The cost of adapting your home

Can you put a price on your independence?

For many homeowners, one of the biggest barriers to re-modelling their bathroom is the cost involved. However, for individual remodelling due to a disability or mobility problem, local councils now offer a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) to enable you to continue to live there. A grant is usually paid when the council considers that changes are necessary to meet your needs, and that the work is reasonable and practical.

Who can get a Disabled Facilities Grant?
In order to claim for a Disabled Facilities Grant, you, or someone living in your property, must be disabled. You must also be the owner or tenant (including licensees) of the property with the ability to certify that you intend to occupy the property throughout the grant period (five years). A landlord may also apply on behalf of a disabled tenant.

What can you use your Disabled Facilities Grant for?
A Disabled Facilities Grant can be used for a number of adaptations to ensure your home is better equipped to provide you with freedom of movement and the essential facilities required to live in it. This includes:

• widening doors or installing ramps
• providing or improving access to rooms and facilities – for example, installing a downstairs bathroom
• improving or providing a heating system which is suitable for your needs
• adapting heating or lighting controls to make them easier to use
• improving access to and movement around the home to enable you to care for another person who lives in the property.

How much will you be given?
The grant available is based on a financial assessment or ‘means test’, which measures your average weekly income in relation to your outgoings. Means testing also takes the following into account:

• Account savings: Account savings are only taken into account above a certain limit. The current limit is £6,000. However, if the disabled person’s income and savings are below this limit, there will be no need for him/her to contribute to the cost of the works.
• Benefits: Disability Living Allowance and Income Support are generally disregarded during the assessment period.
• Combined income: If you have a partner, your combined income will be assessed jointly. Capital is also included in the means test. However, the first £6,000 of savings is disregarded.

When assessing your outgoings, a range of premiums and allowances is used, for example, rent/mortgage and personal expenditure. Actual recorded outgoings are not taken into consideration.

Depending on the outcome of this assessment, the grant can vary from 0 to 100 per cent of the refurbishment costs. The maximum amount that a council is required to pay is £30,000 in England, per application, less any assessed contribution from you. If the cost of the eligible works is more, the council can use discretionary powers to increase the amount.

Will this grant affect your other benefits?
No. A Disabled Facilities Grant will not affect any benefits you are currently receiving.

How do you apply?
Contact your local council’s housing or environmental health department and ask them to send you the Disabled Facilities Grant application form. You must apply before you start any refurbishment. The local council must notify you with the result of your application, in writing, within six months of the date of your application.

How is the grant paid?
The grant can be paid in instalments, or in full on completion of the work. The council may pay the contractor directly, or give you a cheque to pass on. They will agree this with you at the outset.

What if you’re refused?
If you are refused a Disabled Facilities Grant, or you’re unhappy with the amount awarded, you can appeal against the decision. Ask your local council for their appeals and complaints procedure.

Where can you get more information?
For more information, please contact your local council or you can contact the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) on 0303 444 0000 or email: disabled.facilitiesgrant@communities.gsi.gov.uk

For more information on our range of daily living equipment for bathrooms, please call 020 8722 7004.

Don’t let restricted mobility restrict your bathroom choices

The bathroom is one of the key rooms in your home for relaxing and enjoying that little touch of luxury. It is also the place where the ability to do things independently is extremely important.

However, showering, bathing or having a shave are all everyday tasks most of us will take for granted. They all require a range of movements that necessitates flexibility, balance, strength and co-ordination. For the elderly, disabled or those with mobility problems however, these everyday tasks can be difficult to do alone. No one wants to lose his or her independence, or the ability to choose when help is required. For a long time, the technology needed to assist independent living was often built to suit the needs of nursing homes or hospitals, and rarely residential properties, but this is now changing.

New ranges are now available consisting of speciality walk in baths, portable or fixed bath lifts, disabled toilets and a wide range of bathroom accessories designed for every individual, ensuring no matter what your level of mobility, you can get the most out of your bathroom.

