HOW WE DU IT : OUR BLOG

Unblocking a loo is a horrible, smelly and let's be honest, crxxxy business. To unblock one means putting your hand in, after a few preparatory actions (see below), and pulling all the waste stuff out, not pushing it through. So if you couldn't put your hand in there and have a right ol' rout about, even if you are wearing a military grade Nuclear, Chemical and Biological suit, forget get it. Just go to point 5 and we'll see you soon.

What blocks a loo is putting stuff down one that shouldn't be there - that's anything other than human poo, loo paper and moist wipes designed to go down the toilet bowel. It's this stuff that doesn't get flushed through, builds up and eventually stops the right stuff from flushing away. For anybody who is prepared to have a go unblocking one, here are the tricks of the trade….

1.    Chemical Cleaners are readily available, but stronger liquids can be found in 'hardware' shops. These can be poured into standing water (check label first), but scooping out as much as you can first may help. Follow instructions on the bottle and if all goes well the cause (and consequences) of the blockage will rise to the surface, whereupon you and you Marigold-gloved hand can scoop out all the 'stuff'. However this method isn't free problems. The chemical/water mix creates heat. Too much heat and the ceramic bowl will crack, leaving you with the expense of a new bowl and a filthy mess on your bathroom/loo floor.

2.    A toilet plunger is the next weapon of choice. Similar to the standard sink plunger, the specialist MK2 'toilet' version will have its rubber head designed to create a maximum seal in the toilet. Ultimately you can hire the Mk3 version with pump action designed to pump water around the bowels of the beast to help clear it… in theory anyway.

True Brits don't go in for all this 'Gucci' kit from the 'Yank Special Toilet Unit' pack and use what's to hand, like the SAS (Special Action Sanitation) team do. An old fashioned mop with a mass of strings at one end is ideal. Ram this as far and hard round the U-bend as you can and then pull out as quickly as it went in. With any luck your mop will have caused a vacuum. This will suck out the blockage which you can then transfer to a bucket for alternative disposal (over your neighbour's fence is not advised… unless they're out).

3. A coat hanger can make a cheap and effective method of unblocking your loo. As the wire is flexible it can penetrate far into the blockage, catch the blockage and allowing the whole lot to be pulled out. If you are out of sorts with your spouse, please resist the temptation to leave their shirt/blouse on the coat hanger as this will do nothing for you relationship and could even come off the hanger, adding to the blockage to be removed.

4. An auger is probably your second best bet to clearing the seemingly immoveable blockage. An auger is a flexible wire designed to be pushed into the blockage. Turn the handle (if you've pushed the right end in) at and pull out the blockage. If all goes well, flush the loo a few times (ideally removing the dirty gloves before doing so). And now for the best method of them all…

5. For just {49.99+VAT/£50+VAT DU.IT} will send one of our highly trained (and incredibly fragrant under the circumstances) technicians to do the job for you. Think of it, for a mere{£49.99+VAT/ £50 + VAT}, instead of diving into a bowl full of nastiness, you could be sipping a nice cup of rosy, doing The Times cryptic crossword or discovering the existence and nature of the Higgs Boson using just a salad spinner rather CERNS 27km ring. Sound great doesn't it?

All you need to is call us on 0800 612 9593 or make contact via this website and our nice peeps will restore toilet harmony for just {£49.99+VAT/ £50 + VAT}. With an offer like that we should clean up nicely, if not come up smelling of roses.

If are unfortunate enough to have suffered damage to your property, whether by a leak, fire, frost or weather damage, it is likely that your buildings insurance will cover the damage (less any excess).

For leaks, the insurer will normally pay for trace and access, but not fixing the actual source of the leak. However, damage caused by the leak is normally covered.

Whilst the insurer may try to push their preferred supplier on you, you do not have to use them.

From personal experience, I have found the insurers' contractors can be very useful for the initial boarding up trace and access etc, especially out of hours. However, because they believe they are guaranteed to get the work, what follows is often not great service.

Trying to get an appointment that suits you is difficult. Then, because they want to keep the insurer happy they often under specify the work.

For example, following a break in, my front door was kicked down. This broke the door and the door frame, which also ripped away from the stud walling and caused a large crack in the plaster and moved the stud work.

The insurer's contractor sent an estimator who could only deal with fixing the frame and fitting a new door. Next we received calls trying to book that work in. Even though they had not drawn up the correct specification and their work would all be undone when the walls are repaired.

Luckily you don't have to use the insurer's preferred contractor.

Get two quotes yourself from contractors you trust. The insurance company might want an assessor to check that the work needs doing, but that is it.

You get work done by people you trust and time that suit you.

