Menasche Scharf takes us on a tour of the house to check for damp
In my article “Damp Dangers” I outlined the effects of a damp environment on our health. Here, the focus switches to the building structure itself. When buildings suffer damp, either by way of rainwater penetration or through rising damp from the ground, the materials the structure is comprised of may become compromised. This damage may show itself both externally and internally. In the very worst of cases it could cause the property to become unstable and therefore dangerous to live in.
External damp damage
As most damp problems originate from outside the building, damage to external walls tends to become evident before any effects are detected internally. Usually, damp penetrates through defective brickwork, pointing and stonework. If brick faces are decayed because of long-term exposure to the elements, they will allow moisture to enter the brickwork and take up residence in the property's structure. As well as the obvious entry points for moisture in the walls -- i.e. cracked or broken bricks / stones / render -- look out, too, for rebated mortar joints; blown, cracked and shelled brick faces, and algae attaching itself to the surface of brickwork. These are all sure-fire signs that moisture is entering the property structure.
Once inside the walls moisture begins to eat away at the integrity of the structure. Freeze-thaw of moisture in the winter is a particular problem as water expands in volume when frozen. Repeated freeze-thaw systematically destroys external walls, widening the gaps in which moisture can enter the building, so helping the damp to drive inwards to internal walls.
Internal damp problems
The first sign of damp trouble inside a property is normally found on the inside of westerly and southerly facing external walls - in our parts of the world, which is in the Northern hemisphere. Rainwater driven in from outside penetrates to the inner wall, often breaking down plaster into cracks and flakes and allowing mould to develop on the internal wall surface. When this happens you know you've got a problem!
High humidity coupled with poor ventilation promotes mould growth in damp areas of a property. In the winter, when the room temperature is high, particularly in smaller rooms or spaces that do not have windows to allow fresh air flow, mould takes hold quickly, discolouring and damaging the surface on which it grows. Remember: fungus likes damp, dark places where it can grow safely, as exposure to air for long periods means it cannot dry out easily.
Bikur Cholim בקור חולים
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Damp in the home 2
Fresh from his encounter with the snow, Menasche Scharf returns to the house to examine the problems caused by excessive moisture.
Independent of penetrating damp, but just as much of an issue, is condensation, which again thrives in poorly-ventilated rooms with moisture sources. WCs are particularly vulnerable here. For example a WC with a double radiator installed and no window is a recipe for disaster. Why? Because the cold water pipe from the mains, which passes through this room, creates a clash: the warm air hits the ice cold pipe, causing the air to condensate. If this happens 24/7, you will see a wet pipe with a puddle on the floor. Eventually the walls near this pipe will start showing signs of mould; plaster starts becoming powdery, paint peels off from the pipes and/or the wall - which turn a green colour - and water seeps through the wall underneath wall tiles.
Condensation affects other rooms, too. Kitchens are especially vulnerable, as are bedrooms (if not ventilated) and any rooms in which clothes are hung to dry, particularly if they are hung over radiators to dry. You may notice in these rooms plasterboard becoming 'blown up', and chipboard starting to "rise".
All buildings must be allowed to breathe. This means ensuring rooms are well ventilated, have low moisture content and do not have moisture 'sealed in' to the walls courtesy of non-breathable surface coverings.
So what should you do? In the first instance, landlords and homeowners must be proactive in checking external walls for signs of damage. Regular checks and preventative / repair work should be carried out to keep brick faces and mortar free from penetrating moisture.
Inside the property, homeowners and tenants must take responsibility for controlling condensation. For example, in small rooms, radiator valves should be turned down and doors left open to keep the air from stagnating. Where possible, open a window or skylight to promote better movement of air around the rooms. You could also consider installing dehumidifiers in some of the worst affected rooms.
If the problem occurs in larger spaces, check if there is a window / skylight that has been left open or is not properly sealed. A continual supply of cold air could be interacting with the warm air created from the radiator and together they "stick" to the cold water pipes and surfaces in these rooms.
To deal with condensation problems in larger spaces, turn the radiator(s) in the rooms down to a minimum and fit lagging to the pipe. For our purposes, lagging a pipe means to wrap a pipe that conducts hot or cold water. The material is a rigid foam available from your local DIY store. It is tubular in shape and is scored across its length. The score opens up to a slit, which then allows you to insulate the pipe.
This protects the pipe from coming into contact with air at different temperatures and with different moisture content."
Independent of penetrating damp, but just as much of an issue, is condensation, which again thrives in poorly-ventilated rooms with moisture sources. WCs are particularly vulnerable here. For example a WC with a double radiator installed and no window is a recipe for disaster. Why? Because the cold water pipe from the mains, which passes through this room, creates a clash: the warm air hits the ice cold pipe, causing the air to condensate. If this happens 24/7, you will see a wet pipe with a puddle on the floor. Eventually the walls near this pipe will start showing signs of mould; plaster starts becoming powdery, paint peels off from the pipes and/or the wall - which turn a green colour - and water seeps through the wall underneath wall tiles.
