How the plumbing and heating industry is evolving

All industries in the UK are continually evolving. Technology is accelerating and growing at an incredible rate. And as it gets better, we can come up with more solutions to ease the common problems we experience. 

We’re in the middle of a technology revolution which is making our lives more convenient. And, as an added bonus, it’s making our bills cheaper! Here are some of the best innovations and what they can do for you.

Smart showers

Smart homes are becoming more popular. Companies like Samsung make it their business to boost innovation in heating across home appliances. But an interesting one is the smart shower. 

These come with fun features like voice control, digitally accurate and reliable temperature settings, and safety features for all members of the family. Some even have Bluetooth speakers built into the showerhead so the water doesn’t drown out your favourite tunes.

Heat pump innovation

Traditional methods of heating aren’t perfect. They release carbon which contributes to climate change. Heat pumps aren’t a new invention, but they’re definitely becoming stronger and more effective. 

They’re the most energy-efficient model for heating and cooling, but not always the most practical. Sometimes, extreme temperatures can render heat pumps ineffective. New generations of heat pumps are now equipped with the ability to handle extremes in temperature, drawing heat from dual sources like the air and ground to heat homes. If the UK wants to reach the Net Zero 2050 target, households need to reduce their emissions by 95%. Installing heat pumps could bring the UK closer to this goal. 

Condensate insulation

Frozen condensate in pipes is both a very simple problem to solve with the right equipment, yet incredibly common in the winter. You could unfreeze the pipe using your kettle. But the simpler solution is to insulate the pipes to prevent freezing in the first place.

In the past, pipe insulation has been messy, often using zip ties to attach bulky insulation to pipes, giving it an unprofessional finish. 

There are better tools and pre-insulated pipes out there that solve condensate-related issues. These pipes come with UV- and weather-resistant insulation pre-attached, in handy kits with all the parts you need for a quick condensate pipe installation or upgrade. They also provide all the extras you need to make sure it’s a high-quality job. 

The size of an idea isn’t what matters; it’s the impact which is important. These three innovations are just a few examples of the developments keeping the plumbing and heating industry on its toes and heading in the right direction. It’s exciting to see what comes next!

Condensate Pro has the perfect condensate pipe insulation for you. You can invest in our products or tools on our website. See how our condensate kits and tools can save you time and money, and give you the space to focus on what matters most - delivering the best customer experience.

Two essential tips for starting your own plumbing and heating business

There are around 120,000 registered plumbing and heating engineers in the UK, and a large portion of them are self-employed. You would think the high level of competition would put people off starting their own plumbing and heating company. However, in the UK, we rely on keeping the hot water pumping through our homes so we’re always looking for great plumbers. 

Sometimes, it can seem like even with all the choices, it’s hard to find a plumber that does a great, professional job, for an affordable price. So you might think, hey, why can’t this be you? Well, it can be. But like when starting any business, there will always be a few bumps in the road.

Find your niche

The heating and plumbing industry is broad. If you’re just starting out, you might be tempted to apply all your knowledge of plumbing and do everything all at once. But getting ahead of yourself often leads to high overheads which you may struggle to keep up with. It can take between six months and several years for a small business to generate a profit. 

In this case, it might be better for you to find your niche. Focus on the thing you are good at, enjoy, and can do efficiently.

This might be anything from boiler repairs to complete pipe fit-outs on new builds. But if you choose your niche with these three things in mind, you’ll be offering a high-quality product that you’re passionate about. All while keeping your productivity high because you complete these jobs quickly and professionally. 

This doesn’t mean you can’t offer other services, but your customers should know where your strengths lie and so should you. Once you nail your niche - and you’re making a profit - you can branch out into new ventures and watch your business expand. 

Write a good business plan

A good business plan means more than checking whether you have enough money to start your company and designing a trendy logo. That won’t cut it. Your business plan needs to be a detailed look at where your business will go in the next few months, years, and even as far as ten years into the future. 

You should have clear, measurable goals, and be able to show why your business will work and what its unique selling point is. All of your plans need to be based on thorough market research. Your plan should cover your financial resources, number of employees, their salaries, office space, equipment you need, marketing plans, and all available resources. It should also detail how you plan to grow your business over time.

It’s essential you have a quality business plan in place and know what areas you will specialise in before you fully commit to being the owner of a small business. Being a small business owner might not be easy, but it will definitely be rewarding. Perhaps, one of the best decisions you’ll ever make. 

Condensate Pro started as the brainchild of one plumbing and heating engineer and has now grown into a company which provides game-changing solutions to installers and heating companies across the UK. Our products make installations easy, quick, and simple and protect customers from frozen condensate blockages. Visit our website to see our range of products and tools.

How to unfreeze your pipes

In late 2018, scientists said Britain should brace itself for the coldest winter in a decade. While weather forecasts made months in advance aren’t always the most accurate, it certainly fits in with trends of more extreme weather across the UK. This winter - particularly in January and February - could bring temperatures lower than when we were hit by the Beast from the East, which caused huge levels of disruption. 

