Maintenance

It is the contract holders responsibility to never cover up, or remove the batteries from, a smoke alarm. You risk death or serious injury and the Landlord can sue for damage caused to their property.

Changing the battery is a tenant responsibility and instructions are usually on the detector if you get up alongside it. Most detectors are designed to slide off their fixing to disconnect from the power supply and remove the battery. Before they can slide off there is a catch on the side of the detector between the ceiling and the detector itself that must be pushed in and released. This is usually done by inserting a flat screwdriver head or something similar where indicated. The alarms are designed to come off easily when the catch is released and should NEVER be forced. Some systems have a separate fire panel. If this beeps or says there is a fault try the reset button.

Condensation occurs when warm moist air comes into contact with a cold surface. Walls, ceilings, and in serious cases floors become covered with moisture which can cause mould, rot, and the growth of fungus. The occurrence of condensation is increased if a property is not properly ventilated, the temperature is not moderated, or if excessive moisture is being produced. The cold weather is usually worse for causing condensation because windows are opened less frequently, and more moist air is trapped indoors for longer.

Handy tips to help keep your student home fresh and reduce condensation:

• Smart Drying: Whenever possible, hang your washing outside to dry. If you need to dry clothes indoors, the bathroom with the door closed and a window slightly open is your best bet. Avoid drying clothes on radiators or directly in front of a fire. If you have a tumble dryer, make sure it's vented to the outside. If not, ensure the room is well-ventilated while it's running – opening a window works wonders!
• Cooking Cleverly: When you're cooking up a storm, keep lids on your pans and use just enough water. This helps reduce the amount of steam released into the air.
• Contain the Moisture: Keep kitchen and bathroom doors closed when you're not using them. This simple step stops warm, moist air from spreading to cooler parts of the house.
• Bathroom Refresh: After showering or bathing, give your bathroom a good airing. Leave a small window open for about 20 minutes to let the moist air escape.
• Daily Home Ventilation: Aim to ventilate your whole house for about an hour each day. A great way to do this is by opening all internal doors and then opening a small window upstairs and one downstairs on opposite sides of the house – this creates 'cross-ventilation' and helps circulate fresh air.
• Bath Time Tip: When running a bath, try running the cold water first and then adding the hot water. This can significantly reduce steam production – by as much as 90%!
• Cupboard Care: Make sure your cupboards and drawers get some airflow. If possible, position them against internal walls rather than external ones, which tend to be colder. Elevate heavy furniture slightly with small blocks to allow air to circulate underneath, and leave a small gap between furniture and walls for the same reason.
• Consistent Low Heat: During colder months, try to maintain a low level of heating in all rooms. Condensation forms on cold surfaces, so a little heat consistently is more effective at preventing it than short bursts of high heat.

Bonus Tip for Students: Consider investing in a small dehumidifier, especially for rooms that tend to get damp, like bathrooms or rooms where you often dry clothes indoors. These can be really effective at removing excess moisture from the air. Also, regularly check window seals for any damage and let us know if you spot any issues – good seals help prevent drafts and moisture buildup

Trapped air or gas prevents hot water from heating your radiator fully. This can mean that the top of the radiator is cold whilst the bottom, and pipework adjoining the radiator is hot. If this is the case, then you will need to bleed the radiator. To Bleed a radiator:

• Turn on the heating so that all radiators in your home come on. Once your radiators are all hot, go and check each one individually to see if all parts of the radiator are warming up. Before you bleed any radiators make sure your central heating is switched off.
• Bleeding radiators usually requires a radiator key, but with more modern radiators you can use a flat-blade screwdriver. At the top of the radiator at one end there will be a valve. You can attach the radiator key to the square bit in the centre or put the end of the screwdriver into the groove.
• Hold the key or screwdriver with a cloth, and have another cloth ready to catch any drips, then slowly turn the radiator key or screwdriver anti-clockwise – if gas is escaping you’ll hear a hissing sound.
• Once there is no more gas, liquid will come out and the valve will need to be closed quickly. With the more modern screwdriver operated escape valve, liquid is likely to emerge as a jet rather than a dribble.

Most combination boilers and many standard boilers are now installed as Pressurised Systems. This can prevent the boiler from working if the pressure drops. If you find that the system pressure has fallen, it is your responsibility to re-pressurise the system.

To top up your system and increase the pressure, you will need to locate your filling loop. It most usually is a small plastic tap and is connected to the central heating system by a metal hose. To fill the system, use the tap you have located to open and close the filling loop. When the tap is opened it will allow fresh water to flow into your Central Heating system. As this happens you will hear the water passing through the valves into the system. It is recommended that you open the valve slowly to allow the system to fill up gradually to between 1 and 2 on the gauge. When you do this a steady increase in pressure will be seen on the pressure gauge.

When the recommended pressure is reached close the valve by turning it in the opposite direction to which you opened it. There is no need to worry if your system does accidentally become over pressurised. All modern systems are designed with safety in mind and a pressure safety valve is incorporated into the plumbing. This acts like an overflow pipe releasing the excess pressure and allowing the system to revert to the recommended levels. It is very important that the valve is turned off after re-pressurising the system.