Reactive Blog #21 - How to Maintain your Vacuum Cleaner

How to Maintain Your Vacuum Cleaner

One household item you’ll always need available and in good-working condition is the vacuum cleaner. In today’s blog, we’ll be giving you tips on how to maintain your vacuum cleaner, in order to prevent you from having to buy a new one every other year. Read on to find out how simple maintenance can keep your floors and even the air around you a whole lot cleaner!

Unplug it Prior to Maintenance

First things first: ensure that your vacuum cleaner isn’t plugged in before you undergo any maintenance. As you can imagine, you could potentially be injured if there’s power running through the vacuum cleaner as you’re working on it.

Replace the Bag Regularly

If you’re noticing a lack of suction when vacuum cleaning, or the vacuum cleaner is actually adding dirt to the floor rather than taking it away, it’s time to replace the bag. In order to keep the vacuum cleaner in good condition, we recommend replacing the bag whenever it’s 2/3 full. If the bag is left to fill up completely, there won’t be enough room for the dirt to be collected by the vacuum cleaner. If your vacuum cleaner is bagless, this makes life easier, as you can see exactly how much dirt is trapped without having to get your hands dirty.

Make Sure the Bag is Properly Attached

Although the way in which you attach a bag differs depending on what vacuum cleaner you use, one thing that applies to all vacuum cleaners is that the opening of the bag must be securely on the nozzle. If the bag isn’t properly attached, you risk having all the dirt fill up the vacuum cleaner itself rather than the bag. This will hamper both the performance and lifespan of your vacuum cleaner.

Believe it or not, it’s also possible that you don’t own a bag that’s compatible with your vacuum cleaner, and that subsequently the bag isn’t as secure as it should be. To avoid this mistake, check the reference number on the vacuum cleaner and compare it to the reference number on the bag. Once you find the right bag, we recommend stocking up on them. The manufacturer of your vacuum cleaner will eventually stop making bags for older models, and it’s much cheaper to stock up on bags than buying a brand new vacuum cleaner.

Empty Bagless Vacuum Cleaners Regularly

It’s important to prevent mass dirt build-up in your vacuum cleaner. We recommend emptying the receptacle after every use, to keep the cleaner in good condition. If the vacuum cleaner is excessively dirty, you should rinse out the receptacle with water.

Check Hose

A common issue people face when vacuum cleaning is when something gets trapped inside the hose. If you’ve noticed a lack of suction with your vacuum cleaner, trapped debris in the hose could well be the cause. We recommend using some kind of hook, perhaps from a coat hanger, to get rid of any debris. You must be careful, ensuring you don’t push the debris further in or puncture the hose with the hook.

Check the Filter

These days it’s common for vacuum cleaners to have filters that pick up particles that could contaminate the air you breathe. It’s important to clean and replace these filters regularly if you want to keep the air in your home clean. You can rinse a plastic filter, but you must ensure that it’s dry before placing it back into the vacuum cleaner. You can shake a paper or fabric filter to remove any trapped dirt.

Clean the Brush Roll

The brush roll, also known as the beater bar, is the spinning brush at the front of the bottom of the vacuum cleaner. Debris such as hair and thread can often get trapped in the brush roll. To clean it, remove the bottom plate, keeping any clips or screws that keep the plate secure. Then, remove the brush roll; it should slide out from under the belt. Using just your hands, or perhaps a seam ripper, remove any hairs, threads and any other debris from the brush.

Lubricate the Brush Roll Bearings

If the brush roll seems to be stiff, it’s time to clean and lubricate the bearings. Before you take the bearings out, you must remember which way they were placed, in order to put them back in correctly after cleaning. Remove the caps on either end of the axle, before cleaning and lubricating the bearings. Once done, place both bearings back how they were prior to cleaning, along with both end caps.

Check the Belt

The belt is what keeps the brush roll in place. Check to see if the belt is tight against the roll; if it isn’t, it should be replaced. If the belt is stretched out or visibly damaged, you should also look to replace it. We recommend replacing the belt every six months to one year, depending on how frequently you use the vacuum cleaner. When replacing the belt, refer to the instruction manual that came with your vacuum cleaner. It should be as simple as removing the roll, sliding the belt off and sliding the replacement belt on.

Avoid Getting it Wet

Lastly, try to keep your vacuum cleaner away from areas in which it can get soaked by water. Although this won’t be an issue for all vacuum cleaners, some may become damaged if exposed to an excessive amount of water. If, for whatever reason, your vacuum cleaner is in a ‘splash zone’, ensure that it’s not plugged in or turned on.

Still having troubles?

If you are still experiencing issues you can contact us at: http://www.reactiveinsurance.co.uk/about/#contactus

Reactive Blog #20 - Gas Safety

Gas Safety 

Gas safety is very important and needs to be taken very seriously if you think there may be a problem. So here are some top tips to help keep your home safe when using gas appliances.

