If you are a keen DIY enthusiast you may be considering enrolling on a plumbing training course, but although there are many plumbing tasks you need specialist plumbing training for, there are lots of DIY plumbing tasks you can deal with without plumbing training! Here is Access’s free plumbing training!

Today we’ll be talking you though some of the basic tenants of DIY plumbing, these are some simple tips to help you keep your home plumbing in shipshape condition, without necessarily hiring a plumber or taking a plumbing training course:

1.    Avoid Frozen Pipes
With cold weather on its way, one of our key plumbing training tips is to watch out for frozen pipes! Frozen pipes can be a major problem despite the fact that they are simple to avoid. If you have external pipes, or pipes which run along external walls (often in cellars and attics). Ensure that these pipes are properly insulated, or, if they are not, use the isolation valve at your water supply to isolate and drain them thoroughly before the cold weather hits and causes problems!

2.    Check your Machine Hoses
Another great plumbing training tip which will help keep your home plumbing running perfectly is to check your machine hoses at least yearly. Machine hoses are the pipes which connect your plumbing to your white goods like washing machines and dishwashers. Give them a good once over, once yearly, to check for wear and tear like holes or drips.

3.    Don’t Be a Soft Touch with Hard Water
Hard water damage can be a challenge even for plumbers with expert plumbing training. That is the reason that one of our top plumbing training tips is to take regular preventative action against hard water. Hard water causes limescale build up so make sure you regularly dose showerheads, taps, washing machines and dishwashers with a limescale remover (or even just vinegar!) to keep your plumbing in good nick.

4.    Don’t Be a Drip
Deal with drips immediately! It may seem daunting if you do not have professional plumbing training but you can deal with some drips yourself.  Once you have located the source of your drip either set about repairing it yourself by replacing the leaking pipe, washer or valve, or contact a plumber with the right plumbing training to do it for you. Tackling the drip immediately will save your plumber time and you money!

5.    Know Your Valves
No matter how much plumbing training you have, one of the most important online plumbing training tips we can give you is to know your valves! If you know where your valves are, and which ones do what, you will be equipped to immediately deal with any plumbing emergencies you may have, even if you don’t have plumbing training. The most important valve to locate is your stopcock. If you know where your stopcock is you can cut your water supply immediately during a plumbing emergency! If you have the time and inclination, go around your house and label each valve so you know which ones to use if something goes wrong.

If this article has gotten you interested in enrolling on a real plumbing training course you can study plumbing training at your own pace from anywhere in the UK using one of our plumbing training options. To find out more about the plumbing training courses Access can offer, browse our informative website or call our team on 0800 345 7492 now!

You don’t need intensive plumbing training to be able to solve plumbing issues around your home. This handy blog has been written to provide online plumbing training to give you an idea of the sorts of helpful skills you can pick up on real life plumbing training courses. This week we will be discussing how to cope with a leaking water pipe in your home.

In fact, temporarily repairing a burst or leaking water pipe is pretty easy, apart from our helpful online plumbing training, the only special equipment you need is a pipe repair clamp which you can buy in any DIY shop.

1.    First things first, locate your leak!
It should be fairly obvious where your burst water pipe is because of the high pressure jets of water they usually cause. As you can see, specialist plumbing training isn’t really needed for this kid of task! The only complication might be if the leak has travelled and dripped along pipes or flooring, then you really just need to follow the trail of water.

2.    Turn off your valve
Locate the valve which sends water to the burst pipe, or the valve which controls your whole house’s water supply, and turn the handle clockwise.

3.    Use your pipe repair clamp
You really don’t need plumbing training to do this, there will be instructions on the packet! Normally you’ll simply have to place a rubber sleeve over the hole and clamp it in place.

4.    Admire your handy work
Relax! Your house is now safe from a major leak.

5.    Call a plumber or enrol on a plumbing training course!
Sadly this is only a temporary solution and you will need special plumbing training, or someone with the relevant plumbing training, to provide a more permanent solution by replacing the damaged section yourself. However, by using our handy plumbing training, you have bought yourself some time and saved your property from lots of nasty water damage.

If this blog has piqued your interest and you think you’d like to check out real-life, expert plumbing training courses, Access has loads of plumbing training options for experts and for beginners, from across the UK! For more information about our plumbing training courses visit the rest of our site or give our friendly helpline a call on 0800 345 7492 now!