Top tips for designing a bathroom that meets your needs

The last thing you want is for someone to design a bathroom that doesn’t meet your needs – whatever they may be. So, what should you consider? A good bathroom design company will access your bathroom and your mobility needs to ensure you have the right type of bath or walk-in shower for you and your home. These top tips will help you ensure you are getting the right guidance for your money, and a bathroom you can enjoy.

Enable access to all facilities
The bathroom is quite possible one of the most awkward spaces to work with. For example, a person with a wheelchair must be able to access all of the facilities provided and manoeuvre around the room without constraint.  All facilities should be at a suitable height for regular use. There should also be a suitable space beneath the counter top so that the individual can get closer to the taps.

While surfaces and sinks are mounted at a lower height, toilets can be raised to enable movement from a wheelchair. The seat ideally should be elongated rather than round and support must be provided, such as handrails to enable movement without assistance.

Adapt facilities for enhanced use
Facilities need to be adapted not just for accessibility, but also for general use. Safety and security are key factors in building the confidence to use a bathroom independently. For example, many taps are tricky for anyone to use, especially once your hands are wet and soapy. If your grip is even slightly reduced, lever taps will be much easier to operate. Alternatively you can now find taps with infrared sensors that you won’t need to even touch at all.

Provide suitable support
Handrails must be provided throughout the household. As an essential aid, they help boost access and mobility as you move around your bathroom. Handrails are available in a wide range of varying lengths and thicknesses based on your grip or dexterity. Some rails have a special grip-assisted surface to enhance safety, and are available in bright colours for easy identification and use. All bathrooms should also feature slip-resistant floors for safety at all times.

Remove the barriers to mobility
In a disabled or limited mobility household bathroom, standard bath and shower fixtures create a number of barriers for the elderly and disabled, primarily involving access and mobility.  Walk-in baths and showers provide the ideal solution.

Accessible bathing
Available in the same size, or smaller, than a conventional bath, walk-in baths are available with a low-threshold and wide inward-opening door for ease of entry. Many bath designs will feature a contoured seat for comfort and to facilitate easier bathing by helping users to maintain an upright seated position.

Bath lifts may also be required. A bath lift is a safe way of enabling easier bathing. Suitable for most traditional baths, a bath lift will fit securely to the base of your bath and can be gently lowered and raised with a choice of recline positions.

Walk-in showers
Available with a choice of level, above floor or ramped access, these showers are designed with practicality in mind. Many walk-in showers can also be fitted with a shower seat to make showering easier for those who have difficulty standing for long periods.

Wet rooms
Alternatively, you could transform your bathroom into a ‘wet room’ for ultimate accessibility and ease of use. Wet rooms are completely waterproofed bathrooms, complete with a walk-in shower. No shower tray is required and the drain is set into the floor, which can be sloped to enable water to easily drain away.

Equip your bathroom with the right accessories
Once you’ve decided whether it’s a walk-in shower, bath or wet room you require, it’s time to think about the wider accessories you need. Based on your individual requirements, these can range from grip rails to assist with moving in and out of a bath; slip resistant mats; flood detectors; temperature and water level indicators, through to adapting heating or lighting controls to make them easier to use.

The most important factor throughout the design of your bathroom is safety and functionality. Your bathroom must cater for you and your needs without adding any further hazards. For more information on our range of daily living equipment for bathrooms, please call 020 8722 7004 or visit www.h2oservices.com.

To find out more, please call 020 8722 7004

Summer's (nearly) here - time to think about your boiler!

We may now be approaching the first throes of the summer months, but, surprisingly, now is the time to start thinking about your boiler.

The severe winter that hit the UK saw people keeping their heating on significantly longer, especially if they were at home most of the day. Of course, it’s your poor old boiler that has to take the strain. Many of us tend not to think about the boiler from one month to the next. It’s just there and as long as it does its job, we’re happy.

But what if it broke down? It’s not so bad in the summer, but how about during the colder months?

Just like a car or anything else we value, it’s worthwhile having a boiler serviced regularly. Most manufacturers will recommend a service at least once a year. It becomes more important as the boiler gets older and if it has an open flue (one that goes up vertically through a chimney). This is because these types of ‘open flue’ boilers are responsible for most deaths caused by carbon monoxide. Making sure your boiler is regularly serviced will ensure your family doesn’t face this danger.