Yearly Checks

Have your gas appliances checked at least once a year to make sure there are no leaks or problems with any of your appliances

Install an Alarm

An easy way to make sure there is not fatal leak or problem that may cause serious problems to anyone in the house is to have a carbon monoxide detector. They aren’t expensive, and they can save a life. Make sure an audible and loud carbon monoxide alarm is installed properly

Check the Flame

Another very easy way to tell if there is a problem with the gas is to turn the hob on and if the flames are not crisp and blue it could be a sign that there is something wrong. Usually, if something is not right the flame will be lazy and yellow.

Call Us for Help 

If you experience any of these problems please don’t hesitate to call us out to see if there is a serious problem, we are always willing to help.

Reactive Blog #19 - Things to Do to Your House in the New Year

Things to Do to Your House in the New Year

Everyone wants to set themselves some goals to achieve when the new year arrives, so why not set yourself some simple goals for things to around the house. These are things everyone should check and do to their house in the new year.

Check for moisture stains

Give your home a quick check for moisture stains in the new year. These stains can be found on the ceiling or on the walls so you need to check very closely in case you miss any. Any necessary repair work will be easier to tackle when space isn't crammed with your stuff so if you do find anything it will be best to move out some of your furniture.

Replace the batteries in smoke detectors

Something everyone always forgets to do is to replace the batteries in the smoke detectors, and you always end out getting woken up in the night due to it bleeping warning you it’s running out of power. So start off the new year by changing the batteries.

As a bonus, you could also change all the batteries in the TV remotes.

Change the heating and cooling filters

If you have air conditioning, the damage that could be caused by an old filter can be really expensive. A whole new system could cost you up to £5000. If you don't replace the filter, it could cut down on efficiency, or worse, cause the system to overheat. However, a new disposable filter costs about £3, so it is best to check the filter and replace it just in case.

Clear out the loft or basement

It’s always nice clearing out things you no longer want and need in the new year to make room for things you got over Christmas. So why not clear out the loft or basement when packing away the Christmas decorations. You’ll be guaranteed to find lots of things you no longer need or even find something that isn’t even yours from the previous homeowners.

As a bonus, you should never store electronics, important papers, delicate fabrics or anything flammable in the loft or basement, especially if that’s where the heat source is.

Deep clean the carpets 

If you had a lot of people over around Christmas and New Years, it's worth the couple hundred pounds to hire a professional to come in and clean all the food and drink stains properly. It is recommended calling in the pros once a year anyway, so take advantage of this in the new year.

Reactive Blog #18 - How to Maintain Your Oven at Christmas

How to Maintain your Oven at Christmas

Everyone that owns an oven should perform routine maintenance checks, in order to keep the oven running at peak condition. If you want to keep your oven in good-working order in terms of longevity and performance, take some time to read this blog. If you follow the advice we offer, your Christmas dinner will be the best meal you’ve ever had!

Clean your oven regularly

We’ll start off with the obvious piece of advice: clean your over regularly. You should clean your oven at least twice a year, and if, like most people, you use it every single day it will need to be cleaned on a more regular basis.

We recommend you start by placing a bowl of water in the oven on a high temperature for 20 minutes. The steam produced will help loosen the dirt and grease, and once you’ve wiped the condensation away you are free to begin using cleaning products.

If your oven is enamel lined, smear a thin paste of bicarbonate of soda and water to prevent dirt build-up. Once dry, you’re left with a protective coating that absorbs greasy soiling, making the oven easier to clean next time.

To clean the racks, we recommend putting them in the dishwasher or soaking in a solution of biological detergent. Any remaining dirt and grease can be removed with a mild, abrasive cream cleaner.

Glass oven doors should always be cleaned when cool. Start off by removing dirt and grease with a plastic scraper, before wiping the glass with some washing-up liquid. If the dirt refuses to disappear, apply an oven cleaner on a nylon cleaning pad, ensuring you avoid the rubber trim.

Use your oven's self-cleaning feature

The self-cleaning feature on your oven should be safe to use, providing you’re following the guidelines written by the manufacturer. Stay home during the process and open a window to let the heat out. After the self-cleaning cycle, allow the oven to cool for at least six hours before wiping it down.

Don't clean under oven knobs

DO NOT attempt to clean under the oven knobs. Whilst cleaning the oven, ensure that you never remove the cooktop’s knobs. If you decide to pull them off and then proceed to clean around the area, you are essentially dousing an electrical system, which could cause the oven to short out or even electrocute you.

Unplug oven when cleaning with water

It’s very important that you unplug the oven when cleaning the inside of the oven by hand. Cleaning by hand almost always requires water so necessary precautions must be taken to eliminate the risk of electrocution.

Maintain the blower motor

The blower motor is one of the most important features of an oven. If it is not kept dirt-free, you run the risk of premature oven stoppage. Loose blanket insulation and other foreign materials may get caught in the blower assembly, creating an imbalance in the motor. Vacuuming or using an air jet is usually the most effective way to keep vent openings clean. Unless the motor is ball-bearing or pre-lubricated during production, you will need to keep the motor properly lubricated. If the motor is equipped with oil cups, lubricate with five drops of SAE 20 non-detergent oil at least twice a year. Apply the oil at the front and back of the motor where there are lubrication ports in the housing. If you’re unsure of how to do any of the above, check the instructions provided by the oven manufacturer.

