Christmas Opening Times 2022-2023

By PaulS | Blog

We know that things can sometimes go wrong with your heating, when you least expect or need it to, so over this holiday period we will be open and available on the days given below, including by phone.

Just a couple of things to note:

1. Although we are open, quite a lot of staff are taking holidays, so we will be working with reduced numbers.

2. Our usual emergency engineer out-of-hours cover will be available every day, except the Public Holidays.

3. Days marked with an asterisk (*) may have slightly earlier closing times than normal.

* Opening & closing times may vary.

Gas Service Engineer job

By PaulS | Blog

We’re hiring a gas service engineer

 

Are you looking for your next challenge?

Join the Stevenson Heating team as a domestic gas service engineer.

The gas service engineer role involves visiting customers across south east London and parts of Kent for pre-arranged appointments to service and repair their heating systems. You will carry out diagnostics and annual servicing checks, as well as deal with boiler breakdowns and emergency repairs.

 

Domestic Gas Service Engineer

£35,000.00-£39,500.00 per year (depending on experience. Overtime available)

Full-time | Permanent

Required: ASAP

West Wickham BR4 0RL

 

Your key tasks and responsibilities will be:

✔ Receiving daily appointments via a handheld device.

✔ Visiting customers with pre-arranged appointments, where you will carry out a variety of gas engineer work. This will mainly be diagnostics and annual servicing, along with breakdowns and emergency repairs.

✔ You must be capable of delivering excellent customer service and top quality solutions.

✔ You will need to be confident in your diagnostics skills.

 

Knowledge, skills and experience required for this role:

✔ Domestic ACS, Gas Safe certificate or equivalent is essential for the role

✔ Previous experience within a similarly diverse role is desirable

✔ A full, and preferably clean, driving licence is required.

Our customers are vitally important to us, as are you. Your own interpersonal skills, professionalism and knowledge will already be clearly visible. We want to ensure our customers receive the best service possible that we are known for, while ensuring both you and they are safe.

 

Who is Stevenson Heating?

Since 1928, Stevenson Heating Ltd has provided more than 50,000 customers with efficient, quality gas heating installations. Our attention to detail and commitment to achieving the highest standards of work make us one of leading installers in the country. A significant proportion of our work is repeat business from satisfied clients.

 

What we can offer you:

We offer a great starting salary, alongside a bonus package, a company vehicle and 20 days holiday a year, not including UK bank holidays. You will also be provided with a handheld device, phone and work wear.

 

Sound like you?

If you think you fit the bill to be a gas service engineer with us, please send an up-to-date CV to info@stevensonheating.co.uk.

Meet the team: Jay Reeve

By JR | Blog

Each month, we’re interviewing a different member of our team. This month we spoke to Gas Engineer Jay Reeve.

 

How long have you worked for Stevenson’s, Jay?

I’ve been with Stevenson Heating for over 10 years, working as a gas engineer.

 

What’s involved in your role?

Generally, as a gas engineer, I carry out gas boiler installations, servicing and repairs for our domestic heating customers.

I’ve also been involved with commercial work, as well as electrical and warm air heating jobs. Like all of our gas installers, I’m Gas Safe registered.

 

What did you do before working at Stevenson’s?

I worked in an office initially, doing admin work. I soon realised that it wasn’t really for me and I wanted to do something more hands-on.

My dad used to work for Stevenson’s – he was with you for over 30 years! So, it was him who gave me the idea of becoming a gas engineer and introduced me to the team here.

 

What do you like about your role?

I like working with my hands and doing a practical, hands-on job that makes a difference to people’s lives. We’ve got some lovely customers and it’s always good to meet them and help them out.

 

What do you like about working for Stevenson Heating?

The variety – no two days are the same! And I like interacting with our lovely customers.

 

Do you have a favourite film?

I like the film Grease! I’d never seen it until a few years ago when my wife introduced me to it – and now I’ve seen it a lot!

 

And finally, do you prefer tea or coffee?

Neither actually! I tend to stick to water, especially when I’m out in the van.

Did you enjoy reading about Jay Reeve? If you’d like to read more about our other staff, click here.

