Property Maintenance

The leak is most likely coming from one of the below sources:

• The pump, in this case please only use the cold tap in the kitchen, which is fed from the mains water supply and not reliant on the pump.  Do not use any other sources of water.  We will be replacing the pump as a matter of urgency.
• The cylinder, in this case please do not use the immersion to heat water.  The immersion is controlled by the time clock.  We will be replacing the cylinder as a matter of urgency.
• The bathroom, in this case please do not use the bath or shower until our plumber has diagnosed the issue.  We aim to have a plumber attend to the issue within 24 hours of reporting.

When there is no power supply, please follow the below steps:

• Contact your electricity supplier to ensure they haven’t cut the supply or there are power outages in the area.
• Assuming there is no issue with your supplier, check the fuse board, usually located beside the front door, in the utility room or under the stairs.
  • If there is an issue with one of the appliances then one of the switches on the switch board will trip or flip down, in this case follow the below steps
  • Turn off all of the appliances
  • The switch should be able to be put back up
  • Turn them on one by one
  • If there is an issue with any appliance the switch will trip once the appliance is switched on
  • This will identify the faulty appliance that will need to be replaced
  • Please do not use this appliance until a replacement is found
• If this doesn’t work then the issue is with the switch itself, which will need to be replaced by a certified electrician

Before reporting this problem, can you first follow the below steps:

• Make sure to distinguish between having no water and the water not heating
• Assuming you have no water, check if there is water coming out of the cold tap in the kitchen.  This is the water supply from the mains.
• If there is no supply from the cold tap in the kitchen, it is an external issue relating to the water mains.  If you live in a house you will need to contact Irish Water and if you live in an apartment you will need to contact the block management company.
• In houses, the water supply to other outlets is gravity fed from the tank in the attic and if there is supply to the cold tap in the kitchen but not to the other outlets, it is most like an issue with the ballcock or fill valve in the tank.
• In apartments, the water supply to the other outlets is generated by a pump.
• The pump is located on the ground beside the cylinder.
• There is a switch close by to control it, always make sure this is on

Before reporting the issue, can you check the following

• If there is gas central heating in the property, make sure the boiler is firing.  If it isn’t, they we will need to arrange an RGI plumber
• Assuming it is and the issue is solely with the water not heating, then check the timeclock (located beside the cylinder)
  • If it is an analogue timeclock and it isn’t turning we will need to arrange an electrician to replace it
  • If it is a digital time clock and the screen is blank we will need to arrange an electrician to replace it
  • If it is an Economy 7 or E7 timeclock (it will say Economy 7 or E7 on the device) we will most likely replace it regardless of whether the display is blank or lit.
  • If the time clock is operation, we will arrange a plumber to replace either or both the thermostat or the immersion in the cylinder
• In this case, it is vital to check the above so we can assign the correct contractor to resolve this issue efficiently.

The is only applicable in properties with gas heating systems.  In some cases we will need to arrange for an RGI Plumber to resolve the issue.  When reporting an issue with a boiler, always include the error code on the digital screen on the unit.

A common fault is low pressure, which can be fixed by re-pressurising the system.  Below is a table of low pressure fault codes on the most common boilers.

The system can be re-pressurised or topped up using the filling loops on the boiler.  The pressure on the boiler should be between 1 and 1.5 bar, shown on the pressure gauge. If you’re unsure how to do it, a short YouTube video on topping up a boiler provides clear instructions.

If the problem persists, we will arrange for a RGI plumber to resolve the issue.

Electric storage heaters are predominantly found in apartments.  Please ensure nothing covers them, including sofas pushed up against them as this will cause them to over heat and the thermal cut out be disable the heater.

Below are the main heating controls in a storage heater

• Switch at wall to turn heater on and off
• Input dial, found on the top right of the heater. Increase the input to charge up the heater.  This should be used at night to avail of night rate electricity
• Output dial, found beside the input dial. If you are out during the day, the output should be set at the lowest setting.  When you need more heat, this can be increased.
• There should be a convector element to the heater, by switching it on this should provide instant heat at anytime. Please note if this is used during the day, the higher day electricity rate will apply.

Not sure how they work? This handy YouTube video on using electric storage heaters explains everything you need to know.

There are a number of things that can fail in a washing machine.  If the machine is making a loud banging noise let us know as the bearing within the drum will be worn and the machine will need to be replaced.

A common issue is a blocked filter, but it’s usually easy to fix. This YouTube video on unblocking a filter shows you how it’s done step by step.

Given the climate in Ireland, dampness can be a real issue in properties, particularly apartments, during the winter months.  It usually presents itself in the form of specks of mold around windows and behind furniture.  Windows act as a cold bridge and there is often a lack of airflow behind furniture.

When reporting an issue with mould, can you confirm the below

• Are the wall vents blocked
• Are clothes being dried inside
• Do drying facilities comply with the minimum housing standards
  • In the case of houses there should be adequate space outdoors to dry clothes
  • In the case of apartments, there should be a separate dryer or dryer function on a washing machine
  • Please note, drying clothes outdoors is forbidden in apartment complexes
• Is the kitchen extractor fan operational and is it clear of grease etc..
• Is the bathroom extractor fan operational and is it clear of dust etc..
• Is there adequate airspace behind large furniture items

In the meantime we would recommend using “Astonish Mould & Mildew Blaster” on the affected areas. We find it to be very effective in the treatment of mould.

Let us know if the issue persists and our property manager will visit the property to assess the situation.