Use the correct power

An oven operating on reduced power always results in poor performance. For example, if you have a 240 VAC oven on 208 VAC the oven will see a 20 percent reduction in power. So, if your oven is operating below expectations due to a lack of power, invest in a buck-boost transformer.

Replace the gas

If you decide to purchase a new gas oven, we advise you look into replacing the gas line. Moving the old one and swapping in the new one creates a lot of movement and vibration. Which could lead to leaks in the gas line. Replacing the line doesn’t take much money out of your pocket, and offers a major increase in safety.

Inspect your oven's burners

We recommend inspecting coil burners for deformities. A small spot on the coil that’s redder than the rest when the oven is in use means it’s about to short out, which could cause severe damage to both the burners and oven. Do not use that burner and arrange for it to be replaced immediately.

Plug unnecessary heat losses

Always use a port plug in the light socket when the oven isn’t currently in use. Your light socket could have a temperature rating that is exceeded by the rating of your oven. Using a port plug in the light socket reduces heat loss, as well as preventing the socket from getting damaged from the heat. If the port plug gets cracked or damaged it must be replaced.

It’s also worth inspecting the gaskets on the oven door, as well as other port inserts. Check periodically for breaks, torn gaskets and missing sections. If you can feel the heat escaping from the oven, the most common cause is torn gaskets.

Create a spill barrier

When you’re cooking your nice Christmas turkey, there’s a strong chance some of the juices and seasoning will spilt onto your oven. We recommend putting a small cookie sheet covered with tinfoil under your oven racks to catch any spillage from the food you cook. Just make sure you don’t block any vents in the oven. If that sounds like too much effort for you, ensure you clean up any mess in the oven as soon as possible; the longer the mess sits, the more it’ll burn.

Still having troubles?

If you are still experiencing issues you can contact us at: http://www.reactiveinsurance.co.uk/about/#contactus

Have a good Christmas! 

Reactive Blog #17 - Burst/Frozen Pipe Fixes

Why Freezing Pipes Burst

Not all freezing/frozen pipes burst. But when they do it's because water expands when it freezes, this adds a lot of pressure to the pipes. That pressure can cause a serious leak, unleashing flowing water into your home.

Water damage from burst pipes is one of the most common homeowner's insurance claims, with an average claim cost of about £3,000.

How to Identify Freezing Pipes

A water line coated in frost is a clear sign that it’s frozen. However, not all plumbing pipes are visible. If your taps don’t flow and your toilets won’t refill after a flush, that’s another clear sign your pipes are frozen.

How to Defrost a Frozen Pipe

Before you start anything, please shut off the water supply. It is best you do this for the entire house because the real trouble begins after the defrost. That’s because the frozen may be blocking lots of water from spilling out of the cracks in the pipes. When a blockage is removed water will come flowing out. It is best that you are ready at the scene with ready a mop, large bucket, and a few towels, just in case there’s an issue.

A good way to defrost the pipes is with a mini heater, heat lamp, or hair dryer, however, you will have to take serious precautions with this as we all know electric and water do not mix very well. Wrapping freezing pipes with thermostatically heat tape is also an effective way to quickly sort the problem.

Don’t defrost a pipe using a propane torch.

What to Do if a Pipe Bursts

If you walk in to discover burst pipes, immediately you should shut off the main water supply to reduce the flooding. Next, call your plumber whilst doing so or straight after.

Dry out the area using mops and towels to minimize mould, mildew, and other moisture-related problems, run a dehumidifier in the area until it’s very dry (if you have one).

Still having troubles?

If you are still experiencing issues you can contact us at: http://www.reactiveinsurance.co.uk/about/#contactus

Reactive Blog #16 - Christmas Decoration Life Hacks

Christmas Decoration Life Hacks

Christmas is just around the corner now, so here are some quick and easy life hacks to make the days coming up to Christmas a lot easier, we know it can be very stressful.

Wrap Christmas lights around a hanger to keep them from getting tangled.

Christmas tree light hack

If you put your Christmas tree goes in the corner of the room you can save yourself a lot of time. Instead of wrapping the lights around the whole tree, try stringing your lights in a zig-zag pattern down the front. This uses fewer strings so you may even save money on lights. Nobody will see the back of the tree anyway!

Outside lights hack

Another life hack for Christmas lights is to hang outside on brick with hot glue. This makes it easier to set them up and you could easily put them in a fancy pattern like this too! Just make sure you don't use this trick on stucco surfaces as it might cause them to melt.

Wreath hanging hack

There’s no need to make a mess and cause damage by putting put a nail in your front door to hang up your wreath. Instead, use an upside-down Command Strip to hang your wreath from the other side of the door, this will not affect the paint on your door when taking it off either.

Create ornaments out of the trunk of your Christmas tree.

The last one is a bit of a fun one. You can make sentimental tree ornaments from slices of your Christmas tree trunk. This is something you can do every year too, and build up a collection of them!