Condensation affects other rooms, too. Kitchens are especially vulnerable, as are bedrooms (if not ventilated) and any rooms in which clothes are hung to dry, particularly if they are hung over radiators to dry. You may notice in these rooms plasterboard becoming 'blown up', and chipboard starting to "rise".
All buildings must be allowed to breathe. This means ensuring rooms are well ventilated, have low moisture content and do not have moisture 'sealed in' to the walls courtesy of non-breathable surface coverings.
So what should you do? In the first instance, landlords and homeowners must be proactive in checking external walls for signs of damage. Regular checks and preventative / repair work should be carried out to keep brick faces and mortar free from penetrating moisture.
Inside the property, homeowners and tenants must take responsibility for controlling condensation. For example, in small rooms, radiator valves should be turned down and doors left open to keep the air from stagnating. Where possible, open a window or skylight to promote better movement of air around the rooms. You could also consider installing dehumidifiers in some of the worst affected rooms.
If the problem occurs in larger spaces, check if there is a window / skylight that has been left open or is not properly sealed. A continual supply of cold air could be interacting with the warm air created from the radiator and together they "stick" to the cold water pipes and surfaces in these rooms.
To deal with condensation problems in larger spaces, turn the radiator(s) in the rooms down to a minimum and fit lagging to the pipe. For our purposes, lagging a pipe means to wrap a pipe that conducts hot or cold water. The material is a rigid foam available from your local DIY store. It is tubular in shape and is scored across its length. The score opens up to a slit, which then allows you to insulate the pipe.
This protects the pipe from coming into contact with air at different temperatures and with different moisture content."
Shock to the system
If you have had any work done on electrical installations in your home or rental property during the last couple of years, you are no doubt already familiar with "Part-P" legislation. For the uninitiated Menasche Scharf explains the requirements.
Part-P was introduced into the Building Regulations code by the government. It came into force on January 1, 2005 and was subsequently updated in April 2006. Its purpose is to reduce the number of faulty electrical installations present in homes across the UK, and to make it more difficult for "cowboy" installers to fit unsafe electrics into a property. The ultimate aim is to ensure the reduction of fires, injuries and even fatalities that are caused by unsafe electrical installations. Given that compliance with Part-P is now a legal requirement when undertaking all types of electrical work in a dwelling, the new regulation is one that we should all become familiar with.
What must we do to comply?
Part-P legislation requires that any electrical work carried out in our homes or rental properties must now satisfy one of two criteria:
1. The electrical work must be performed by a firm or installer registered on a government-approved competent persons scheme. Membership of the scheme is awarded to installers who are proven capable of self-certifying that electrical work carried out for its clients complies with the Building Regulations, specifically Part-P of those regulations. This criterion is the preferred compliance option.
2. If electrical work is carried out by an installer who is not registered as a "competent person" - as property owner it is your decision as to whether to use a registered competent person or not - the unregistered installer must arrange for the work to be inspected upon completion by the local authority's building control department.
As owner of the property and recipient of any electrical works performed on it, the onus is on you to ensure that whoever you use to do the job complies with either one of these criteria. Failure to do so is a criminal offence and could result in you and the installer receiving a hefty fine or worse.
Can I carry out electrical DIY work?
The short answer is 'yes'! Anyone can carry out electrical DIY work on their own property. However, the work performed, no matter how minor, must comply with Part-P of the Building Regulations. This means that you either must be registered as a "competent" person yourself, or else notify your local authority's building control department of the work so that they can come and inspect it.
There is, however, an exception to this rule. If you are installing extra power points, new lighting switches or making alterations to an existing electrical circuit that is not in the bathroom, kitchen or outdoors, you do not need to advise the building control department about the work. For everything else - including new sockets in the bathroom, kitchen and outdoors - you do need to contact the building control department, or be registered as a competent person to self-certify the work.
A safer world
Electrical Safety Council from as recent as 31st of March this year states: "statistics of deaths by electricity are shocking" - it is therefore no wonder that the government is finally clamping down on this sorry state of affairs. Indeed, before the introduction of Part-P every year would see, on average, 10 deaths from faulty electrical installations, around 750 injuries and some 2,000 house fires caused by unsafe electrics. Now, with Part-P in place, those figures are expected to fall dramatically. This is one piece of legislation that really could save lives!
Part-P was introduced into the Building Regulations code by the government. It came into force on January 1, 2005 and was subsequently updated in April 2006. Its purpose is to reduce the number of faulty electrical installations present in homes across the UK, and to make it more difficult for "cowboy" installers to fit unsafe electrics into a property. The ultimate aim is to ensure the reduction of fires, injuries and even fatalities that are caused by unsafe electrical installations. Given that compliance with Part-P is now a legal requirement when undertaking all types of electrical work in a dwelling, the new regulation is one that we should all become familiar with.