You don't need to hear the 'drip, drip, drip' of H20 into an old saucepan to know your home is leaking water. Just listen to the high-pitched hum of your water meter - if you have one - furiously spinning round like a furious, spinning thing on a particularly furious day. That's the sound of your money going down the drain. Here our fiendish five money munchers:

1. Frozen pipes… defrosting: Water is the only liquid that expands when it changes from a liquid to a solid, so when it freezes in your pipes the pipe will of split. At this point the cunning ice will act like a plug so the pipe won't leak. It's only when it thaws that you either a) glad you're good at this stuff and can fix it DIY; or b)PHONE A PLUMBER BEFORE EVERYODY ELSE DOES!

2. Your old toilet, if it is indeed old, could be the biggest water waster in your home. After 1992 all homes were given a lovely eco-friendly, kind to squirrels, 1.6 gallon flush. You'll probably have noticed some toilets even give you the option of a bigger flush for bigger jobs, or a smaller flush for wee ones (if you'll excuse both puns). Look on the date stamp under the cistern lid or at its back to discover its age.

3. Your washing machine is the next wicked water waster. The most energy efficient machines can cost up to 70% less to run per year than a cheap inefficient one. |

Have no nightmares on its account. Those nice peeps in Brussels have made an EU law that ensures every machine has an efficiency rating from G to A. G is about as energy efficient as a square wheel on a Ferrari that badly needs a service. A grade ones aren't perpetual motion machines but in this market, they're about as close as you can get - unless it's got an A+ or A++ or even A+++ or more, every plus shows it's more efficient.

4. Leaky taps are easy to spot. They make a really irritating 'drip, drip, drip' sound. Look also for water accumulating around the bottom of the tap where it disappears into the sink unit - a sure of your toilet as the biggest domestic water waster. In fact up to 15% of water wastage could come from the machine keeping your clothes clean. So when you buy a new one ask the salesperson about water efficient machines - he'll bore you rigid with info. But what you need to know is this|:sign of leakage. Fixing may take just a bit white tap round the thread and/or a washer. Or it might not. So you'll need a nice set of new trendy taps. Your friendly local plumber will tell you which.

5. Write to that nice Mr Cameron. He's very keen on 'austerity measures' so ask him to take an austerity measure to the UK national water grid's annual leakage. Even Ofwat couldn't put an actual figure on it, so maybe shoving a meter on the national grid(s) like the one companies are putting on our homes would help. So next time there's a hosepipe ban think on this; the industry pumps out 17 billion litres of clean water each day; we consume 16 billion litres per day. What's happened to the other billion litres? We asked Ofwat. They didn't know but they did know us consumers were only responsible for 30% of the loss. Reassuringly, they also had targets for the 14 odd water companies to save each, calculated in 'megalitres', that's one billion litres, each day. All of which in makes it the biggest water leak off all.

Gas Safe = safe gas

We know we like to talk a lot but this is a bit different. We are pleased to announce a new member of the DU.IT team.

Gandarus has over 10 years practical experience of plumbing and heating dealing with everything from simple plumbing solutions, including new kitchens and bathrooms, to boiler servicing, repairs and installations to maintaining communal heating systems in blocks of flats.

Saniflow to backflow, safe gas by a Gas Safe company.

The flushing ceramic toilet is 100 years old in 2013 (give or take the odd decade) and, with the possible exception of the TV remote control, has done more to improve our quality of life than any other invention. Which means when it goes wrong and mentions of 'ballcock' (no sniggering at the back please), 'inlet valves' and 'flushing plate' fill your head, you're going to wish you knew a lot more about Thomas Crapper's gift to humanity. And if that doesn't convince you, dear reader, to carry on reading this bog blog, then you can call me Susan….

1. The cistern: This is the big bit your back is against when seated. Inside lie most of the loo's mysteries, but the most important of which is the water which flushes the loo when the handle is turned, button pushed, or for the v. traditional, the chain is pulled.
2. The ballcock: Now known as the float (mainly due to all that sniggering at the back), this is an air-filled, ball-shaped object in the cistern. This is connected to the inlet valve via an arm or rod. As the water rises, the float 'floats', leading the inlet to close and so no more water enters the cistern.
3. The ballcock (pt.2): Flush the loo and the perforated flushing plate and flap valve are lifted, magic occurs and the water is allowed to 'flush' through a hole revealed by the lifting of the flushing plate and flap valve, and so your loo is flushed.
4. As the water level in the cistern falls, the float lowers with water level. When fully drained of water, the float is so low, the rod to which it is connected fully opens the inlet valve until the right amount of water rushes in. The ballcock rises and when the right of water has entered, the ballcock will have risen to the level where connecting rod closes the inlet valve and water ceases to come in. Good ol' ballcock!
5. Overflow pipe: Should disaster happen, such as a punctured ballcock which can't float and therefore will not close the inlet valve, never fear. In the cistern is an overflow pipe. Should the water level rise too high, it 'overflows' into this pipe and drains safely away.
6. The telephone: Keep one handy if your day job isn't a plumber- if any of the above goes ga-ga you'll probably need one