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• Washing up liquid
• Glass cleaner
• A lint-free cloth or rag
• A putty knife
• A paper plate
• Acetone

When enjoying your home to the fullest gets hindered by your staircase, getting a stairlift is definitely a great option to put into consideration. If you’re wondering exactly how stairlifts work, then you’ve come to the right place! In this post, we aim to give you a detailed information of stairlifts’ operating process. Let’s take a look!

First and foremost, it’s important to state that all stair lifts possess three main components which includes the rail, the seat as well as the drive system ( also referred to as the carriage which powers the chairlift ). Using a stairlift is pretty easy, all you need to do is sit on the seat, fasten the seatbelt and push the rocker switch located on the seat’s armrest. Once done, this will make the stairlift move smoothly up the rail.

Generally, stair lifts possess a soft start or stop to make sure the chairlift glides gently from the beginning to the end of the staircase. If you want to stop the stair lift, all you have to do is to let go of the rocker switch and the unit will automatically stop moving. After the stair lift has gotten to the end of the staircase, simply pull up a level present on the seat’s side. This will make the stairlift’s seat smoothly swivel 90 degrees and locks itself in place to make for an easy exit. What’s more? Most stairlift’s seat, arms and footrest can be folded when not in use to make sure there’s enough free space along the stairs.

If you’re about to acquire an electrical safety certificate, it’s quite normal to be a bit curious about the length of time the certificate is expected to last for. Well, this is also a bit tricky as the duration is determined by your type of property. In this post, we aim to shed more light into this topic in order to give you a detailed insight and help you make informed decisions moving forward.

As earlier stated, the validity of your electrical safety certificate or report is based on the type of property you own. In event whereby you happen to have tenants living in the property, the electrical safety certificate will last for 5 years or with every change of tenancy, depending on whichever comes first. However, in the event whereby you happen to live in your property, the electrical safety certificate is going to remain valid for 10 years. What’s more? For commercial properties, the electrical safety certificate is also valid for only 5 years. Meanwhile for caravans and swimming pools, the electrical safety certificate possesses a shorter lifespan of just 3 year and 1 year respectively.

The suggested length of validity is only the industry standard. And as such, landlords are not under any legal obligation to get their electrical safety certificate updated at the aforementioned times. According to the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1985, landlords are only required to keep the electrical wiring in proper condition at all times. It does not in any form require landlords to get an electrical safety report or certificate.

One of the primary reasons why you need to get an electrical certificate is that you may not be allowed to show legal proof that the wiring and electrical set up in your property was in the best possible condition in the event of an electrical accident. Several insurance companies will not accept your claims if you’re unable to present the electrical safety certificate.

Yes, your shed does need a base. This is to give it a solid, level foundation. Open soil will not help with the longevity of the shed itself or the contents within. The best materials to use to make your shed base are concrete, natural stone or wood.

How Often Do Flat Roofs Need Replacing?

When a flat roof needs to be replaced is determined by a number of factors which includes the roof’s exposure to the weather, the condition and age of the roofing materials as well as the construction of the roof. However, with proper maintenance and regular inspection, they should be used for nothing less than 50 years. There are some commonly used types of flat roofs which includes Felt flat roof as well as a GRP flat roof.

Felt Flat Roof

The lifespan of a felt flat roof also varies depending on the quality and grade of the felt roof incorporated. This can make the roof last within the range of 2 to 20 years. More often than not, felt flat roofs are usually installed in such a way to keep the costs down which implies the grades of felts that are mostly used are the economical ones implying a very short lifespan.

In the event whereby a premium grade of felt is incorporated in constructing a roof by professional contractors, will be guaranteed by the manufacturer to last between 10 to 20 years.

One of the major causes of a short lifespan in felts is leaks which should be regularly inspected and repaired once identified. If not, the roof will gradually deteriorate and become a lot weaker due to the action of the sun. However, when a felt roof starts to leak, it’s usually a sign that’s approaching the end of its lifespan and a replacement should be taken into account.

GRP Flat Roof

The GRP flat roof or fibreglass flat roof usually comes with a manufacturer’s guarantee of 20 years and is expected to have a lifespan of a minimum of an additional 10 years.

Unlike felt roofs, they’re more resistant to leaks. However, they should also be regularly inspected for leaks which are caused mostly as a result of installation error rather than the GRP roofing approaching the end of its useful life. If the GRP roof repair does not totally resolve the leak, you should start considering a replacement.

Are you trying to choose the perfect air conditioning unit for your home or property? Or perhaps you’re simply trying to figure out if it could be the right climate control option for your house. Regardless of your purpose, determining the amount AC systems cost to run can play a key role in identifying what your best options really are.

Obtaining estimates for the amount your new air conditioning units will cost to run may not be on top of your priority list and even more so if you’re always busy trying to determine the installation price. However, it won’t be the wisest decision to procure a new air conditioning system you can’t afford to use.

There are a lot of factors that determines the cost of running an air conditioning system. However, to give a rough idea of how much it’ll cost to run your new AC system, here’s a cost guide for two of the most popular types of air conditioning - split and multi split units.

For a small room size with an air conditioning output of about 2.5 kW, the cost to run per hour is about £10. Meanwhile,a mid-sized room with an air conditioning output of about 3.5 kW, the cost to run per hour is about £14. And lastly, a large room size with an air conditioning output of about 5 kW, the cost to run per house will be about £20.

In the event whereby you’re eager to fit a new air conditioning system, your best bet for a more accurate quote will be to get in touch with an air conditioning technician who will go through your unique project as well as the price influencing factors to provide a unique price for your project as well as its running cost.

• Don’t buy cheap solar panels – while it might seem tempting, make sure you choose MCS-certified solar panels. Any reputable installer will recommend high quality solar panels, which is another reason to have them professionally installed rather than doing it yourself.
• Ensure that your installer uses non-combustible mounting systems and frames.
• Check your system regularly for signs of pests gnawing through cables.
• Keep your solar panel system regularly maintained with proper testing and servicing carried out as recommended by your installer.
• If something doesn’t look right to you, get in touch with your installer and ask – they should be more than happy to help.

Artex simply refers to a surface coating that’s commonly incorporated for interior decorating. Although it’s usually found on ceilings but it can also be used on the walls as well. The surface coating enables the professional plasterer or decorator add both texture as well as patterns to it. Originally, the name “Artex is the trademark of a UK based company known as Artex Ltd. Over time, the Artex name has been used to refer to all textured coatings, although there are other businesses that manufacture and sell identical products.

You can find Artex on ceilings as well as walls of mainly residential properties. In the 70’s and 80’s, it was pretty much a trend to have either your wall or ceiling ( can be both ) covered with Artex. The surface coating can be incorporated to create raised, textured swirls as well as patterns on ceiling and walls. There are a number of different patterns that can be made using Artex and some of these includes the following: Broken leather, swirl, stipple, fan or shell as well as knifed plaster. It can also provide just a bobbly raised uneven patter appearance from top to bottom.

Artex is main put to use by mainly decorators ( mostly plasterers). This is a skilled job as it’s tedious to create uninformed patterns especially if you don’t know how or where to start. Although the skill of Artex is very much a trade that’s dying rapidly now, but it was pretty much in high demand especially in the 70’s and 80’s. Nowadays, homeowners now prefer smooth plastered finishes over Artex, as they can be easily painted or wallpapered.