Some top tips for finding a trustworthy installer

The last thing you want is for someone to come into your house and leave after a few minutes of tinkering with the boiler, leaving you with a big bill and the suspicion whether the boiler has really been looked at properly or not. So, what should a good boiler service consist of?

A good service company will check the boiler’s operation, in accordance with manufacturer instructions, clean it, test it and look at any faults that could crop up in the future.

This boiler service checklist will help you ensure you are getting a proper boiler service for your money, one that will ensure safe and efficient operation.

• Boiler flue output should be analysed

• Pipework should be inspected – this should include a ventilation and clearance check

• All boiler components should be tested and their correct function ensured

• All key components should be inspected and cleaned, if required.

• Any boiler components that are faulty or nearing end of life should be disclosed to the owner and replaced ASAP.

If your service engineer can satisfy this checklist, most problems should be detected earlier on and fixed without causing unnecessary problems.

Think twice if you see someone advertising something like an annual safety check, interim boiler service or quick boiler service. It might sound like the real deal, but it may not cover all the safety and cleaning tasks that a full boiler service should entail.

Sutton and East Surrey Water Services offers a scheme that looks after your boiler. As well as an annual service of your boiler and a system safety check, our scheme covers radiators and repairs to pipework, your hot water cylinder and feed and expansion tank.

For more details, visit our heating services page and give your boiler a break!

Look out for our House of Horrors ads!

Ever wondered whether the things that go bump in the night could be a sign of an impending household disaster?

Whether it's a leaking pipe, a boiler on its last legs or a broken roof tile, the last thing you need is to be caught unawares by a problem that could potentially mean forking out hundreds of pounds to fix. Yet despite this, many people choose to ignore the warning signs and put off buying protection, thinking they're saving money.

In fact, when the inevitable does happen, they could find themselves actually forking out hundreds of pounds, not just on the cost of reapirs, but also replacing damaged possessions.

This was the inspiration behind our new 'House of Horrors' ad campaign, which you may already have seen running in the local Post and Guardian newspapers. If you haven't seen them yet, here's one of them (you can see the complete series in the slideshow in the right hand panel of this site).

With their dark and moody look, the ads explore the full horror of an unexpected plumbing, drainage, heating or household emergency, which often could be avoided by spending just a few pence per day.

So don't let your home because a House of Horrors. Why not call Sutton & East Surrey Water Services today on 0800 316 6858 or email plumbingservices@waterplc.com to see just how little it costs to get yourself protected against the things that go bump in the night.

Let the sun cut your energy bill while you save the planet

Everywhere you turn at the moment, there is a message about renewable energy and how we can all do our bit for the environment, and our pockets, by making more use of it.

One of the most popular renewable or alternative energy sources is solar power. Unlike coal and oil, the sun is not expected to exhaust its power for centuries to come.

Investing in solar power is a good way to cut your personal ‘carbon footprint’ while cutting your energy bill and, with solar energy systems becoming cheaper all the time, it makes more and more sense to consider.

But don’t you need lots of sun to make solar power work properly? The answer is no, because it’s the amount of daylight that determines how much power is generated by a solar panel. In hot countries with cloudless skies and long days, it can provide a huge amount of energy but even in cloudy Britain, it can help provide plenty of hot water in our homes.

If the temperature of a solar panel increases by 20°C, they can produce around 90% of the energy they would at room temperature. So on a clear but cold day in London, solar panels could produce more energy than on a hot and sunny day in Spain.

The power of daylight can be used in two ways – to produce electricity or to heat water. Solar power is the most popular form of renewable energy in use in homes in the UK. It’s not difficult to see why such a system can provide a home with around a third of the hot water it needs over a year. Just think of the massive savings that could produce!

With solar power getting cheaper, cutting your fuel bills, while helping protect the environment, it’s a winning proposition all round.

Find out how you could start saving with solar panels for hot water heating - click here.

What to do if you have a plumbing emergency

You can never predict when a plumbing emergency is going to happen. Luckily, people like myself are here to help. Hopefully, you’ll never have any of these problems, but, if you do, here’s what to do until help arrives.

