A process called soldering is used in plumbing out to connect pipes and joints together. It works by melting soft metal solder over a joint with a direct heat source like a blowlamp. When completed, these joints are waterproof and permanent. They are very common joints. Brixton Plumbers can use both types of soldering.NOTE: Wipe any residual flux away from the pipe after soldering is completed, or the pipe will turn a green colour, denoting corrosion. Make sure there are no leaks. Hot and Cold water supplies must be Lead Free soldered.Two Types:A). Solder Ring Fittings (contains ring of solder).B). End feed fittings (on a reel).Soldering:1). Make sure the pipe to solder contains no water as this gives a cooling affect that slows down or stops the soldering, therefore the solder does not melt and flow. A professional plumber like a Brixton Plumber is qualified in all types of pipe jointing. Next, apply the direct heat to the joint to melt the solder. Solder should be used the moment that it has melted so as not to burn the flux. If soldered fittings are used, you will see the solder as it runs from the fitting. Allow the joint to cool down after it has been soldered as this will guarantee a good fit.Care and caution needs to be taken so that there are no combustible materials in the vicinity of the heat source because of the fire risk.Footnote:The mating surfaces of the items to be soldered should be cleaned inside and outside with wire wool or nylon cleaning pad. Now, put a suitable flux onto the clean surfaces. The (flux) is a specific type of paste, available in plumbers merchants and is used to keep the areas clean when the soldering, it also allows the hot molten solder to stick to the copper and flow a lot easier.

When choosing a shower system for your home, you need to find the best and most compatible one for you, and will fit your plumbing. If your system is fed by gravity there will be a hot water cylinder and a cold water storage cistern in your loft space your options are: a mixer shower with or without a pump, power shower or an electric shower. Brixton Plumbers can fit showers. If your system uses a combination boiler or the cold water is fed straight from the mains you may only fit a mixer shower or an electric shower, you can’t attach a pump to a combination boiler or mains supply.Shower Selection:Power Shower:The power shower operates the same as a thermostatic mixer shower, with one big difference, it comes with a built-in electrical pump so it can boost at the ware flow rate. It is an good choice if your water pressure is low in your home but this pump is will only work with a gravity fed system.Electric Shower:The electric showers operation is like a kettle, it only needs a cold water supply. This is heated by elements in the shower unit. If the kilowatt rating is high, then, the power developed by the shower is high also, though the strength of its spray might wane in winter as the incoming cold mains water takes longer to heat. A Brixton Plumber is qualified to fit all showers and their plumbing.Basic Mixer:The basic mixer shower is cheap and easy to fit with no new plumbing or electrical connections. The hot and cold water is controlled simply by turning on the bath taps. It is hard to achieve the temperature you want, and the temperature changes if another appliance uses water at the same time.Thermostatic Mixer:With this, you program the temperature with a manual controller and the thermostat cycles the temperature within 2C even if water is drawn from somewhere else in the home. It can be fitted over a bath or in its own separate cubicle. If you have a gravity-fed water system you can fit a booster pump.

Sometimes the radiators in your heating system will be plagued by trapped air inside, that can find its way into a system after maintenance or even a new radiator fit. This causes the radiator or radiators to remain cold in various parts as the hot water cannot pass the air inside. To get rid of the air you need to bleed it away. A Brixton Plumber is always a call away and can carry out such work if you are unsure, and will ensure the work is done correctly.Process:1). Isolate the central heating pump. This can be done by shutting the spindle operated isolating valves on each side of the pump. You can isolate the boiler, however it is not really required. 2). Identify the bleed valve on the radiator. You should find it on one of its top corners, it a square nut in the centre of the round blanking plug. You need the right bleed key to fit the shank. Professional installers such as Brixton Plumbers have these. 3). Using the key turn the nut anticlockwise for a 1/4 turn. You should not need any more, but, do have a vessel handy to catch any water, in case you open it too far. Note: There is no need to open this valve completely. 4). The air will give a hissing sound as it is released. Keeping the key bleed on the shank, wait until the hissing stops and water appears, then, close the valve tightly.5). Should no water or air be seen or heard when you bleed the radiator, you need to check the feed and expansion tank in the loft. If full of water, then the radiator valve itself could have a blockage. 6). Close the inlet and outlet valve on both ends of the radiator. Remove the screw from the middle of the bleed valve. Use some thin wire to clear the hole, now, re-open one of the radiator valves slowly and eject some water. Close the radiator valve and relocate the screw back in the bleed valve. Open both radiator valves and retry.

