ARE DANGEROUS. ALWAYS ASK BEFORE DOING ANYTHING

1.      My kitchen light flickers – depending on the fitting you may need a new starter or tube or a complete replacement

2.      One of my sockets looks burnt – report to us straightaway as there may be a fire risk although you should be protected

3.      My light will not switch on – the switch may be broken, you may need a new bulb. Firstly, replace the bulb. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REPLACE A TUBE

4.      One of my sockets is cracked – let us know as it needs replacing

5.      The trip on the consumer unit will not stay up - the consumer unit is there to protect you. A fault may have developed in your system but the more likely answer is you have a faulty piece of equipment. Give us a call and we can talk you through what to do or if necessary pay a visit.

This is a subject that is much mis-understood. Condensation is often reported as wet coming into the property.

1.      Wet –

a.      wet will enter the building through a defective door, window or other opening. A seal may have failed. Report the issue.

b.     Wet can enter the building by rising up the inside of walls from the outside – this is rising damp and is a structural failure typically occurring in properties 50 years or more of age. Rising damp cannot go any higher than about 1.1m

2.      Condensation and mould –

Condensation occurs where warm, moist air meets a cool/cold surface. Typically, you will see water/condensation running down windows and mirrors and in some cases walls. Sources of warm moist air: -

a.      Breathing

b.     Drying wet clothes

c.      Cooking – boiling in particular

d.     Glazing and room orientation

The answer is easy to write/say but difficult in practice to carry out. The solution lies in the balance between heating and ventilation. You cannot stop breathing but reducing boiling and minimising drying clothes inside will help.

Keeping your property warm and ventilated will help as well although it is appreciated electricity and gas are expensive. Most modern windows have a secondary closure that lets the room vent without compromising security. Open the trickle vents normally found at the top of windows. Do no turn off the bathroom/kitchen extractor fan as it has an overrun which removes surplus warm air and odours.

Mechanical assistance such as windows vacuums and dehumidifiers assist with removing condensation but are not solutions in themselves. We are happy to advise.

Condensation likes places where the air is still – corners of rooms, behind the settee – try to keep these areas so air may pass around the whole room. Mould will thrive in these areas also. The typical sign of lack of air circulation is a triangular shape of mould in the corner of the room.

During the cooler months it is very tempting to ‘seal every gap’ including trickle vents in windows. This prevents air circulation and promotes condensation. Do not do it.

1.      My tap drips all the time – you may need a new washer or new tap

2.      My toilet runs with water – a number of toilets have internal overflows. Leaving the water running is costing you money.  

3.      My tap is loose - typically this will be the kitchen sink tap. The tap needs to be tightened underneath

4.      I have noticed under the sink is wet – probably a joint is slightly loose and requires tightening

a.      Basins, baths and sink can get blocked not only by solid material such as ear buds passing down the drain but also by regular use of hair conditioner or gel. If you have tried using a proprietary drain unblocker and it has not worked, you will need to report to us.

b.     Toilets block normally because there is a blockage in the building or using too much toilet paper before flushing. The only thing that goes down the toilet other than 1s and 2s should be toilet paper. You know when a toilet is blocking when the water rises on flushing.

If you do have mould growing, it’s good to clean it off straight away to minimise any health risk, but you also need to fix the underlying problem to stop it coming back.

If you don’t have any leaks or rising damp issues, then the problem is almost certainly condensation.

Condensation occurs when warm, moist air, hits and condenses onto a cold surface.

There are several things you can do to help avoid problems in the future:

• Reduce the amount of moisture produced in the first place by keeping lids on pans when cooking, drying clothes outside when possible, and if you use a tumble dryer, making sure it’s vented to the outside.

• Ventilate so the moist air leaves the house – always use the extractor fan when you’re cooking, showering or bathing, leave any window vents open, and don’t block off any other vents.

• Make sure air can circulate by leaving gaps between furniture and the wall.

You can clean off mould from most surfaces if caught quickly and managed well.

1.      My boiler will not start and has an error code - the internal pressure of the boiler may be too low and require re-pressuring. Report the issue.

2.      I do not have any hot water – the immersion heater (sometimes referred to as the boiler) may require replacing or more commonly the thermostat has failed. The latter is a quick job to do so please report the issue

Any water leak needs to be addressed as soon as possible so damage is minimised.

Leaks can come from many places including pipes, roof, adjoining property, doors, windows and gutters.

If you think the leak is coming from a pipe inside the property, turn off your water at the stop cock IMMEDIATELY.

If you think the leak if coming from a neighbouring property, attempt to contact them and get them to turn their water off IMMEDIATLEY.

Use a bucket, pot or other vessel to collect dripping water from affecting more surfaces. Old towels or sheets can also be used to help mop up water if it cannot be collected easily.

Let Hurston know as soon at the leak has occurred and the above has been completed so we can tell you what steps to take next.

Losing your front door key or fob is not ideal but sometimes it does happen for various reasons.

Hurston may have a spare key for your property and if a replacement is needed you may be charged a small replacement charge.

Fob replacements are charged at £25 each.

If you change need to change the lock on your property please let Hurston aware.

This may be the start of a blockage. Report the issue

On installation a shower head was provided. Changing the shower head can affect the way the shower functions. The most likely answer is dirt or an obstruction in the shower head and shower unit.

Firstly, unscrew the shower head and thoroughly clean it. If the problem persists, give us a call

You may have been supplied with a cooker, fridge, fridge/freezer, washer/washer dryer. Unfortunately, the quality of modern appliances is such repairs are much more prevalent. Contact us as soon as possible so we may instruct our suppliers to obtain spare parts.