Burst Pipes
Burst pipes can happen at any time. Here’s what to do if it happens to you:

• Turn off all your stop valves to stop water passing the point of the leak
• Open all your cold water taps so that the pipe work and storage system drain quickly
• Make sure you switch off the central heating, immersion heater and any other water heating – with no water in the system, you could damage this equipment
• Switch off any electric equipment near the leak at the mains. Do not touch them until they have been checked over by a fully qualified electrician

Frozen Pipes
The cold winter months can lead to frozen pipes, particularly if your pipes are not adequately lagged. If your pipes do freeze, then here’s what to do:

• Turn off the mains water supply at the stop-valve
• Make sure your boiler is switched off. If the hot water system is frozen and the boiler is still alight then there could be a risk of an explosion
• Carry out visual pipe checks where possible
• Protect your possessions by moving them away from the pipe to prevent water damage when the pipe thaws
• If the frozen pipe runs from a storage cistern and is not controlled by a valve, check if it has split. If it has, open all cold water taps in the system and flush your toilet(s) to empty the cistern
• If the pipe hasn’t split, then open the cold water tap nearest to the part of the pipe you think is frozen. This will allow the water to flow once the ice has melted
• Speed up the thawing process by applying a hot water bottle or heated cloth to the frozen area of the pipe. Start at the end nearest the tap and work back towards the cold water tank

Remember:
• Never use an electrical appliance or an open flame such as a blowtorch to thaw out the ice
• Don't try to thaw it too quickly. There may be splits in the pipe which are difficult to see
• Be careful, although water may be flowing from taps, other parts of the system may still be frozen

And finally:

Call for a plumber as soon as possible!

Keep your pipes warm for a happy home

There are few experiences that can be as bad as coming home and finding your house flooded. In fact, it’s every householder’s nightmare.

The risk of flooding during the winter months is higher because of the danger of frozen pipes, which can burst and cause a significant amount of damage. Imagine all your clothes and carpets soaked, your electrical goods damaged beyond repair and your favourite photographs and books floating in a pool of water.

It doesn’t bear thinking about does it? Yet, take some time to prevent it and it needn’t happen to you.

The first thing to do is know where your stop-tap is and how to turn it off in an emergency, so if you do have a flood, you can stop the water supply at source.

Don’t forget the loft space. Most loft areas in houses contain water tanks and pipes so you will need to insulate these. Look at any insulation that is already there. If it is damaged or very thin, you should improve it, or replace it.

Use pre-formed pipe insulation on any water pipes. This should be at least 50mm thick, but if you can get it, 75 mm would be even better. Wrap bends or hard-to-get-at pipes with securely fixed strips of insulation material.

When it comes to water tanks there are several options. Insulate the top and sides of the tank with one of these:

• A preformed plastic tank jacket filled with glass fibre matting
• Rigid polystyrene sheeting at least 25mm (1") thick
• Insulation matting, 150mm (6") thick

Don’t insulate under a water tank, as this will prevent warm air from getting to it and helping to keep it from freezing. The exception is header tanks, generally used for central heating. These should be insulated all year round.

Generally, loft insulation is a good thing, preventing heat escaping through your roof, but it also means that little warm air will be circulating in your roof space, warming the pipes and tanks. On cold days, you can open your loft door to let some heat into the loft and prevent the pipes from freezing.

Look around the house for any dripping taps - if you find any, have them fixed as soon as you can, because if they freeze they will block the tap. Dripping taps also cost you in water bills – and energy bills too if it is a hot tap.

If you fancy some winter sun, don’t forget your pipes back home – ask a friend or neighbour to pop in to check on the pipes and make sure they are not frozen. Make sure they know where the stop-tap is as well.

Another tip, especially if you are away, is to keep the heating on low or set the timer to switch it on a couple of times a day for a few hours. This will keep the system ticking over and again prevent the still, cold water that would encourage freezing.

Keep your pipes warm and you’ll have a happy home in the winter.

For more information on what to do in an emergency, click here.