What must we do to comply?
Part-P legislation requires that any electrical work carried out in our homes or rental properties must now satisfy one of two criteria:
1. The electrical work must be performed by a firm or installer registered on a government-approved competent persons scheme. Membership of the scheme is awarded to installers who are proven capable of self-certifying that electrical work carried out for its clients complies with the Building Regulations, specifically Part-P of those regulations. This criterion is the preferred compliance option.
2. If electrical work is carried out by an installer who is not registered as a "competent person" - as property owner it is your decision as to whether to use a registered competent person or not - the unregistered installer must arrange for the work to be inspected upon completion by the local authority's building control department.
As owner of the property and recipient of any electrical works performed on it, the onus is on you to ensure that whoever you use to do the job complies with either one of these criteria. Failure to do so is a criminal offence and could result in you and the installer receiving a hefty fine or worse.
Can I carry out electrical DIY work?
The short answer is 'yes'! Anyone can carry out electrical DIY work on their own property. However, the work performed, no matter how minor, must comply with Part-P of the Building Regulations. This means that you either must be registered as a "competent" person yourself, or else notify your local authority's building control department of the work so that they can come and inspect it.
There is, however, an exception to this rule. If you are installing extra power points, new lighting switches or making alterations to an existing electrical circuit that is not in the bathroom, kitchen or outdoors, you do not need to advise the building control department about the work. For everything else - including new sockets in the bathroom, kitchen and outdoors - you do need to contact the building control department, or be registered as a competent person to self-certify the work.
A safer world
Electrical Safety Council from as recent as 31st of March this year states: "statistics of deaths by electricity are shocking" - it is therefore no wonder that the government is finally clamping down on this sorry state of affairs. Indeed, before the introduction of Part-P every year would see, on average, 10 deaths from faulty electrical installations, around 750 injuries and some 2,000 house fires caused by unsafe electrics. Now, with Part-P in place, those figures are expected to fall dramatically. This is one piece of legislation that really could save lives!
An Inspector Calls
Whether you are a homeowner or a tenant, staying safe in your own home is naturally going to be at the forefront of your thoughts from day to day. Menasche Scharf explains for the uninitiated
For landlords - and especially managing agents - these thoughts extend to their rental properties too, not least because the law demands that landlords be responsible (within reason) for the general safety of tenants that occupy those properties. Specific rules apply to areas where safety concerns are greatest -- for example, gas installations and gas appliances by law must be periodically inspected to ensure their safety. If the property is a Home in Multiple Occupation (HMO) the local council has a right to gain access to the property and perform a safety inspection. If what they find is unacceptable the landlord will be required to make the necessary improvements - or face prosecution. Given the severity of the punishment that may be handed down to landlords who flout the law, it is best to wise-up to what you need to do and how to get full marks on a property safety inspection, should an inspector call!
Safety focus areas
Property safety inspectors, whether they be from a private firm hired by the landlord to examine the building or from the council for an HMO, will focus their inspection on four key areas:
Gas: This is the big one! Gas safety is absolutely critical. If the gas supply to your property is proved to be unsafe, or if gas appliances are not maintained or checked annually, not only could you / your tenants be leaving yourselves open to the real risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, but you could also be opening yourself up the risk of a gas explosion. If you have a periodic maintenance programme in place for all gas appliances in the property, and do all that you are required to do to comply with the annual gas safety check, including providing tenants with a copy of the gas safety certificate, you should have little to worry about.
Electricity: The law requires that all electrical equipment and installations in the home are designated as safe for their purpose. The only way to ensure that this is the case in your / your tenant's property is to employ only qualified and competent contractors to work on electrical installations, and to have all portable electrical equipment periodically tested by a Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) firm.
Fire Risk, Prevention & Management: House fires are one of the most feared hazards that we have to contend with in our homes. Regardless of the recently introduced ban on smoking indoors in public buildings, the danger to life and limb from fires remains real in any environment. Remember that private dwellings that are also used as a workplace fall under the same new regulations - if used by more than one person who doesn't live there. Assessing fire risks and eliminating them is key to lowering our exposure to the risk of fire. Regular appliance checks, good preventative measures, such as not overloading electrical sockets, and good management -- i.e. having fire extinguishers and fire blankets accessible, closing doors and having unhindered access to a fire escape -- can all help to put you in the good books of a property safety inspector!
General Property Condition: On a council safety inspection of an HMO, the inspector will want to assess the building's structure and interior to ensure suitability for multiple occupation. State of repair, structural condition, cleanliness, drainage as well as the safety and condition of common access areas (stairs and corridors etc.) will come under scrutiny. So long as overall the property is in a good state of repair and the areas inspected are free from major defects, you shouldn't have a problem here.