Below is a fitting guide for the valve and rail of a thermostatic mixer shower:Tools:Adjustable spanner, pencil, cable detector, electric drill and masonry bits, spirit level.This rail needs be set high enough so that it can be used by the tallest user in the home comfortably, but not that low that the showerhead dangles less than 25mm from the spillover level of the shower tray or bath, or nearby basin. This will cause a risk of something called back-siphonage of used water into your domestic supply. Brixton Plumbers know about water supplies. Seal the hole around each inlet pipe with sanitary silicon sealant. Flush out the pipework by briefly turning on the hot and cold water supply. Then, before attaching the pipework trims, fit a coupler on each pipe and fit the thermostatic mixer valve using an adjustable spanner. Turn on the hot and cold water to check for leaks. If ok, turn off the water again and remove the mixer, fit the chrome pipework trims and refit the mixer valve. Fit the lever and holder to the slide rail. Hold the brackets on the ends of the rail and mark the position of the fixing hole for the lowest one. Make sure that there are no hidden pipes cables with a detector, then drill where you have marked the position of the lower bracket. Insert a wall plug and squeeze onto it a spot of sanitary silicon sealant. Remove the slider rail from the brackets and fix the bottom bracket to the bottom hole using the screw supplied. A Brixton Plumber can fit rails. To find the position of the top fixing hole place the rail back onto the bottom bracket. Put the other mounting bracket onto the top of the rail. Use a spirit level to check it is vertical and mark the top fixing hole on the wall. Remove the rail and drill and plug the wall as before. Screw the top bracket in with the rail in place. Finally, fit the bracket covers onto the top and bottom brackets.

Boiler control systems will cause many problems if they fail or develop faults. A visual check of your thermostats, programmers and timers switches and radiator valves is a sometime good idea, but dont try to do any technical service or repairs on the heating system on your own as there are skilled professionals such as Brixton Plumbers who will make sure your boiler and heating system is maintained and serviced properly as part of their comprehensive service. Thermostats:After being fitted for a long period the boilers thermostat may lose its accuracy and not read temperature settings accurately and then switch the heat on/off at the wrong times. A Programmable thermostat can cut a heating bill by 10-20%. A gas boiler engineer such a Brixton Plumber will clean and recalibrate your old thermostat, it may be an idea for him fit a new one. Hot Water and Heating:Hot water and heating are controlled by the timed /off/ constant switches fitted to your boiler. Check that the LCD display is reading accurately.Radiator No Heat Problem:If on your radiators you have thermostatic valves, try turning up the thermostat. If you have a conventional lock-shield valve, take off the plastic cover and adjust the setting. Should nothing happen after you’ve adjusted the settings, you have a fault with your radiator valve and will need to call a Gas Safe registered professional to drain the system and replace it. Boiler Condensate:A pipe is fitted to a boiler that takes any condensation from the boiler to the outside drain. If the weather is very cold, this condensation freezes and causes a block or a backing up that stops the boiler. The indication that this pipe is probably frozen is on your boiler’s display with a ‘fault code’ or warning light, even, gurgling or bubbling sounds from the boiler.

Plumb the drain lines to the manufacturers specifications. If you do not have experience installing a bidet, call a professional like Brixton Plumbers for this job. Apply some plumbers type putty onto the base of the bidet tap, and then place the tap body into the mounting holes. Thread the washers and locknut onto the tap body shank and tighten by hand. Place a roll of plumbers putty under the drain flange. Insert the flange in the drain hole, fit the gasket and washer, and then thread the nut onto the flange. Do not fully tighten. Fit the pop-up drain apparatus following the manufacturers diagram. Place the bidet in its final position. Check alignment. Mark the locations of the two side-mounting holes through the drilled holes on the stool and onto the floor. Remove the bidet and drill 3?16″ pilot holes through the marks on the floor. Push the floor bolts (included with the bidet basin) into the holes. Position the bidet so the floor bolts fit into the bolt holes in the base. Connect the water supply back up to the tap on the bidet using compression unions. Make sure to fit the hot/cold supplies to the correct ports on the bidet. Connect the drain line by attaching the P-trap to the drain tailpiece. The trap is then attached to a branch drain line coming out of the wall or floor in the same manner as a sink drain. Of course you may need a professional like a Brixton Plumber to ensure the job is done to the current regulations.Take out the aerator so any objects in the supply line will clear and then switch on the supply. Check for leaks in all the lines. Assemble the bolt caps and thread them onto the floor bolts. Note: Do not dispose of any objects in the bidet.

Instead of running a pipe, a good idea is to bend the pipe. The simplest equipment for this job is a bending spring. This is quickly mastered with a little practice. Professionals services such as Brixton Plumbers will use a pipe bender and these are readily available from hire shops. Measuring a length of pipe and marking multiple bends can be a little tricky. Take your time and make one bend at a time. After each one has been carried out, offer the pipe into position and mark the next. If, as is sometimes the case, you simply cant get the pipe into position for marking, you have two options. You can make several shorter pieces of pipe with less bends on each section, and join each length with a straight connection, or carefully mark out the pipe run against the wall and measure each bend, noting of the angle and position before transferring the measurements. A pipe bending spring can also be used. Insert the spring into the pipe so that it spans evenly through the area to be bent. Lubricate with Vaseline if the fit is tight. If its still too tight, make sure youve got the right spring? A spring for the old 1/2″ pipes will simply not fit the metric 15mm equivalent so dont force it. With the spring in place, bend the pipe to the appropriate angle by pulling both ends around your knee. Do so gently though and avoid bending it too far. Even with a spring inside, excessive bending will cause the pipe wall to collapse. Always connect a piece of string to the spring to retrieve it when completed. Dedicated Pipe Benders can make life a lot easier on your knees and are essential when bending pipes larger than 15mm. Professionals such as a Brixton Plumber carry this equipment as standard. Place the pipe in the appropriate size rounded channel. Fit the grooved straight block on the outer edge. Use the lever handles to apply pressure against the straight block. Now continue levering so that it gradually draws the pipe around the circular block, bending the pipe as it goes. Bend to the desired angle then release the handles. Job done.

