Changing Light Bulbs
1. Turn off the power
- Make sure the power is completely turned off to avoid electric shocks
- It’s ideal to be changing light bulbs in the day as opposed to night
- Ensure the bulb being removed has cooled down before attempting to remove it
2. Grab a ladder
- This will aid you in reaching the light bulb safely
- Never attempt to remove a light bulb whilst standing or balancing on unstable surfaces
3. Remove the old light bulb
- The bulb will either have a screw fitting or a bayonet fitting
- If screw fitting, twist anticlockwise until you feel the bulb loosening
- If bayonet fitting, firmly push upwards whilst turning in an anti-clockwise direction
- Dispose of the old bulb safely
4. Replacing the bulb
- Place the replacement bulb in the fitting securely and firmly
- Restore the power to check if the light now works
Bleeding Radiators
If your heater doesn’t heat up even if the heating is on, it may need bleeding. Radiators may get air trapped in them which prevents heat from rising and heating the room. This can be easily rectified.
- Locate the radiator key – this will open the valve at the top of the radiator to release the air
- Open the valve on the radiator, turning to the ‘open’ position
- Catch any drips of water that escape the bleed valve whilst the cold air leaves the radiator – it’s ideal to have a cloth underneath to capture any water
- Carry out the same process on all the radiators in the house
- Check boiler pressure levels to ensure heat is being distributed all around the house
Topping up Boilers
If the boiler pressure falls, this can lead to a cold house so it’s important to know how to top up the pressure.
- Find the filling loop underneath the boiler – this will look like a metal pipe with a valve attached
- Open the valve with a flat-headed screwdriver – this allows the cold mains water to reach the heating framework and increases the pressure to the heating system
- If this issue persists, contact your landlord – there might be a leak in your central heating
Checking Smoke Alarms
It’s important to know how to accurately check your smoke alarms for your safety.
You will already have a working smoke alarm fitted in your accommodation but to test it, you can press the test button found on the alarm to test the battery life.
To change the batteries, you can open the compartment and replace it with new batteries.
You will know when your smoke alarm is running out of power as the alarm will make bleeping sounds indicating it needs new batteries.