Now that you are aware of what the law requires of you, change your hat for that of a Property Inspector and play out the procedure the yourself. You will find that having checked off the above items, you will most probably want to consider the following areas that the professional inspector might have overlooked: Alarms and Security, Doors, Windows, Locks, Flooring, Dampness, Air Conditioning, Vents, Roofs, Gutters, Trees, Insurance, and Subsidence - the list is far from being exhaustive; if you follow this column every week, it is safe to assume that you will have covered all your bases.
In the meantime, wishing you all a kasheren Pesach.
For landlords - and especially managing agents - these thoughts extend to their rental properties too, not least because the law demands that landlords be responsible (within reason) for the general safety of tenants that occupy those properties. Specific rules apply to areas where safety concerns are greatest -- for example, gas installations and gas appliances by law must be periodically inspected to ensure their safety. If the property is a Home in Multiple Occupation (HMO) the local council has a right to gain access to the property and perform a safety inspection. If what they find is unacceptable the landlord will be required to make the necessary improvements - or face prosecution. Given the severity of the punishment that may be handed down to landlords who flout the law, it is best to wise-up to what you need to do and how to get full marks on a property safety inspection, should an inspector call!
Safety focus areas
Property safety inspectors, whether they be from a private firm hired by the landlord to examine the building or from the council for an HMO, will focus their inspection on four key areas:
Gas: This is the big one! Gas safety is absolutely critical. If the gas supply to your property is proved to be unsafe, or if gas appliances are not maintained or checked annually, not only could you / your tenants be leaving yourselves open to the real risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, but you could also be opening yourself up the risk of a gas explosion. If you have a periodic maintenance programme in place for all gas appliances in the property, and do all that you are required to do to comply with the annual gas safety check, including providing tenants with a copy of the gas safety certificate, you should have little to worry about.
Electricity: The law requires that all electrical equipment and installations in the home are designated as safe for their purpose. The only way to ensure that this is the case in your / your tenant's property is to employ only qualified and competent contractors to work on electrical installations, and to have all portable electrical equipment periodically tested by a Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) firm.
Fire Risk, Prevention & Management: House fires are one of the most feared hazards that we have to contend with in our homes. Regardless of the recently introduced ban on smoking indoors in public buildings, the danger to life and limb from fires remains real in any environment. Remember that private dwellings that are also used as a workplace fall under the same new regulations - if used by more than one person who doesn't live there. Assessing fire risks and eliminating them is key to lowering our exposure to the risk of fire. Regular appliance checks, good preventative measures, such as not overloading electrical sockets, and good management -- i.e. having fire extinguishers and fire blankets accessible, closing doors and having unhindered access to a fire escape -- can all help to put you in the good books of a property safety inspector!
General Property Condition: On a council safety inspection of an HMO, the inspector will want to assess the building's structure and interior to ensure suitability for multiple occupation. State of repair, structural condition, cleanliness, drainage as well as the safety and condition of common access areas (stairs and corridors etc.) will come under scrutiny. So long as overall the property is in a good state of repair and the areas inspected are free from major defects, you shouldn't have a problem here.
Now that you are aware of what the law requires of you, change your hat for that of a Property Inspector and play out the procedure the yourself. You will find that having checked off the above items, you will most probably want to consider the following areas that the professional inspector might have overlooked: Alarms and Security, Doors, Windows, Locks, Flooring, Dampness, Air Conditioning, Vents, Roofs, Gutters, Trees, Insurance, and Subsidence - the list is far from being exhaustive; if you follow this column every week, it is safe to assume that you will have covered all your bases.
In the meantime, wishing you all a kasheren Pesach.
House of Horrors
With Pesach in mind, Menasche Scharf has been collecting valuable advice and some novel ideas for your future building project. Most of the following anecdotes - if not all of them- are emess-real life stories, so you have been forewarned.
If you want to know the difference between a weeping radiator valve and a dripping tap: the first will eventually create a hole in your wall, whilst the latter will bore a hole in your wallet. Whilst we're on the subject of preventative maintenance, it's worthwhile mentioning another common misunderstanding: to prevent dry rot in your bathroom - especially if the bath has been fitted on a wooden frame - never use plain silicone to seal your bath; rather use flexible sealants (example: Evo-Stik Serious Stuff All Purpose Sealant - NOT adhesive...) which addresses the problem of "weight movement". Weight movement is caused by the combined weight of a person's body and the water in the bath tub, which causes the rigid silicone to break, thereby allowing water to seep through the cracks. The best way around it is to ensure that the bath fitter stands inside the bath tub or the bath is full of water when he applies the sealant and beading to the gap between the wall tiles and the bath tub. That's perhaps the reason why some builders - especially those hailing from some parts of the Eastern Bloc - call it Sillygone...
Doting on a tiler is like walking across a still-wet floor - very uncomfortable for the employer and employee. However, this doesn't mean that you should allow him to lay tiles without stretching a string across the floor or wall - to keep the tiles in a straight line.
So, you know not to breathe down the tiler's neck - nevertheless you should still insist that when he is finished sticking down tiles around the drain cover, he can demonstrate that he can still lift it. Failing this, you could face the prospect of having to drill through the adhesive seal, which by now is rock hard - when the blocked drains make your life unbearable.