High Level WC Cistern.1). Is the old-fashioned type that fixes (above head height, with a long downpipe and chain operated flush. This type is ideal of your restoring pre-1950s property. Reproduction and antique designs are readily available. Make sure that there is enough ceiling height to accommodate it. Brixton Plumbers can fit any WC.Low Level WC Cistern.2). Low-level WC systems are the most common type. They are usually made of ceramic and fixed on brackets with a short downpipe and a lever operated flush.Slimline WC Cistern.3). A slimline WC cistern is a slender plastic system screwed directly to the wall, with a short downpipe and a lever or knob operated flush, it is a good option if you are short of space and money. It is fragile in the sense that its structural integrity relies on the lid being correctly fitted. Slimline systems are not suitable for toilets that will get a lot of rough usage.Close Linked WC Cistern.4). Closed linked WC system is designed so that the pan and cistern are closely linked as a single feature. It is made in ceramic, with no visible downpipe, and the U bends or traps are part of the form. It can be tricky to fit, so it is not a good idea if you are a nervous plumbing novice.Concealed WC Cistern.5). Concealed WC cisterns are made in ceramic, plastic or metal, and designed to be completely hidden from view behind a panel. The downside is that the panel has to be easily removable, so that the system can be maintained, this is undesirable if you want to tile the bathroom.Wash Down WC Pan.6). The wash down WC pan is a traditional design that we all recognise and has the waste pipe running back through the wall or down through the floor. It is a good, low cost, easy to fit option, but you must make sure that you get a WC pan that has back through the wall down through the floor design to match the original. A Brixton Plumber knows this model.

Installing a vanity cabinet and sink is an excellent way to get more storage and countertop space out of your bathroom. Keep in mind your storage needs, size requirements/limitations, and personal tastes when making you selection and consider asking professional advice from companys such as Brixton Plumbers . The water lines should have caps soldered or glued and you’ll need to cut them off once the vanity is set. Measure the water and?drain line locations on the wall. Transpose them to the back of the vanity and cut holes out for them. Cut the vanity’s sink opening if it isn’t already. Set the vanity over the lines and against the wall. Check that the cabinet is setting level/square and secure it in place.Connecting Vanity SinkFollowing manufacturer instructions, connect the spout, water valves and handles to the sink. Link the supply tee and hose assembly to the spout. Our sink had braided steel lines that we looped to the valves and fastened them with coupling nuts. Attach the water supply lines to the valves if possible, to avoid reaching up under the sink later. Apply plumber’s putty (carried by any Brixton Plumber ) around the drain fitting to form a seal and seat the fitting in the drain hole. Add a washer and slip nut on the bottom and tighten the fitting.?Screw on the drain stopper coupling and its gasket so it lines up with the back of the sink. Feed the stopper’s slip arm through the sink?and connect it to the stopper coupling. Push the stopper fully open and tighten the arm down. Flip the sink upright and set it in the cabinet. Remove any rag or cap plugging the drain stub. Glue a threaded adapter coupling onto the drain stub. Fit the trap and screw it to the adapter and sink drain. Tighten the sink water lines to their shut-off valves. Slowly open a shut-off, check for leaks, then check the other line. Fill the sink, check for leaks around the drain, then drain the water and check the waste line joints. This will also put water in the trap to stop sewer gases. Caulk around the rim of the sink to seal out water and to finish off the sink installation.

After installing a central-heating system the system and its associated pipework should be flushed with water to get rid of debris and flux that can be left behind during the installation. This debris if left in the system can cause corrosion or damage to the valves and more importantly the pump. Professionals like Brixton Plumbers will carry out this work as standard. In order to protect the pump whilst the cleaning routine is carried out it’s best to remove it, maintaining system integrity with a length of pipe. Once this is carried out and the pump is replaced it is much easier to turn the pump impeller with a screwdriver before running the system after flushing, in order to make sure it’s clear and free to turn. If you can feel resistance, drain the system and remove the motor again, then clean and refit the impeller if required. Carried out by a Brixton Plumber as part of their service, a full descaling and cleansing regime can be employed if your system is old or badly corroded. A harsh cleaner or descaler could expose minor leaks sealed by corrosion so use a mild cleanser, introduced into the system via the feed-and expansion tank or into a radiator via the bleed valve. Manufacturers’ instructions vary, but in principle run the cleanser through the system for a week, with the boiler set to a fairly high temperature. Afterwards, turn off and drain the system, then refill and drain it several times if possible, using a hose to run mains-pressure water through the system while draining it. Some cleansers must be neutralized before you can add a corrosion inhibitor. If your boiler is making loud banging noises, treat it and the immediate pipe work with a fairly powerful descaler, running the hot water program only. Of course at any point if you are not confident, call a professional.