February 24th, 2010
We have recently completed an extensive CCTV camera survey project for Portsmouth City Council. Covering a large area around Portsmouth’s historic naval dockyard, our CCTV engineers have conducted over 80 road gully surveys. The aim has been to tag, trace and establish the flow and direction of these drains to enable planning for future development of the area.
Back at our offices, Kevin & Dan have been reviewing each camera survey to log and report on the findings. This has been a comprehensive and interesting project and we thank Portsmouth City Council for approaching Blockbusters to undertake these works.
Posted by kieranpearce
January 22nd, 2010
Guttering is an important part of a building’s weatherproofing system but can build up quickly with debris which restricts the flow of rainwater if not cleared regularly. It is recommended that your gutters are cleaned at least once a year to keep them in good condition and free flowing.
Blockbusters now provide a new revolutionary gutter cleaning service for both commercial and domestic properties.
The GutterVac cleaning system conforms to all the new health and safety regulations and requirements for safe and easy gutter cleaning for gutters up to 16 metres high.
The gutter is cleaned by vacuuming out leaves, sticks, mud, pine needles and other debris that may be clogging gutters and spouts.
- Cost-effective
- Health & Safety Compliant
- Innovative vacuum system
- No scaffolding required
- Gutter-Cam recording and surveying system
- Fast, reliable service
- Scheduled maintenance service
A gutter survey can be carried out using the Gutter-Cam at heights of up to 20 metres to establish the areas of guttering which require cleaning, making cleaning much more quick and efficient. A recording of the survey before and after cleaning can also be made to show the benefit of the GutterVac, this can also be imported to a computer and burned to a DVD for future reference.
The Gutter-Cam survey will, if you wish, record other problems with the building structure that could not otherwise be seen without scaffolding or ladders.
It is recommended that gutters are cleaned on a yearly basis to keep them free of debris, free flowing and in good structural condition, to arrange Gutter Cleaning, or for any further information you require call us on 0800 0689282.
Posted by kieranpearce
January 22nd, 2010
Don’t inherit a drain problem
Most structural surveys for house buyers do not cover underground services or areas covered up. This includes one of the most important essential services…
Your Drains
In order to avoid a problem with your drains, which can be costly to repair and cause severe disruption, we can provide a full pre-purchase Closed Circuit Television Survey to establish the condition of the drainage system.
To arrange your pre-sale survey or for any further information please call us on 0800 0689282.
Posted by kieranpearce
January 22nd, 2010
Don’t wait for your purchase to find problems with your drainage system.
Most purchasers now carry out a Closed Circuit Television Survey of the drains for any house purchase.
Although you may not have suffered any blockages or apparent drainage problems in the past this does not mean that the drain is of a standard required for mortgage lenders.
In the event that problems are discovered, in a lot of circumstances these problems can be rectified via our Claims Management Service, which can avoid costly depreciation of your sale price and delays with the sale
To arrange your pre-sale survey or for any further information please call us on 0800 0689282.
Posted by kieranpearce
January 14th, 2010
Blockbusters Handy Drainage & Plumbing Tips
Blocked drains, sinks or baths can cause nasty odours and can be an environmental and health hazard, so it is important to take necessary precautions to stop blockages from occurring. These simple measures can be taken to prevent or minimize the likelihood of drains blocking, and also include emergency temporary solutions you can use to alleviate problems whilst waiting for professionals to arrive and carry out necessary repairs.
Toilets, Sinks, Showers & Taps
- Regularly remove hairs from plug holes in sink, bath and shower.
- Make sure you turn water off at source before clearing taps by taking them apart.
- If you are removing nice tap fittings, use a thick cloth to protect them from the jaws of the wrench, this will prevent scratches on your fittings.
- If you are taking a tap apart over the sink, make sure you keep the plug in to prevent any useful tools or fittings falling down the plug hole.
- Flush sanitary pipework with disinfectant on a regular basis.
- No not flush disposable items such as nappies, baby wipes, sanitary towels or tissues down the toilet.
- You can use food colouring to test whether your cistern is leaking.
- If your toilet ball float is leaking, unscrew it, empty it, screw it back on and cover it with a plastic bag (please note this is only a temporary solution until the ball float is replaced).
- If you think that your toilet may be leaking, check first to see if the problem is not due to condensation before calling a plumber. Problems with condensation can be simply solved by improving ventilation while bathing/showering.
- A “hammering water pipe” is caused by a build up of pressure within the pipe and can be drastically improved by turning down your water pressure at the stop-cock.
- Before using a plunger, coat the edge of the plunger’s cup with Vaseline (petroleum jelly) to improve suction. A few inches of water in the sink will also help.
- If you are using a plunger to unblock a sink, cover the overflow holes with a damp cloth. This will help build up pressure.
- Do not place foreign objects where they risk falling into the toilet.
- Do not pour fat down sinks (if there is no alternative, mix with very hot water and plenty of detergent).
- If your water pipe has split, wrap torn strips of fabric tightly around the break and place a large saucepan or bucket underneath to catch any drips. This will minimise leaking until a qualified plumber arrives to carry out a proper repair.
Exterior Drainage
- Make sure grid covers are in place and in good condition.
- Keep grid covers clear of leaves and debris.
- Clean gutters and downpipes every 6 months.
- Never put engine oil down a drain (there is a recycling tank located at your local waste disposal site).
Call Blockbusters for some friendly advice:
For further information about any of these points, or to book a free assessment, please contact our friendly team now: 0800 0689282
Alternatively you can enter a message on our blog or contact us page or send us an email on info@blockbusters.co.uk .
We look forward to hearing from you.
Posted by kieranpearce
January 12th, 2010
We will soon add a number of handy drainage tips to help our customers maintain the condition of their drainage systems to prevent repeat blockages and major drain repairs. There will be details on what to do if you have an emergency problem and things you need to be aware of.
Posted by kieranpearce
