning of this year and a pipe bursts where do you go for a

reputable plumber?  Surrey County Council

has a link to the Buy With Confidence website, which lists businesses that have

been vetted and approved by Surrey County Council’s Trading Standards to ensure

that they operate in a legal, honest and fair way.  The Buy With Confidence scheme covers the

whole of Surrey and is also supported by other

councils in the South of England. 

Images from Flickr - Ashley R. Good, Noel Feans and Kasia and Mike