CARMEN Plumbing & Heating - Frequently asked questions

CARMEN
Plumbing & Heating

Tel. 01223 655367
Frequently Asked Questions

What is Carbon Monoxide poisoning? Should I have an Alarm?
I can smell gas! What should I do?
Do you offer an emergency service?
Are you CORGI registered?
Are you Gas Safe Registered?
Do you take Credit Cards?
Do you work on oil boilers? Are you OFTEC registered?
Do you work on LPG / Calor gas boilers?
Do you work on Warm Air Heating?
Do you work on Underfloor Heating?
Do you work on LPG/Autogas vehicles?
Will I have to organise my own Building Regulations Notification?
I’ve heard that I am legally required to install a condensing boiler. Is this true?
I’ve heard that the new condensing boilers are unreliable Is this true?
Are you insured?
Do you offer a guarantee?
What are your prices?
Can I get any help with the cost?
Do you do free estimates?
I would like a quotation. What should I do next? .

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I can smell gas! What should I do?
DON’T smoke or strike matches.
DON’T turn electrical switches on or off
DO put out naked flames.
DO open doors and windows.
DO keep people away from the area affected.
DO turn off the meter at the control valve.
The TRANSCO 24-hour gas emergency number is 0800 111 999.

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What is Carbon Monoxide Poisoning? Should I have an Alarm?
Carbon Monoxide is formed when substances such as gas, coal, wood or oil are burned with an insufficient air supply. This can occur when a gas or oil burning appliance such as a cooker, boiler, water-heater or gas fire has been incorrectly installed, has not been serviced regularly or has been damaged or illegally or incorrectly modified. When you breath Carbon Monoxide, the symptoms may seem like flu - drowsiness, weakness, headaches, nausea and chest pains. However, Carbon Monoxide poisoning can kill very quickly as it affects the victim's mental ability before they are even aware that there is a problem.
For more information, click on the following links:
NHS Direct
Department of Health - click here to download a PDF copy of the Department of Health's leaflet about Carbon Monoxide poisoning
Health & Safety Executive
Gas Safe - click here to download a PDF copy of the Gas Safe leaflet about Carbon Monoxide poisoning
Carbon Monoxide Kills website
If you suspect that you, or someone you know may be suffering from Carbon Monoxide poisoning, you should remove them immediately from the contaminated area (this will usually mean leaving the building) and seek medical advice. You should then seek help from a qualified engineer to have the faulty appliance tested and made safe as soon as possible.
If you live within the area which Carmen Plumbing & Heating cover then please call 01223 655367 , but remember, you should act as quickly as possible if you suspect that Carbon Monoxide poisoning has occured.
If you are travelling abroad, and have concerns about this risks of Carbon Monoxide poisoning in your accommodation we would suggest that you purchase a battery powered, audible Carbon Monoxide alarm and take it with you. These are similar to smoke alarms, but will emit an audible alarm when Carbon Monoxide is detected. Make sure you also have new batteries in the correct size for your alarm before you leave. A Carbon Monoxide Alarm can also give you additional peace of mind in your own home.

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Do you offer an emergency service?
Carmen Plumbing & Heating do not offer a 24 hour emergency service. If you call us between 8am and 8pm we will give you a realistic assessment of whether we can help with your emergency, and will respond if we can. Remember that many firms will charge you an emergency call-out rate to attend your breakdown over a weekend, or out of hours, but will not be able to buy parts to help you until their suppliers re-open.

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Are you CORGI registered?
CORGI has been replaced by the Gas Safe Register. For more information click here:
http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/about.aspx

Are you Gas Safe registered?
Yes. CORGI has been replaced by the Gas Safe Register. You can check our registration at:
http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/registersearch/findbusiness.aspx?type=byname&returnurl=http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/Default.aspx

Do you take Credit Cards?
Yes. we can accept payment by Visa, Mastercard, Maestro or Solo.

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Do you work on oil boilers? Are you OFTEC registered?
Yes. We are qualified and registered with the Oil Firing Technicians Association (OFTEC) to work on oil-fired boilers, and our OFTEC number is C5132. You can check our OFTEC registration by entering “Carmen” in the Name Search box on this page: http://www.ofteconline.com/locatecompany.asp

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Do you work on LPG / Calor gas boilers?
Yes. We are qualified and registered with Gas Safe to work on LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) fired boilers. You can confirm this by calling Gas Safe on 0800 408 5500

Do you work on Warm Air heating?
Yes. We are qualified and registered with Gas Safe to work on warm air units. You can confirm this by calling Gas Safe on 0800 408 5500

Do you work on Underfloor Heating?
Yes. This is a very specialised area, and we are experienced in this field

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Do you work on LPG/Autogas vehicles?
No, we don't but we run LPG/Autogas converted vehicles, and we recommend Herts Autogas in Stevenage who give us great service!

Will I have to organise my own Building Regulations Notification?
No! We are qualified and registered with both the Gas Safe and OFTEC 'competent persons' schemes to self-certify our work. You’ll receive a safety certificate (called a Declaration of Safety) confirming that the work done meets the relevant Building Regulations. Keep this certificate in a safe place as it will also form an essential part of the Home Information Pack, to be a legal requirement in England and Wales from 2007. See:
http://www.homeinformationpacks.gov.uk/flash.aspx

I’ve heard that I am legally required to install a condensing boiler. Is this true?
The government introduced legislation which meant that from 1st April 2005, in normal circumstances when you plan to install a new gas boiler, or replace an existing one, you will need a condensing boiler to meet the higher standards for energy efficiency. The new legislation applied to oil-fired boilers from 1st April 2007. There are exceptional situations where exemption from installing a condensing boiler applies. Our engineer will advise you on this when we survey your property and prepare your quotation.

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I’ve heard that the new condensing boilers are unreliable Is this true?
Condensing boilers are not ‘new technology’. They have been around for over fifteen years, and we have experience of installing them for the same amount of time. Carmen Plumbing & Heating will only recommend boilers which we believe meet the highest standards of reliability and maintainability.

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Are you insured?
Yes, Carmen Plumbing & Heating carry £2 million of public liability insurance. If you have a problem with any work which we have carried out, please call us on 01223 655367 as soon as possible and we will attempt to rectify any problems.

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Do you offer a guarantee?
Yes. All our work is guaranteed for at least one year from the invoice and/or completion date (whichever is the later). Many of the items which Carmen Plumbing & Heating install also carry a two, three or even five year guarantee from the manufacturer. If you have a problem with any work which we have carried out, please call us on 01223 655367 as soon as possible and we will attempt to rectify any problems.

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What are your prices?
Please see our Services page for full details.

Can I get help with the cost?
There are some government and other types of grants available. Below are links to some which we know of.

Warm Front is the Government's main grant-funded programme for tackling fuel poverty

Grants and offers on the Energy Saving Trust's website

Do you do free estimates/quotations?
Yes, Carmen Plumbing & Heating will survey your property and prepare a quotation free of charge (except for our Homebuyer’s Report, for which a charge is made). Our quotations are valid for three months from the date of issue. After that time, Carmen Plumbing & Heating would ask you to contact us on 01223 655367, as the price may need to be renegotiated if, for example, the price of materials has increased.

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I would like a quotation. What should I do next?
Call 01223 655367to talk directly to Bob Fryer, our fully qualified Senior Engineer. He will discuss your requirements, and arrange an appointment to survey your property in more detail (if required). A detailed quotation will be prepared and sent to you as soon as possible after his initial visit. If you wish to proceed, call us again to confirm and to agree a date for work to start. If at any time you have any questions, call 01223 655367. Alternatively you can email us at info@carmenltd.co.uk