Even though the weather can change suddenly, it’s always good to be prepared. Knowing how to defrost the condensate in your boiler pipes is essential if you want to keep your boiler up and running through a harsh winter. Otherwise, you might feel the chill. 

Why does condensate freeze?

While your boiler is inside your property, the condensate drain line runs outside. This means it’s exposed to icy temperatures in the winter causing the condensate to freeze and block pipes. Condensate is a by-product of the combustion process your furnace uses to create heat. It flows out of the system via the condensate drain line and exits the home or building. But when the pipe is blocked, it can cause water to back up into the home as it obstructs the exit. This can lead to a fault or malfunctioning boiler which you can solve by following our guide. 

Our guide to fixing frozen condensate

Here are some steps to follow:

This should get you back up and running so you can ward off the cold temperatures. But wouldn’t it be better if you could prevent these problems in the first place? Ask your heating engineer to install effective, UV- and weather-resistant pipe insulation. This will prevent your pipes from freezing in the first place, reducing time-consuming breakdowns and keeping you cosy. 

Condensate Pro has come up with innovative solutions to prevent blockages from frozen condensate. Our pre-insulated pipe kits and tools come ready-to-use, making installation fast, simple, and professional. Take a look on our website to find out more.

Solutions you can offer your customers to get them through the winter

Winter

As heating engineers and installers, we know winter is the busiest time of year when it comes to residential and commercial boilers. People aren’t expecting the sudden breakdowns the icy weather brings. So we get called out in wind, hail, sleet, and snow to get people’s homes back up and running. 

It might keep business tiding over, but there are ways to help your customers before they get into trouble with their heating. And the best part is this can still be great news for your business. 

Boiler cover plans

Most boiler breakdowns (over 15%) happen in January. As winter gets into full swing, we’re expecting the number of call-outs to rise. Most residents with broken-down boilers are taken by surprise. But offering a boiler cover plan can help them avoid surprise high repair fees in the winter. It’s like Netflix for their boiler.

Boiler cover plans require a monthly payment from clients ensuring full coverage on their boiler all year round. You can create a tiered pricing plan including services such as emergency call-outs, checkups, and maintenance, or create them bespoke for each client. This means clients can benefit from annual check-ups to pre-empt any sudden breakdowns for an affordable monthly price. 

This gives your business a steady income to focus on bringing value to your clients. You won’t have to wait for late payments from clients struggling to pay large bulk sums as they can spread the costs out. And they’ll get a better service in exchange. 

Educate your customers

One of the main reasons people’s boilers break down in January is because of frozen condensate in their pipes. If clients knew this, it would cut down on the number of call-outs we get each winter as customers will know how to prevent and fix the problem. 

This isn’t only the case for condensate. General knowledge on boiler and heating maintenance, repair, and installation is concentrated among professionals. Customers aren’t always aware they can easily fix minor problems on their own, saving them money. 

Most customers probably don’t realise they can prevent problems in the first place. If you ever go on any call-outs, pass on some tips like telling them to turn their taps on to keep water flowing through the pipes. Or, in the case of frozen condensate, let them know they can insulate their pipes to stop any potential freezes.

These solutions are a win-win for you and your customers. They can save your clients thousands while helping you improve the value of your service and increase your revenue. But, this winter, one of the easiest and most effective things you can do to help clients is use condensate pipe insulation that looks great, lasts for a long time, and works well. 

Condensate Pro offers a range of connections and pipes that come pre-insulated to create a simple, quick, and professional installation process. With UV- and weather-resistance, they’ll look amazing for longer, helping you give your clients the ultimate service. Take a look at our products via our website.

We shouldn’t ignore mental health issues in plumbing and heating

mental health

We shouldn’t ignore mental health issues in plumbing and heating

It’s brilliant that the UK is becoming more open to talking about mental health. Those removed from the subject may not know how prevalent mental health conditions are among the general population. 

Around one in four people (25%) experience mental health problems each year. But, shockingly, statistics from the Office for National Statistics show men working in skilled trades, like plumbing and construction, are at a higher risk of suicide. They’re 35% more at risk of suicide than the general population. 

We spend a substantial part of our lives at work, so it’s easy to see how occupation and mental health may be linked. But what other factors are at play?

Mental health in skilled trades

People working in plumbing and heating may be at a higher risk of poor mental health for several reasons, including:

However, these reasons by themselves don’t seem to provide a full explanation. 

Men are significantly more likely to die by suicide than women. Heating and plumbing are hugely male-dominated industries and this could partially account for some of the disparity. However, this leads to further questions. Why are men more prone to suicide and how can the heating and plumbing industry help tackle this issue?

People who die from suicide are often not in contact with health services and often push through in silence as their health deteriorates. Men are particularly prone to suffering in silence. Our society tells us that being a man means being strong and being masculine means being able to hide your emotions, otherwise you’re weak. The plumbing and heating industry is sometimes prone to forwarding this culture of traditional masculinity which can lead to terrible results.

How can the industry address these issues?

Things clearly need to change in the industry. It starts with creating a culture where workers feel supported and where they can be open about how they’re feeling. We could save a lot of lives if people had somewhere they could turn without judgement, as easily as they would if they had a physical illness. 