As we've mentioned our faithful builders from across the channel, here's a piece of advice that may well lead to major financial losses if left unattended. Warn the foreman to look out for potential hazards like drilling holes into pipes, severing electrical wires or ruining the wallpaper at the neighbours...
For those of you renting out property to tenants, remember that when they call you up in middle of the night that there's no heating, don't get caught up in their panic, just tell them to top up their gas meter...
Never allow a washing machine hose to be fitted between the gas pipe and the oven; the consequences may not be funny at all - even though this is what some cowboy builders have been doing to cut corners. Similarly, when putting up partitions check to make sure the correct insulation boards are used as failing to do so may expose the occupiers to be exposed to extremely hazardous situations, as was the case when one contractor used an old feather quilt - highly flammable - to 'fill' the gap between the plasterboards instead of the fire-proofed sound-prevention filling blocks...
The same applies to preparing a concrete floor: never settle for bin liners when heavy-duty sheets are required to insulate against water seepages.
Once the building works are finished, be on your guard; some builders will try to dispose of excess cement by pouring it into a drain gully. Next time it rains, you - and your neighbours - will waddle in a pool of rainwater, whilst the 'professional' brickie has made off with your cheque and is relaxing in the shade.
When painting a floor, advise the master painter to start from the far corner of the room and work his way back towards the entrance of the room - unless you have a spare room for an overnight stay - rule of thumb: don't let him paint himself into a corner...
Now some D.I.Y tips: When fixing wooden cabinets, use broken matches as wood filler, the screwdriver will work the screw through the new filler and it will stay there for a long time to come. You could use screws that are either too small: they don't keep the door in place for too long or you could use too long ones that will stick out and you may cause health and safety issues as people get scratched...
Wishing you safe Pesach cleaning.
If you want to know the difference between a weeping radiator valve and a dripping tap: the first will eventually create a hole in your wall, whilst the latter will bore a hole in your wallet. Whilst we're on the subject of preventative maintenance, it's worthwhile mentioning another common misunderstanding: to prevent dry rot in your bathroom - especially if the bath has been fitted on a wooden frame - never use plain silicone to seal your bath; rather use flexible sealants (example: Evo-Stik Serious Stuff All Purpose Sealant - NOT adhesive...) which addresses the problem of "weight movement". Weight movement is caused by the combined weight of a person's body and the water in the bath tub, which causes the rigid silicone to break, thereby allowing water to seep through the cracks. The best way around it is to ensure that the bath fitter stands inside the bath tub or the bath is full of water when he applies the sealant and beading to the gap between the wall tiles and the bath tub. That's perhaps the reason why some builders - especially those hailing from some parts of the Eastern Bloc - call it Sillygone...
Doting on a tiler is like walking across a still-wet floor - very uncomfortable for the employer and employee. However, this doesn't mean that you should allow him to lay tiles without stretching a string across the floor or wall - to keep the tiles in a straight line.
So, you know not to breathe down the tiler's neck - nevertheless you should still insist that when he is finished sticking down tiles around the drain cover, he can demonstrate that he can still lift it. Failing this, you could face the prospect of having to drill through the adhesive seal, which by now is rock hard - when the blocked drains make your life unbearable.
As we've mentioned our faithful builders from across the channel, here's a piece of advice that may well lead to major financial losses if left unattended. Warn the foreman to look out for potential hazards like drilling holes into pipes, severing electrical wires or ruining the wallpaper at the neighbours...
For those of you renting out property to tenants, remember that when they call you up in middle of the night that there's no heating, don't get caught up in their panic, just tell them to top up their gas meter...
Never allow a washing machine hose to be fitted between the gas pipe and the oven; the consequences may not be funny at all - even though this is what some cowboy builders have been doing to cut corners. Similarly, when putting up partitions check to make sure the correct insulation boards are used as failing to do so may expose the occupiers to be exposed to extremely hazardous situations, as was the case when one contractor used an old feather quilt - highly flammable - to 'fill' the gap between the plasterboards instead of the fire-proofed sound-prevention filling blocks...
The same applies to preparing a concrete floor: never settle for bin liners when heavy-duty sheets are required to insulate against water seepages.
Once the building works are finished, be on your guard; some builders will try to dispose of excess cement by pouring it into a drain gully. Next time it rains, you - and your neighbours - will waddle in a pool of rainwater, whilst the 'professional' brickie has made off with your cheque and is relaxing in the shade.
When painting a floor, advise the master painter to start from the far corner of the room and work his way back towards the entrance of the room - unless you have a spare room for an overnight stay - rule of thumb: don't let him paint himself into a corner...
Now some D.I.Y tips: When fixing wooden cabinets, use broken matches as wood filler, the screwdriver will work the screw through the new filler and it will stay there for a long time to come. You could use screws that are either too small: they don't keep the door in place for too long or you could use too long ones that will stick out and you may cause health and safety issues as people get scratched...
