Radiators can be a very efficient and effective way to heat your home, allowing you to easily regulate the temperature in every room.
However, there are a few common issues that can arise – here is a handy guide on how to deal with them.

You should begin by checking the thermostatic valves (TRV) are set correctly, if they are and you are still feeling chilly with the heating turned up high, it is time to check your radiator for cold spots, these are usually found near the top of your radiator and would indicate you have air trapped in the system and your radiator needs bleeding, it is a fairly simple procedure.

Here’s how:

• You’ll need a radiator valve key or screwdriver and an old cloth.
• Turn off your central heating and allow the radiator to cool.
• Find the bleed valve, which is normally at the top on one end, and put the cloth directly below it to catch minor drips.
• Put the key into the valve and turn anti-clockwise until you hear a slight hiss of air. Once the hiss turns to a gurgle or water starts to escape, close the valve.
• Retighten the valve by turning clockwise and turn your central heating back on.
• With a conventional boiler the water cylinder may need to be repressurised, instruction on how to do this can be found in the manual.

If your radiator still isn’t heating up after you have bled it and you are within your 2-year defect warranty, please contact our customer care team.

There are a few easy steps you can take to get the best possible use from your radiators. And remember, if your radiators are less efficient than they could be, your boiler has to work harder.

• Don’t place furniture too close to radiators. Not only can this damage your furnishings, but it’ll also stop the heat circulating properly.
• Don’t dry clothes on your radiators, as it can cause condensation and rust.
• Check your radiators once a month for cold spots, which could mean you need to bleed them (see above for how to do this).
• Avoid placing wet towels on radiators.

Most of our towel rails we fit are dual fuel, this means even if you do not have your heating on (in the warmer months) you can still use your towel rail, there is usually a switch by your TRV, however this would have been demonstrated at your familiarisation visit, if you have any questions, please contact our customer care team.

Whether you have a Conventional boiler, a Combi boiler, or an Air Source Heat Pump these all require annual servicing and is essential to keep your warranty valid.

With an Air Source Heat Pump, there is some maintenance that you can do yourself.

• Make sure that there’s plenty of air around your heat pump. This means regularly checking for leaves or rubbish caught at the back and side of the heat pump and pruning back any plants growing too close to the unit or its pipes.
• In very cold weather make sure to clear snow from the air source heat pump
• Follow your installer’s instructions on how to use your heat pump.

If the blockage is only affecting drains inside your home, the first step is to find out if more than one drain is affected.

If more than one drain is affected

• If more than one fitting, like a sink and a bath, is blocked or not draining properly, and they’re in different rooms, the problem could be with the main sewage outflow from your home. Please see our advice on outside blockages.
• If more than one fitting is blocked and they are in the same room, the problem is likely to be with a wastewater pipe that those fittings share. In this case you could try using a liquid drain unblocker, though be aware that some harsh chemicals may mark or damage your plughole, so always check the manufacturer’s recommendations first.
• If this doesn’t work, please contact our customer care department for further advise.

If only one drain is affected

If it’s just one fitting, like a sink or shower, that’s not draining properly, the blockage is probably in or near to that specific plughole.

• For sinks, showers and baths the trap (the top part of the plughole) can usually be unscrewed or unclipped, removed and cleaned.
• If this doesn’t solve the problem, then use a plunger to try and dislodge whatever debris is blocking the drain.
• With a little water in the bottom of the sink, bath or shower, place the plunger firmly over the plughole with one hand, and pump it up and down sharply while blocking the overflow holes with the other hand.
• If a plunger doesn’t solve the problem, try using a liquid drain unblocker, though be aware that some harsh chemicals may mark or damage your plughole, so always seek the manufacturer’s recommendations first.
• If this doesn’t work, please contact our customer care department for further advise.

If the blocked drain is outside your home, you will need to do one of two things:

• If your development is not yet complete (ie there is still building work going on), please contact your New Home Customer Care team.
• If the development is complete, you will need to arrange for a drain specialist to address the problem. Be sure to ask them to retain any material that is found to be obstructing drainage and/or photographic evidence.

• Kitchen sink – avoid pouring any cooking grease down the sink, or solids of any kind (including coffee grounds). Make sure plates are well-scraped before washing them. Cooking grease can be poured into a container to cool, and then put in the bin.
• Bathroom sink, baths and shower – installing a hair trap in the plug hole should help to catch waste that might otherwise cause a blockage. Simply remove the hair trap at regular intervals and tap the waste into a bin.
• Toilets – never try to flush anything other than toilet tissue. That means no nappies, sanitary products, cotton wool, wet-wipes etc. You’d be surprised at just how many toilet blockages are caused by people flushing inappropriate things down the toilet.
• Act early – using a liquid drain unblocker at the first sign of a clogged drain can help prevent a more serious blockage later.
• Unfortunately, we are not responsible for clearing blockages caused by misuse.
• If you live on a development with a pumping station, it is essential you follow the advice.

