Page 344 - The City and Guilds Textbook: Plumbing Book 1 for the Level 3 Apprenticeship (9189), Level 2 Technical Certificate (8202) and Level 2 Diploma (6035)

The City & Guilds Textbook: Plumbing Book 1

VALUES AND BEHAVIOURS

Always try to maintain and return the customer’s property as it was. If a
component requires replacement, we must ensure that we get as near to a
like-for-like replacement as possible, that we have the correct tools available,
and that the customer’s property is either removed or protected with dust
sheets and other coverings before we begin.

The manufacturer’s instructions

When repairing or replacing components, the manufacturer’s instructions give
step-by-step methods. These should be followed wherever possible. In some
instances where the component is old or the customer has lost the original
instructions, a copy may be available on the manufacturer’s website.
Maintenance

There are basically two types of maintenance:

1 planned preventative maintenance
2 unplanned/emergency maintenance.

Planned preventative maintenance

Planned preventative maintenance is usually performed on larger systems
and commercial/industrial installations. It is performed to a pre-arranged
maintenance schedule, which may mean out-of-hours working if the supply
of water cannot be disrupted during normal working hours. It is designed to
stop problems from occurring by catching faults in their early stages. Planned
preventative maintenance could include:
● periodic system inspection – checking for leaks
HEALTH AND SAFETY ● re-washering of float-operated valves
When a maintenance task ● re-washering and re-seating of terminal fittings and taps
involves isolating the cold ● inspection and cleaning of cisterns
water supply, a notice will ● readjustment of water levels in cisterns
need to be placed at the ● re-washering of drain valves
point of isolation, stating ● cleaning of filters and strainers
‘System off – do not turn ● maintenance of water softeners
on’, to prevent accidental ● checking the correct operation of stop valves
turning on of the system.
In most systems, it will ● checking flow rates at all outlets.
be possible to isolate A record of all repairs and maintenance tasks completed will need to be recorded
specific parts of the on the maintenance schedule at the time of completion, including their location,
installation without the
need to have the whole the date when they were carried out and the types of test performed. This will
supply turned off. Where ensure that a record of past problems is kept for future reference.
no such isolation exists, it Where appliance servicing is carried out, the manufacturer’s installation and
may be of benefit to use
a pipe-freezing kit so that servicing instructions should be consulted. Any replacement parts may be
total system isolation is not obtained from the manufacturer.
undertaken.

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