You don’t always need to have gone through expert plumbing training to fix some of the plumbing problems around your place. Plumbing is one of the final frontiers of DIY because, should anything go wrong, it can end up in a big, soggy and expensive mess. In many cases you are better off enrolling on plumbing training courses, or finding an expert with the right plumbing training, but there are some small DIY plumbing tasks which are safe and relatively easy for you to carry out around the house.

Before we begin, bear in mind that there are some jobs that only plumbers with the correct plumbing training should carry out. If you are keen on DIY there are loads of plumbing training courses around that you can enroll on to qualify you to deal with things like plumbing problems which are within a wall, close to electricity or to sockets. If you haven’t had plumbing training, these problems should be left to someone who has.

One of the most common and fixable problems, even if you do not have plumbing training, are problems around the kitchen sink. A blocked drain or leaking pipesare two problems which you do not need plumbing training or specialist tools to deal with. Here’s how to deal with a blockage.

1. Check under your sink and take a look at the U bend.
2. Once you have located the U bend, next locate your bucket! It is important to have a bucket on hand whether you have plumbing training or not, as blocked sink water all over the place is no fun for anybody.
3. Unscrew your U bend. If your U bend is plastic you should be able to simply unscrew it. If you have a rubber U bend you may need to use a screwdriver or spanner to get it off. 
4. Check your U bend for obstructions, often this will just be a build-up of fat and/or food. 
5. Once you have located the obstruction, just remove it and replace your U bend, ensuring that it is securely fastened.

This is one very basic plumbing task which you can complete without undergoing plumbing training. If you are interested in learning about plumbing, and want to learn to do more, enrolling on a plumbing training course is a great way to find out more and add to your skillset. Many people often find that plumbing training courses open up a whole new career to them! If you are happy as a layman and want more online DIY plumbing training, check back here next week when we’ll be giving plumbing training to show you how to fix leaking pipes.

Access Training are plumbing training specialists and offer a huge range of courses across the country, for all levels of ability. Access plumbing training is flexible and practical and, best of all, all Access Training courses will get you an official City & Guilds approved qualification once completed. For more information about plumbing training browse our website or call our friendly team on 0800 345 7492 now!

All over the UK there appears to be something of a DIY plumbing revolution going on. Plumbing courses are becoming increasingly popular amongst layman and DIY enthusiasts. Although not quite so technical as plumbing courses, popular programmes like Kirstie’s Homemade Home are just the tip of the DIY home improvements iceberg. 

The uptake in rookies taking plumbing courses is, in part, a result of the high cost of plumbing work. Taking plumbing courses and familiarising yourself with the basics is not only a great way to equip yourself to do work around your own property but also makes you a more informed customer when you need more technical plumbing work done by a professional.

Taking DIY beginner plumbing courses can prevent you from getting ripped off and will ensure that, whatever work you need done, you understand what is going on and how much it should cost.  

Plumbing courses can also teach amateurs to fix their own plumbing problems around the house. Most people who have taken beginners plumbing courses find that they are able to deal with most of the more common plumbing issues in their home. 

With the current economic climate what it is, and the stubbornly terrible housing market, most people are opting to improve their properties rather than move house. This is yet another reason for the increasing interest in plumbing courses for novices. 

Many people who take entry level plumbing courses find that they really enjoy the hands-on, practical work that plumbing involves. There are many examples of amateur plumbers going pro after getting interested in the businesses after taking plumbing courses. 

There is an upsurge in people retraining on intensive plumbing courses and giving up their previous careers. Not only is there a lot of money to be made in the industry but there is also the satisfaction of a hands on job as well as the benefit of essentially setting your own hours.

If you are interested in enrolling on beginner, or more advanced, plumbing courses Access Training UK is a great place to look. At Access Training UK we provide a huge range of plumbing courses which cater to all levels of ability and all of our plumbing courses result in an official City & Guilds approved qualification!

For more information about starting plumbing courses, no matter what your age, background, motive or availability, browse the Access Training UK website now or speak to one of our experienced advisors about which plumbing courses are best for you. Call 0800 345 7492 today.

