Getting to know your new home
Once you move in, make time to familiarise yourself with your new home so you’re prepared in case of emergency.
Water meter and stop tap
Beneath your kitchen sink, you will find two important items: a water meter and stop tap.
If you have a leak, turn the stop tap to stop water flow. If this does not completely turn off the water supply, the shut-off valve is beneath an inspection chamber at the front of your property in the footpath.
Turning this to an “off” position will shut off the water supply completely. After shutting off the water supply you will need to run all of the taps in the property to drain any water already in the system.
Electricity
The electricity to your property is supplied via the meter, located within the wall mounted unit outside.
From the meter, cables run out to your consumer unit (often referred to as a fuse box). This contains the main on/off switch and a number of Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCBs), which protect individual circuits.
The MCB will automatically disconnect the supply of electricity if one of the circuits is overloaded or there is a fault. You can reset an MCB by simply switching it back to the ‘on’ position.
A consumer unit will also often contain a Residual Current Device (RCD), which provides additional shock protection. An RCD which has ‘tripped’ can be reset by returning the switch to the ‘on’ position. RCDs should be tested to ensure they are functioning correctly: you can do this by pressing the ‘test’ button.
Gas
As with the electricity supply, the gas supply to your property comes from the meter outside. If you think you have a gas leak, exit the property and contact the gas emergency number on 0800 111 999. If you need to turn your gas off, turn the red valve/handle on the gas meter in the meter cupboard outside your property to “OFF”
Heating and hot water system
Your new home has been fitted with a modern, energy-efficient heating and hot water system that will help to heat your home while saving you money and the protecting the environment. Operating instructions and further information on the heating and hot water system can be found in the Welcome pack.
The heating system in your home will be checked and serviced at least once a year by a suitably qualified engineer to ensure it remains safe and complies with warranty requirements. You must allow access to an engineer in order that this can be carried out.
Your new home is well insulated and retains heat better than older houses which means your home needs less heat from the heating system to keep inside temperatures comfortable. Because of this your radiators may only feel slightly warm to the touch rather than hot. This doesn’t mean that your heating system isn’t working as it should.
Your home might be fitted with PV Solar Panels, what does this mean?
Some of our homes are fitted with Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels.
What are PV Solar Panels? Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels convert daylight into electricity. Usually mounted on roofs, they work best when they face south. They have a thin layer of semiconduction material that generates an electrical charge when exposed to daylight.
How do they work? Electricity generated by PV panels during daylight hours is combined with electricity from your supplier coming in from the mains to power the appliances in your home. If your panel generates more electricity than you use, the surplus is sent to the national grid. At night you use your mains electricity as normal.
What happens if there is a power cut? Your panels are connected to the national grid. If there is a power cut they will go off automatically. If you turn your electricity off manually, or your pre-payment meter runs out of credit, the panels will switch off too.
What if my panels produce more energy than I need? Whenever your panels produce extra electricity, it will flow back into the grid so no electricity is wasted. You are unable to sell any extra electricity.
Do the panels need looking after? Rain will keep the panels clean but if they should get dirty or dusty, we will clean them.
Electric Charge points
Some of our homes are fitted with Electric Vehicle (EV) charge points.
EV charge points offer the option of charging your electric car from home. Please refer to your Electric Vehicle charge document in your Welcome pack left in the property on handover day.
The EV charge point is connected to your electricity meter and can be isolated at your consumer unit.
Ventilation System
Your home may have a ventilation system installed, this will either be a Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) system or a Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) system. These ventilation systems help to control condensation and dampness in your home and they work by pushing air out of the home and replacing it with fresh, filtered air. You should not switch the unit off as it monitors itself to optimise air quality and energy without your help.
Any ventilation system installed in your home will be checked and serviced regularly by a suitably qualified person so that your home remains well ventilated and complies with warranty requirements.
These systems are low-cost to run. In a year, the ventilation system will cost approximately the same to run as the electricity used if you watched TV for three hours every day. Good ventilation is important as it maintains your comfort and reduces the risk of illness associated with damp conditions and poor air quality.
Smoke alarms
There are smoke alarms located on each floor. They are mains and battery operated. If the battery starts to fail, the alarm will start to bleep. Please do not change the battery yourself. Report a repair and an appointment will be made for an operative to attend and replace the battery.
Test the system regularly by pressing the button on the alarm. If working ok, the alarm will beep twice if a 2 storey house, and 3 times for a 3 story house. Ensure you dust the alarm regularly as excessive dust can trigger it to go off.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
There are Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors fitted in your home located near the boiler. They are mains operated with a battery back up so they will continue working if your electricity supply fails.
Understanding the different lights and sounds on your CO alarm
Green light: The green light indicates the unit is receiving mains power.
Amber light: If the alarm has a fault, the amber light will flash every 40 seconds and the horn will beep.
Red light: If there is a presence of CO gas, the red light will flash and horn will beep – a slow flash indicates low levels and rapid flashing indicates high levels.
The “Test/Hush” button will either silence false alarms (if briefly pressed) or perform a unit self-test (if pressed and held). Note that the alarm cannot be silenced when sensing a CO level of 300ppm or above.
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning is serious and could be caused by having poorly maintained or unsafe gas appliances in your home. If you think you smell gas or suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, please act and call 0800 111 999 immediately.