Wishing you safe Pesach cleaning.
Windows 2002-2008
The legislation may be six years old, but it still governs the landlord’s duties regarding the installation and maintenance of windows in rented property, says Menasche Scharf
In April 2002 the act of replacing windows in a property became subject to Buildings Regulations. This piece of legislation - although it covers windows in general - specifically targets installations of windows that need to meet certain "thermal performance standards" for glazing.
The new law - which was, and still is, designed to help buildings comply with energy efficiency directives - means that any replacement windows installed after 1 April 2002 MUST be installed by either
1 By a competent individual or firm with specific Buildings
Regulations consent from the local authority, or
2 A person or company registered with the Fenestration
Self-Assessment Scheme (FENSA)
Either way, a certificate to show that replacement windows comply with the new regulations is issued upon completion of the installation.
Should you have replaced windows in your property without observing the Buildings Regulations as they apply, you could have a few problems to deal with. Firstly, if you want to sell your property, the buyer's solicitor will make a specific check to ensure that Buildings Regulations were complied with for any window replacements. This they will do by asking you to produce your compliance certificate(s). If you don't have them, you could find your property difficult, if not impossible, to sell.
The second issue is that if the council is alerted to the fact that your replacement windows were not certified, you could have a building control inspector on your doorstep! If, after inspection, your replaced windows are found not to comply with current thermal performance standards, you may be asked to replace the units again.
DIY Window Replacements
Are you planning on replacing windows yourself? If so, here's what you must do to comply with the law…
• Submit a Building Notice / Application to your local authority -- Contact the Building Control department of your local authority and ask for a Building Notice or Application form for permission to install replacement windows. Below you will find useful contact details of your local council. They will tell you the cost of this procedure.
• When filing through a District Surveyor, there is a fee of around £200.00 - so you might want to rely on the Windows Iinstaller, who is anyway licensed to install the windows and will be covered by his own annual fee.
• Obtain Approval -- Local authorities approve applications as default, normally within 2-3 days of receiving the notice. You will be asked to provide an installation date.
• Inspections -- The local authority will likely make two inspections.
The first inspection is conducted at the commencement of the work; the second after completion. If the glazing does not meet the required inspection standards at either point, the units will not be approved and you will have to replace them again.
• Completion Certificate -- Assuming the authority inspector approves the final installation, a Completion Certificate is issued. This must be retained and produced as evidence of compliance upon your property's sale.
Your role as landlord
Before replacing windows at your rental property you will need to inform the tenant and - as stated in the Tenancy Agreement - make arrangements for access to be granted to the installer on the day of installation.
For the tenant's safety and the safety of the installer you should ask the tenant to remove items fixed to the existing window glass, and to remove items on the windowsills. Also ask the tenant to move any objects that they've placed directly outside the window which could obstruct the installer, such as plant pots and garden ornaments.
Insist that the tenant confirms that valuables have been removed - no one will take responsibility for stolen/lost jewelry etc.
If the tenant is responsible for the maintenance of trees, plants and foliage on the property, make sure that none obstruct the area where the installer will work. This should include, where necessary, the control and cut back of wall-growing ivy that might encroach on the window space.
Advice for tenants
Unless your lease agreement states otherwise, your landlord is responsible for the replacement of windows at your property.
General advice
To conform to their recommendations, remember to request that window restrictors are installed: flexible enough to assist in escaping during a fire and to prevent children from falling out .
General maintenance and repair guidelines
It is the responsibility of the landlord to repair the frame, by applying a coat of anti-fungal or rust-preventing paint or similar treatment or to replace it completely.
Contact details of your local council:
Barnet Council Building Regulations 020 8359 4500
Brent Council Building Regulations 020 8937 5499
Hackney Council Building Control Department 020 8356 8124
Haringey Council 020 8489 5504, ask for "Building Control"
Harrow Council Building Control Department 020 8424 1436
Bury & Prestwich Building Control Services 0161 253 5313
Salford City Council Building Control Department 0161 909 6555
Gateshead Council Building Control Department 0191 433 3146
Leeds City Council Building Control Department 0113 247 8000"
In April 2002 the act of replacing windows in a property became subject to Buildings Regulations. This piece of legislation - although it covers windows in general - specifically targets installations of windows that need to meet certain "thermal performance standards" for glazing.
The new law - which was, and still is, designed to help buildings comply with energy efficiency directives - means that any replacement windows installed after 1 April 2002 MUST be installed by either
1 By a competent individual or firm with specific Buildings
Regulations consent from the local authority, or
2 A person or company registered with the Fenestration
Self-Assessment Scheme (FENSA)
Either way, a certificate to show that replacement windows comply with the new regulations is issued upon completion of the installation.
