Trading Standards Spotlight
Promoting Fair Trade in Salford				Jan/Feb2001
Inside this issue:	Take Care Of Your House This Winter
Controlling Condensation 2 Refunds 2 How to Get a Better Deal from your Garage 3 Postal Watchdog 3 Sales 3 Recent Product Safety-Recalls 4 Where to Find us Index Page	Imagine getting up one cold winter morning and finding that you have a burst pipe, your home is flooding and you don't know what to do.  The resulting damage could be both horrendous and expensive.  With a little preparation you could avoid such a disaster.   Before winter check your cold water tank.  If it is one that was installed before 1980 it could be one of the old metal ones which regularly need checking for signs of corrosion. Any patches of rust could mean the tank could rupture so get it checked. Listen to the ball valve in your toilet cistern to make sure it isn't sticking open and letting water constantly run.  This could lead to excess water in your overflow which  could  freeze in a hard frost. If you have had your washer plumbed in for some time check the flexible hoses.  With age these can become brittle which could result in cracking in cold weather. Make sure drainpipes and gutters are not blocked by leaves and other debris. Protect outside pipes - and any others exposed to severe cold - with waterproof and insulating material. Insulating your loft not only helps to keep your home warm but it prevents condensation, which can freeze, from  forming in the loft. Remember to keep  it well  ventilated as well. Pipes can freeze if central heating is either off or set too low.  In frosty weather it is better to maintain a constant low level of background heat  throughout the day and night rather  than have extreme highs and lows. This also applies if you are going to be		away from your home for a few days ;but if you are going to be away for a ;long absence it may be better to shut down the system completely although this is a big job involving turning off all controls, the boiler, draining the pipes ;etc. and turning off the mains stopcocks. Make sure you know where the mains stopcock is (make sure you know if you have more than one) and that it can be turned off easily. If it is stuck, don’t force it as you could break it. If, after all your careful preparation, you find that you have a burst turn off all the stopcocks; empty the cold water tank by opening all the taps and flushing the toilet until the water stops running; do not use any electrical appliances if any plugs or wiring has been wet; if the hot water system is affected switch off the boiler. Finally call a qualified plumber.
Fair Play Charter In April 2000 the Fair Play Charter in Greater Manchester.  The scheme is designed to promote fair trade in the motor industry and to allow customers to recognise traders who are committed to fair and honest trading. So far throughout Greater Manchester 32 garages have signed up to the scheme.  For a list of these garages call 793 2022.
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