Losing the electrical supply in your home can be very frustrating and even alarming, here is our step-by-step guide on what to do.

Finding the fault

• If you lose electricity in your home, the first thing to do is check your consumer unit.
• Check your consumer unit to see if any of the switches are in the ‘off’ position.
• If the main switch and RCDs are all switched on, the most likely cause is a power cut. Check whether your neighbours have power and, if necessary, call your local supplier for more information.
• If some switches are off, start by turning on the main switch (on the far right). Then turn on any RCDs that have flipped to the off position.
• The RCD may need to be pushed down to the reset position before it can be switched back on.
• You may find that one of the RCD switches immediately flips back to the off position. This indicates a fault in one of the circuits controlled by the switches to the left of that RCD.
• If this happens, switch off all the labelled switches (MCBs) to the left of the RCD that continues to switch itself off (or ‘trip’).
• Now switch on the RCD in question and, one at a time, turn on the MCB switches until the RCD trips again, or until you encounter a switch that flips itself off as soon as you turn it on. You now know which circuit is causing the problem.
• You can now re-enable all the switches in your consumer unit, apart from the one you have identified to be at fault.

Discovering the cause

• Now that you’ve found the fault you can investigate what’s behind it.
• If it’s a lighting circuit causing the problem, or a circuit for any built-in appliance such as a hob or electric shower, you will need the help of an electrician.
• However, if the switch controls a room circuit (ie one that supplies power to wall sockets), you can take the same approach again to finding the cause of the problem.
• Unplug all electrical equipment from the room or rooms controlled by that circuit breaker, then switch it back on and plug your equipment back in as it was before, one device at a time, until the power trips again. You now know which device is causing your circuit breakers to trip.

It is important to use your extractor fan whenever you take a bath or shower, this is to avoid future problems with damp or mould, we cannot accept responsibility for any damage caused by damp where extractor fans have not been used properly.

If your bathroom does not have a window, you will notice your extractor fan continues to run even after being turned off, this is because it has been fitted with a timer to ensure steam and humid air continues to be extracted after you have left the room.

If your extractor fan is not working properly

• Check the isolator switch is on. This switch will normally be on the outside of the room above the doorframe.
• Make sure the light is working, as this will often be linked to the activation of the fan.
• If the fan still isn’t working, contact your New Home Customer Care team.

Why is my bathroom extractor fan leaking water?

• The main cause of water leaking from the extractor fan is condensation. To avoid this, ensure the extractor fan is left on when the room is in use.
• If your extractor fan is ceiling mounted, check that the ducting (the flexible pipe connecting the fan to the outside of your home) in the loft space has not been crushed or obstructed.
• If the above has been checked and you continue to experience issues, please contact your local New Home Customer Care team.

How do I maintain and clean my bathroom extractor fan?

• Regular vacuuming and wiping with a damp cloth will ensure your extractor fan remains efficient.

All manuals for appliances supplied with your home will be in your welcome pack provided when you move in, however these will also be obtainable from the manufacturer’s website.

We want your problems to be resolved as quickly as possible.

• Remember, it’s the homeowner’s responsibility to register kitchen appliances with the manufacturer. Complete and return the product card found either inside the appliance or in your handover pack.
• All warranty claims must be reported directly to the appliance manufacturer.
• You will need your appliances serial number when contacting the manufacturer this can be found on your appliance.
• This is to allow you to speak directly to their service team and ensure that full details of the product and fault can be accurately reported, and that you can agree a convenient time for a service engineer to attend.

The hood above your hob is designed to catch grease and food particles, helping to keep the air in your kitchen clean and free from smells. It may simply be a filter, or it may extract air through the outside wall of your home. You might have one or two filters – either way, they will require a small amount of maintenance.

• If your cooker hood vents air outside then the only part needing regular maintenance is the grill that sits across the face of the hood – a fine mesh through which all the air is sucked, and which captures oil and small particles of food.
• These usually simply unclip and drop down for cleaning. Wash gently with hot, soapy water to remove grease and oil deposits, and replace once completely dry. Please refer to the manufacturer’s instructions if you require further guidance.
• If your cooker hood vents back into the room, there will also be a charcoal filter that removes strong odours and smoke from the extracted air.
• This will need to be replaced periodically and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. You should find a manual for your cooker hood in your completion pack.