Should you have replaced windows in your property without observing the Buildings Regulations as they apply, you could have a few problems to deal with. Firstly, if you want to sell your property, the buyer's solicitor will make a specific check to ensure that Buildings Regulations were complied with for any window replacements. This they will do by asking you to produce your compliance certificate(s). If you don't have them, you could find your property difficult, if not impossible, to sell.
The second issue is that if the council is alerted to the fact that your replacement windows were not certified, you could have a building control inspector on your doorstep! If, after inspection, your replaced windows are found not to comply with current thermal performance standards, you may be asked to replace the units again.
DIY Window Replacements
Are you planning on replacing windows yourself? If so, here's what you must do to comply with the law…
• Submit a Building Notice / Application to your local authority -- Contact the Building Control department of your local authority and ask for a Building Notice or Application form for permission to install replacement windows. Below you will find useful contact details of your local council. They will tell you the cost of this procedure.
• When filing through a District Surveyor, there is a fee of around £200.00 - so you might want to rely on the Windows Iinstaller, who is anyway licensed to install the windows and will be covered by his own annual fee.
• Obtain Approval -- Local authorities approve applications as default, normally within 2-3 days of receiving the notice. You will be asked to provide an installation date.
• Inspections -- The local authority will likely make two inspections.
The first inspection is conducted at the commencement of the work; the second after completion. If the glazing does not meet the required inspection standards at either point, the units will not be approved and you will have to replace them again.
• Completion Certificate -- Assuming the authority inspector approves the final installation, a Completion Certificate is issued. This must be retained and produced as evidence of compliance upon your property's sale.
Your role as landlord
Before replacing windows at your rental property you will need to inform the tenant and - as stated in the Tenancy Agreement - make arrangements for access to be granted to the installer on the day of installation.
For the tenant's safety and the safety of the installer you should ask the tenant to remove items fixed to the existing window glass, and to remove items on the windowsills. Also ask the tenant to move any objects that they've placed directly outside the window which could obstruct the installer, such as plant pots and garden ornaments.
Insist that the tenant confirms that valuables have been removed - no one will take responsibility for stolen/lost jewelry etc.
If the tenant is responsible for the maintenance of trees, plants and foliage on the property, make sure that none obstruct the area where the installer will work. This should include, where necessary, the control and cut back of wall-growing ivy that might encroach on the window space.
Advice for tenants
Unless your lease agreement states otherwise, your landlord is responsible for the replacement of windows at your property.
General advice
To conform to their recommendations, remember to request that window restrictors are installed: flexible enough to assist in escaping during a fire and to prevent children from falling out .
General maintenance and repair guidelines
It is the responsibility of the landlord to repair the frame, by applying a coat of anti-fungal or rust-preventing paint or similar treatment or to replace it completely.
Contact details of your local council:
Barnet Council Building Regulations 020 8359 4500
Brent Council Building Regulations 020 8937 5499
Hackney Council Building Control Department 020 8356 8124
Haringey Council 020 8489 5504, ask for "Building Control"
Harrow Council Building Control Department 020 8424 1436
Bury & Prestwich Building Control Services 0161 253 5313
Salford City Council Building Control Department 0161 909 6555
Gateshead Council Building Control Department 0191 433 3146
Leeds City Council Building Control Department 0113 247 8000"
Danger: Asbestos!
The Health & Safety Executive claim it to be the greatest single cause of work deaths in the UK, and according to the British Medical Journal it kills more than 3,000 people in Britain each year. With a billing like this there’s little doubt that asbestos is something not to be trifled with. Menasche Scharf reveals the dangers apparent and hidden.
Since the introduction of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006, the government agrees with this assessment. Employers who handle the substance in any one of its forms are now required by law to hold a special licence that permits them to work with asbestos.
The dangers of asbestos are, of course, nothing new. Blue and brown asbestos were banned from use in the UK more than 20 years ago. This was followed sometime later by a ban on the use of white asbestos in 1999. The 2006 regulations continue to enforce these bans, and bring a new level of control to the people who work with asbestos in a professional capacity – plumbers, electricians, demolition contractors and asbestos removal firms among them.
With the asbestos bans having been firmly in place for several years now, it might seem peculiar to some that new regulations as recent as last year are needed at all. While it could be viewed in some quarters as health and safety ‘gone mad’, the government view it as a necessary precaution. The problem is, and has always been, that many thousands of properties across Britain still have asbestos in them. These are generally properties built between the 1950s and the early 1980s when the building trade used asbestos extensively in materials ranging from concrete and bricks to bath panels and pipe lagging.
Why was asbestos used? The answer is in the material’s unique properties. When mixed in with a host material, it provides that material with greater rigidity and improved fire resistance. Only in the late 1970s did it emerge that asbestos used in this way could be detrimental to our health.