As we reported in our last post, the net is closing in on unqualified and unscrupulous trades people, including plumbers, carpenters, electricians and general builders. The Government and CITB are pushing harder than ever for a greater level of scrutiny of the work carried out by trades people, starting with their training. They are insisting that trades people gain recognised qualifications through relevant construction courses that prove their competency and show they have the correct level of technical expertise to carry out their work.

Meanwhile, rogue traders are being punished in the severest manner with an example reported in the Construction Enquirer on 24th June this year where Darryl Sylvester Glyn, 46, was told he must pay back £140,000 to his ‘customers’ or face a further two years behind bars. Note the phrase ‘further two years’ – he is already spending four and a half years in jail after being prosecuted by Trading Standards from Yorkshire County Council and if he does not return the money the longer sentence will be imposed.

This is an extreme example as in some cases Mr Glyn did not turn up when customers had expected him to start work, even though he had already demanded large amounts of money upfront. What is clear however is that the net is closing in on those builders, plumbers, electricians, tillers and plasterers who operate complete disregard for the best practises taught through established trades and construction courses.

For anyone looking to enter the trades market it is becoming essential to be able to prove your skills are up to the mark. Trades people who are successful in today’s savvy marketplace are fostering stronger relationships with their customers and establishing themselves through high quality work.

At Access Training we train people on construction courses and deliver trades training to those who have experience as well as those with no experience at all. No matter what your level of experience, you will be taught the same principles and values which emphasise the importance of professional qualifications and carrying out your work to a high standard.

If you are interested in any construction courses or would like further information on getting qualified in a particular trade then call us today.

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is behind a new scheme aimed at reducing the risks taken by consumers when they employ a tradesman to work in their home. The aim of the scheme is to reduce the number of consumers being conned by rogue traders who produce shoddy workmanship or simply disappear with a customer’s money.

The new RICS Client Money Protection Scheme will act as a ‘referee and ombudsman’ and sit between the customer and the tradesman holding monies on larger scale works. However, whilst this is aimed at the consumer, it will be of great benefit to those people currently undertaking construction courses as well as qualified plumbers, trained electricians, certified carpenters and other trades people.

How will the scheme work?

A large deposit is held by the scheme having been paid in by the consumer and not paid directly to the builder and this money will not be released to the builder until the work is complete. There are certain caveats that both parties must adhere to - the value of the project needs to be worth more than £2000 and consumers will need to pay a small amount into a consumer protection guarantee account to begin with.

This will mean that both parties are covered in the event of any dispute as the tradesperson will be safe in the knowledge that the money has been deposited and is being held securely whilst the consumer is happy that the tradesperson will only be paid once they produce work that is satisfactory. It also protects the consumer from being pressured into paying by the tradesperson.

The man who brought this idea to life is Harvey Ellington, who spoke to mycouncillor.org.uk, ‘the concept is simple. This Escrow account is fully protected by the RICS Client Money Protection Scheme meaning your money is totally safe. This removes all the elements of risk for the consumers and traders too. Cowboy builders and rogue tradesmen will be quickly caught out. This is a major step forward for consumers in this country.’

However, tradesperson and consumers must also be aware that cowboy builders are rarely qualified. So before the consumer settles on a tradesperson they should ask them whether they are a member of any professional organisations and what qualifications or construction courses they have completed. For instance, gas engineers by law must attend relevant training and courses to become Gas Safe registered. Electricians working on domestic properties must either be working for a company or personally qualified to Part P of the Building Regulations. Most reputable electricians will also be part of a competent person scheme such as the NICEIC.

If you are a tradesperson looking for construction courses call Access training today and we’ll get you qualified quickly and efficiently.

In a recent article published in She magazine, one of the UK’s largest selling woman’s magazines, six woman were featured who had varied jobs but with one common factor... a very high salary. One such woman, Jane Graham from London, works for Pimlico Plumbers, having completed her plumbing training. She earns a quoted £75k per year. That’s £4,176 per month or £964 per week or £193 per day after tax! Not bad at all.

This just goes to show not only that women are just as suited to a career in plumbing as men, but also the tremendous financial rewards working as a plumber can bring, making plumbing training a worthwhile undertaking.

