This month, Anastasia from Ealing asks… Dear Samuele, I’d like to earn a little extra income renting out the spare bedroom in my house. Is there anything I need to consider regarding gas safety legislation? Kind regards, Anastasia with the spare bedroom Samuele says: Ciao, Anastasia! And grazie mille for your question. Well done for carefully considering this important issue. Even though you are just renting out one room, you will still need a Landlord Read More…
It saddens me that many of the plumbing problems we get called to deal with, should never have happened in the first place. Fitting out a kitchen or bathroom is never a cheap task, and it’s easy to see why many people choose less expensive alternatives when buying things like taps, boilers or shower equipment. But the truth is, there are a lot of very cheap Chinese products out there that look the part, but Read More…
Myself and the team, have – thankfully – had very little to worry about during this awful pandemic. Work’s generally been fine. Everyone’s healthy, and things actually look good for the future – mainly thanks to our amazing customers. But at the same time, I have to admit, I was starting to feel pretty burned out. The uncertainty of things in the early days of the virus, along with the usual family worries, and the difficulties of running a local plumbing and heating business – Read More…
This month, Philip from Acton asks… Dear Samuele, I’ve noticed that my radiator leaks occasionally. It doesn’t seem to affect the heat it gives out, so I was wondering, if it will just stop leaking all by itself? Best wishes, Philip with a leaky rad Samuele says: Ciao, Philip! And grazie mille for your question. You’re right. Very often a small leak in a radiator does little to affect the temperature it puts out. You Read More…
I don’t know about you, but this outrageously hot weather really does seem to add an unnecessary pressure to my day-to-day life. Not just with work, but with the normal stuff, like doing the weekly shop, picking up my daughter from school, or generally making small talk with the neighbours. It’s like living in a sauna, 24/7. With the temperature soaring, and very little rain to cool down the air, it just seems like everything becomes that much harder. So, it got me thinking – pressure can sometimes be Read More…
It was just a routine radiator bleed. Nothing too complex. Luigi had already endured a tough morning, servicing a 1970s’ combi boiler, so we thought it was only fair he attends something a little less taxing. We happily allocated him the job, and he set off, hopeful that his day was about to getbetter. The customer, Mr Penn, is a charming individual with a passion for good food and fine wine. With great warmth, he greeted Luigi, offered Read More…
This month, Janette from Chiswick asks… Dear Samuele, I have a hot water cylinder installed in my home, but the water that comes from my taps is so hot, I’m terrified my little one could accidentally scald himself. Why is it so hot, and how can I lower the temperature and still keep the hot water cylinder and its benefits? Yours sincerely, Janette and the little one Samuele says: Ciao, Janette! And grazie for your Read More…
![Shutterstock 449575540 [city]](https://theitalianplumber.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/shutterstock_449575540-150x150.jpg)
It was a rainy Monday morning. Our schedule for the days ahead could have been busier, and one of our vans was off the road and in for repair. It certainly wasn’t the best start to the week. Quite gloomy, in fact. Then the phone rang. It was Albert. A truly lovely gentleman: charming, humble, always dapperly dressed, and neverendingly cheerful. He sometimes has trouble hearing, so often wears a hearing aid. Albert is a Read More…
Buying or selling a house? You might want to call a Plumbing Inspector. When I decided to resurrect this blog, I didn’t just want to roll out the usual tips like, ‘how to change a washer’, or ‘why install a combi boiler?’. Not that there’s anything wrong with these handy bite-sized guides – they are genuinely useful things to write about. Instead, I thought the best way to bring value to my readers was to Read More…
Tip of the Month Here I am, enjoying my evening bubble bath at the end of a hard day. Apart from making me feel relaxed and clean, it gives me the perfect opportunity to pretend I have hair. I can create any style I like, as long as it’s a perm. But if, like me, you live in a hard water area, those bubbles aren’t as bubbly as they could be. In fact, it is Read More…