Buildings with asbestos in them – so long as the asbestos remains undisturbed – are not a health hazard. The problem comes when people have work done to their homes or turn their hands to a spot of DIY. Disturbing the material can release asbestos dust and fibres into the air, potentially giving rise to a whole host of health issues
Inhaled, asbestos fibres, for example, lodge in the lungs and produce scarring. Known as asbestosis the scarring – a form of fibrosis - causes the lungs to shrink, making it difficult to breathe. Asbestos exposure also brings about pleural thickening of the lung – a condition that restricts the expansion of the lungs during the breathing process. When combined with asbestosis, sufferers find it almost impossible to breathe normally.
But, without a doubt, the most serious side effect of asbestos dust and fibre exposure is cancer. There are two forms – mesothelioma and lung cancer.
Mesothelioma begins as a malignant tumour in the pleura membrane that surrounds the lung and is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. Once developed the prognosis is not good. Statistics show that around 75% of people who contract the cancer die within a year. Long-term, very few live on.
As for lung cancer, the risk of contracting the disease is greatly heightened by prolonged and heavy exposure to asbestos dust. When combined with smoking the risk becomes phenomenally high. However, for smokers who have been heavily exposed to asbestos but then stop smoking, the risk decreases significantly.
If you discover asbestos in your home the first rule is not to panic. If it remains undisturbed or is covered by a membrane, such as a non-permeable paint, it won’t be a health hazard. The main problem comes if you sand, drill or saw through it as you risk releasing asbestos dust and fibres into the air that could affect your health. Therefore, avoid attempting to remove and dispose of asbestos yourself. It is much safer to bring in a qualified and trained professional rather than run the risk of exposing yourself and your family to a potentially very hazardous substance.
Your best course of action then is to first contact your local authority and request an asbestos inspection. The council inspector will be able to identify if asbestos is present and the risk it poses to you. Once identified, the council will advise on how to have the asbestos safely removed from your property. You can then make the arrangements with a specialist contractor, leaving you free to get on with your life.
Since the introduction of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006, the government agrees with this assessment. Employers who handle the substance in any one of its forms are now required by law to hold a special licence that permits them to work with asbestos.
The dangers of asbestos are, of course, nothing new. Blue and brown asbestos were banned from use in the UK more than 20 years ago. This was followed sometime later by a ban on the use of white asbestos in 1999. The 2006 regulations continue to enforce these bans, and bring a new level of control to the people who work with asbestos in a professional capacity – plumbers, electricians, demolition contractors and asbestos removal firms among them.
With the asbestos bans having been firmly in place for several years now, it might seem peculiar to some that new regulations as recent as last year are needed at all. While it could be viewed in some quarters as health and safety ‘gone mad’, the government view it as a necessary precaution. The problem is, and has always been, that many thousands of properties across Britain still have asbestos in them. These are generally properties built between the 1950s and the early 1980s when the building trade used asbestos extensively in materials ranging from concrete and bricks to bath panels and pipe lagging.
Why was asbestos used? The answer is in the material’s unique properties. When mixed in with a host material, it provides that material with greater rigidity and improved fire resistance. Only in the late 1970s did it emerge that asbestos used in this way could be detrimental to our health.
Buildings with asbestos in them – so long as the asbestos remains undisturbed – are not a health hazard. The problem comes when people have work done to their homes or turn their hands to a spot of DIY. Disturbing the material can release asbestos dust and fibres into the air, potentially giving rise to a whole host of health issues
Inhaled, asbestos fibres, for example, lodge in the lungs and produce scarring. Known as asbestosis the scarring – a form of fibrosis - causes the lungs to shrink, making it difficult to breathe. Asbestos exposure also brings about pleural thickening of the lung – a condition that restricts the expansion of the lungs during the breathing process. When combined with asbestosis, sufferers find it almost impossible to breathe normally.
But, without a doubt, the most serious side effect of asbestos dust and fibre exposure is cancer. There are two forms – mesothelioma and lung cancer.
Mesothelioma begins as a malignant tumour in the pleura membrane that surrounds the lung and is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. Once developed the prognosis is not good. Statistics show that around 75% of people who contract the cancer die within a year. Long-term, very few live on.
As for lung cancer, the risk of contracting the disease is greatly heightened by prolonged and heavy exposure to asbestos dust. When combined with smoking the risk becomes phenomenally high. However, for smokers who have been heavily exposed to asbestos but then stop smoking, the risk decreases significantly.
If you discover asbestos in your home the first rule is not to panic. If it remains undisturbed or is covered by a membrane, such as a non-permeable paint, it won’t be a health hazard. The main problem comes if you sand, drill or saw through it as you risk releasing asbestos dust and fibres into the air that could affect your health. Therefore, avoid attempting to remove and dispose of asbestos yourself. It is much safer to bring in a qualified and trained professional rather than run the risk of exposing yourself and your family to a potentially very hazardous substance.
Your best course of action then is to first contact your local authority and request an asbestos inspection. The council inspector will be able to identify if asbestos is present and the risk it poses to you. Once identified, the council will advise on how to have the asbestos safely removed from your property. You can then make the arrangements with a specialist contractor, leaving you free to get on with your life.
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