You may want to customise your kitchen to make it even more personal to you, here’s how to go about it.

If you want to personalise your new home by including additional units, these can be bought from the supplier, please contact customer care for this information.

If you’re worried that your roof may be leaking, please contact your New Home Customer Care team. Please bear in mind that any leak caused by severe weather conditions won’t be covered by your warranty. In these cases, please contact your home insurance provider.

It’s important that the vents in your roof don’t become blocked. Occasionally birds and insects are attracted to these openings.

Wildlife such as birds and wasps finding their way into your roof isn’t the result of a building defect. We’d advise you to seek specialist help such as the RSPB. 

Keeping gutters and downpipes clean and free of leaves and debris is important. Doing so should be part of your regular home maintenance.

This is especially the case if your gutters are close to trees. Damp patches on the walls below may indicate blockages.

Open windows regularly to make sure your property is well-ventilated. Even when it’s cold, moisture can gather in the home. Opening the window allows some of this moisture to escape. Modern airtight windows and buildings require more active ventilation. Always keep window trickle ventilators in the open position. 

Keep bathroom or kitchen doors closed when having a shower or bath, or when cooking. This will prevent moisture from spreading to other parts of the property. This will help prevent moisture reaching other rooms, especially bedrooms, which are often colder and more likely to get condensation.

Cleaning the condensation from windows and frames every day will minimise the spread of black mould. You can use a rag or towel to wipe away condensation.

Running your heating can avoid cold spots, dry out damp, and reduce your chances of getting mould.

Keep temperatures between 18-20°C in living rooms, kitchen and bathrooms, and 16-20°C in bedrooms. When away from home, avoid temperatures under 15°C.

Do not heat up cold bedrooms in the evening by opening the door to heated rooms. The warm air will condense onto the cold walls of the bedroom.

Don’t dry clothes on radiators. The vapour turns into moisture in the air and is then circulated around the rooms. This then gathers on walls, windows and other fabrics in the home and can be a mould risk. Instead, dry clothes on a clothes airer in a well-ventilated room. Open a window or use a dehumidifier to minimise the spread of moisture indoors.

You will have an extractor fan installed within the bathroom/ensuite rooms, always make sure it is running when you’re having a shower or bath.

You have an extractor fan, or externally venting cooker hood in the kitchen, you should use this to disperse moisture and cooking smells.

Cover pans and do not leave kettles boiling. 

Avoid pushing furniture against the wall, or overstuffing wardrobes as this can cause damp and mould to grow and spread. Check behind furniture regularly for signs of damp or mould developing. Where possible, position wardrobes and furniture against internal walls. Ventilate cupboards and wardrobes and avoid putting too many things in them as this stops the air circulating. 

Some plants can absorb moisture and pollution from the air and are a great addition to your damp prevention arsenal. Peace lilies, tillandsia, palms and ferns are all moisture absorbers — some ferns actually thrive in damper rooms such as kitchens and bathrooms, just make sure you also give them some indirect sunlight.

Treat any mould you may already have in your home. You can buy household fungicidal wash products from most homeware stores. If you deal with condensation as recommended above, mould is less likely to appear.

Wipe down any condensation forming on windows every morning.

Kill and remove mould with a fungicidal wash, preferably one which carries a Health and safety executive approval. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions precisely.

We install extensive drainage systems on our developments to clear surface water from roads and pavements, however, it is normal for some areas to become a bit waterlogged in extremely wet weather conditions.

This isn’t a construction defect and so is not covered by your warranty.

Wait to see if the water drains away of its own accord within a day or so.

If the water is within three meters of your home and doesn’t drain away within a reasonable time and especially if you are experiencing prolonged flooding in that area near to your home, please contact us to discuss the matter.

Water pooling more than three meters from your home is not covered by your warranty.

Making home improvements such as installing patios, block paving or other impermeable surfaces in your garden may reduce the rate at which water drains away and make the area more susceptible to waterlogging.

The appearance of mushrooms in recently laid turf is not unusual and is not a cause for concern.

The process of harvesting, transporting, and laying new turf can sometimes stimulate the growth of mushrooms, they will most commonly appear during the warm and humid conditions and will usually disappear after a few weeks or when the season changes.

They are unlikely to reappear after the first growing season.,

The mushrooms can be removed by brushing away or mowing, we would recommend using a collection box to prevent spreading.