To build this environment we can:

As occupational mental health becomes an increasing concern in the UK, it’s time the industry acted. We can become part of the change simply by providing more support to those in need. If you need someone to talk to, we would recommend MENTalk, one of the many great groups growing on Facebook, whose page you can find at this link.

Condensate Pro’s products are designed by professionals with years of experience in the industry. We want the industry to improve and become more supportive of the people who make it what it is. If you’re struggling with your mental health, the NHS has a list of resources where you can get immediate help. To see how our products can make your staff’s lives a little easier, visit our website.

How to defrost and prevent frozen condensate

Frozen condensate

How to defrost and prevent frozen condensate

Early in October, as temperatures began to slide down the scales, Scottish Gas announced they were facing a 33% increase in demand for call-outs. They predicted 7,000 households would require their repair services in the first week of October. And they aren’t the only energy company who paces huge surges in call-outs every time the temperatures plummet.

What’s the cause? Frozen condensate, of course.

Frozen condensate is one of the most common causes of boiler breakdowns in the winter. It’s worse at that time of year because that’s when we need our boilers the most. Without them, there’s no escape from the icy weather at home. So how can you prevent pipes freezing and boilers breaking down, avoiding high repair charges and ensuring a cosy winter?

Defrosting a frozen pipe

If your boiler isn’t working and it’s cold outside, it could be due to a frozen pipe. You should defrost it as soon as possible. The first thing to do is to locate your pipe. It’s often a white pipe that comes out of the wall somewhere on your house and runs directly into an outside drain. 

Boil the kettle and let it cool for about 10 minutes so the water is hot, but not boiling. Then, starting from the top and working your way down the pipe, pour the hot water over the pipe until the ice within has melted. You may need to do this more than once. 

When you have successfully defrosted the pipe, you can reset your boiler and it should work as normal.

Preventing condensate freezing

Preventing problems is always better than fixing them. The most important thing to do to prevent condensate freezing is to insulate your pipes so they don’t freeze at all. This is particularly important if your pipe is in a hard to reach area. If it is, you may not unfreeze it using the above method.

You can insulate the pipe yourself, but it can be a little tricky when pipes aren’t easy to reach. You need to ensure the materials you use are up to the task. Your pipe insulation should be weather- and UV-resistant if you want it to stay looking good and effective. This will save you from shelling out on regular insulation replacements.

But, sometimes, your pipe might not be the problem. While in winter, this is overwhelmingly the cause of broken down boilers, there can be other problems at play. To ensure excellent boiler health through the colder months, it’s great to get an annual check during summer so when winter rolls around, you know you’re all set for a comfortable season. 

Condensate Pro takes the hassle out of pipe insulation. Our pipe installation and connection kits come pre-insulated and are UV- and weather-resistant. This means your pipes are easy to install and keep warm, and they look tidy and professional. Take a look at our products on our website.

How to save time during boiler installation

boiler installation

How to save time during boiler installation

The time needed to install a new boiler depends on many factors. What type of boiler are you installing? Do you need to convert any of the old system? You’ll need to consider the location of the new boiler and whether the heating system meets current Gas Safe regulations. 

There are several things that can impact the time needed to install a new boiler. But there are a number of ways to keep this time to a minimum, saving both you and your clients valuable time and money.

Invest in quality tools

Without the right tools, a job can take a lifetime. As a professionals tradesperson, it’s likely you’ll have all the right tools. But a quick job often depends on the quality of these tools. Some professionals are inclined to buy cheaper tools to save money and widen their profit margins, but this can have the opposite of the desired effect. 

Cheap tools can make simple jobs more difficult. Things like pipe cutting, insulation cutting, or pipe bending can take much longer than they should. It makes the whole installation process drag. This ends up costing you time and can eat into your profits and customer satisfaction. 

Then there’s the cost of more frequent tool replacements. It won’t only affect your profits, but high hourly costs will also deter customers, leading to less work for you and your business. 

Include advanced training for staff

You and your staff will benefit greatly from consistent and advanced training. The more experience you and your staff have, the greater your understanding of the boiler installation process. You’ll have better knowledge of the latest advancements in the industry, new tricks to speed up the process, and the best products on the market. This gives you an edge in installation. 

Use time-saving products

Time-saving products shouldn’t just save you time on installation. They should also be high-quality and provide a professional finish. And they should solve some common issues you face during the installation process. 

For example, fitting condensate pipes during poor weather means you’ll be cold, wet, and it will be difficult to use sand and cement to get the job done. But if you had something ready-to-use and insulated out of the box with no need for sand and cement, you could improve installation times and overall quality. 

It’s factors like this that determine whether a product will aid your installation process. You should ask yourself:

If the answer is yes, you’ll likely benefit from time savings, increased profits, and more business as word spreads about your brilliant service.

At Condensate Pro, we’ve come up with a range of products and tools to make condensate pipe installation and insulation quick and simple. There is no fiddling about in poor conditions. Everything you need comes ready-to-use, made from top-quality materials so you can get the job done quickly to a professional standard. See our range of condensate insulation products and tools on our website.