Jane Graham stated: “As I’m very hands-on I decided that university wasn’t for me, so I thought instead about training to be a plumber. It was tough being the only woman on the plumbing training course, but now I love my job with Pimlico Plumbers. In a typical day I will have three different customers, and many of my female customers are delighted to see a female plumber. There is nothing better than solving a problem and making sure the customers are happy; plus the money I earn working in this affluent area of London is a real bonus.”  

Here at Access Training we have seen a marked increase (134%) in the enquiries we are receiving from women about our trades training courses, and these enquiries are fairly evenly spread between the plumbing training, electrical courses and the other trades we offer. They will usually be keen to discuss their suitability for the work, to which we always offer the same reply: a career in plumbing or any other trade for that matter is just as suited to women as it is to men.

The age old stereotypes are no longer relevant. Women can be up there with the very highest earners in the trade. Once industry recognised plumbing training has been completed men and women alike in a position to reap the financial rewards.

If you’re interested in becoming a plumber then Access Training’s plumbing training is the best way to kick start your career. Our purpose built, state of the art facilities accurately replicate scenarios will you find yourself in whilst out on the job, giving you a thorough grounding in all aspects of plumbing. Call 0800 345 7492 today.

The NICEIC has just has published the results of a survey which asked registered electrical contractors their thoughts on Part P of the Building Regulations. Around 1,500 completed the survey. The results obtained, which reflected a wide spread of electricians’ views, are to be considered by the Government in their latest review of current Building Regulations.

As discussed in previous posts, the effectiveness of Part P is currently being looked at and re-examined by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, who published the initial legislation back in 2005. This dictated that electrical courses graduates working domestically must have attended one of a specific range of electrical courses to become a qualified installer. They also had to be part of a Competent Person Scheme.

There has been much debate regarding the changes needed, with most agreeing that Part P electrical courses should be amended to improve the current model. The responses received from the NICEIC survey support this view with 85% believing it should be retained. Three quarters of contributors said that there should be a pubic list of approved electrical installers for consumers to use, preventing unqualified electricians from carrying out domestic electrical work.

One of the most telling findings was that half of the respondents have seen a marked increase in the standard of electrical work since Part P was brought in as an essential element of electrical courses.

Other notable findings were that 75% of contributors said they wanted firmer action to be taken against those individuals who did not comply with the scheme. At present prosecutions are virtually non-existent.

Finally, an important point the electrical courses graduates wanted homeowners to understand was which DIY tasks they can carry out themselves as opposed to those they need a qualified electrician to complete.

Here at Access Training we feel that safety comes first and that, despite its numerous faults, Part P has been an undoubted success since its introduction, increasing the quality of the workmanship being carried out in people’s homes.

Here at Access Training we offer Part P electrical courses which will enable you to reach the industry required standard. If you require any further information regarding Part P electrical courses, or any of our other courses for that matter, please call 0800 345 7492 or email enquiries@accesstraining.co.uk.

On the electrical courses we provide here at Access Training, we believe an integral element is the preparation of students for future developments in the industry. Currently the subject of solar photovoltaic or solar PV is a particularly hot topic of conversation. As part of our training we ensure that students on our electrical courses are fully aware of the technology involved, however, we are finding some students have concerns about its longevity and are worried about what to say to customers if they enquire about the benefits of investing in a solar PV system.

Solar technology is widely expected to be one of the key methods of producing environmentally friendly power in the future, but what is not clear from the information currently available to the general public and electrical courses students alike is the current benefits for the customer and installer.

The benefits of solar PV installation can be summarized thus:

•    Feed in Tariffs backed by the Government
•    Electricity which can be consumed for free
•    Gain an income by selling surplus back to the grid
•    A reduction in carbon footprint and CO2 emissions
•    Ideal for the UK climate as the technology works all year round

One of the benefits that students of our electrical courses have found to be most impressive is that customers earn a guaranteed 41.3p from their electricity provider for every unit of electricity they produce. This allows some individuals to earn anywhere from £600 to £1250 a year, representing a return of 8% to 14%. However, the exact figure will be dependent on the position of the panels, the amount of sunlight to which the property is exposed and the overall size of the installation.

If you would like to find out more about solar PV installation and its benefits, or for more information about the electrical courses on offer here at Access Training then call our course advice team today.