How to keep cool at home in the summer heat

By JR | Blog

With the current heatwave and many homes without air conditioning, we thought we’d share with you some tips on how to keep cool at home.

 

Close your curtains and blinds

Did you know that a high percentage (around 25%) of unwanted heat can come from your windows? They act a bit like a greenhouse!

So, if the sun normally streams in through your windows, keep your curtains or blinds closed.

And, while it’s a good idea to open your windows, you might want to keep them closed when the sun is directly on them. When it’s hotter outside than inside, closing your windows will stop hotter air coming in.

Open your windows again when the air outside is cooler – at night and early morning is usually best. This will help to get cooler air flowing and will help create a breeze to cool things down.

 

Drink more water to stay hydrated

When it’s hot, your body naturally perspires more. This can make you dehydrated, so be sure to drink plenty of cold water throughout the day. If you think water is boring, you can add squash, slices of fruit or herbs to give it some flavour.

Avoid tea, coffee, other caffeinated drinks and alcohol as far as possible, as these will also dehydrate you.

 

Cool your body temperature

One of the easiest ways to keep cool is to reduce your body temperature. Do this by drinking cold water (see above) or by cooling your pulse points.

Placing an ice pack or cold compress on the pulse points at the back of your neck, behind your knees or on your wrists will help to cool you down.

If you don’t have any ready-made ice packs, make your own from a cold wet towel or some ice or frozen vegetables in a plastic bag, wrapped in a thin cloth or tea towel to protect your skin.

 

Use a fan to create a cross breeze

If you place a fan right next to you, it’s likely to be noisy and blow stuff around! Instead, place your fan near a window or in a hallway. This will create a cross breeze to draw in cooler air to the warmer areas.

A tower fan is a good option, as these sit on the floor to blow air more effectively around your room.

Remember, a fan simply moves air around rather than actually cooling it. So a good tip to create some cool air is to freeze a bottle of water and place it at an angle in front of your fan. You could also use a bowl with ice or iced-water for a similar result.

 

Get domestic air conditioning installed

Have you considered having air conditioning installed in your home? Air conditioning units are no longer simply for offices, shops, hotels and other commercial settings.

These days domestic air conditioning units are quite slimline and compact, so they don’t take up a lot of space or look unsightly.

They don’t take too long to fit – around a day, depending on your property and how many rooms you want air conditioning installed in. And, they have the added benefit of being able to produce warm air for you in cooler months.

At Stevenson Heating, we are accredited to install and maintain domestic air conditioning. We also have a range of fans for sale, including desk and tower fans.

Contact us on 020 8462 8822, email info@stevensonheating.co.uk or request a callback to find out more or get a quote for having air conditioning installed in your home.

 

First published July 2020, updated July 2022.

Changes to Part L of the Building Regulations

By JR | Blog

Part L changes – what they mean

Since 15 June this year, changes to Part L of the Building Regulations mean we now have to carry out extra checks when installing, repairing or servicing your heating system.

Here’s an outline of the changes and what they mean for you, so you know why we’ll be talking to you more about filters, power flushes and water treatments.

Image courtesy of PHAM News

 

What are the main Part L changes that affect heating?

Essentially, the changes are all about conserving fuel and power. And they’re aimed at keeping your central heating system working to optimum efficiency.

As your heating installer, we have already been doing most of what Part L needs us to do. But here are the main changes to look out for.

Cleaning your heating system

When installing a new boiler, including swapping your boiler for a new one, we must clean out your heating system. This usually means a power flush. At Stevenson’s, we already do this with every installation.

Adding in-line filters to your system

Part L now requires that we install a permanent in-line filter in your heating system. Again, we already fit these with every installation. And we strongly recommend one in all other cases.

Servicing in-line filters

So, now you’ll have permanent in-line filters as part of your heating system, naturally they’ll need servicing to keep them in tip-top condition. Again, we always service the filters, as part of your annual boiler service.

Protecting low temperature systems against corrosion

Another requirment of Part L is protecting your system against corrosion, scale and microbial fouling in low temperature systems.

We can protect your system with a number of different water treatment solutions and scale reducers. We can advise what suits your system best and will install the appropriate one for you.

Checking inhibitor levels each year

An inhibitor is a chemical solution that helps to stop rust and internal corrosion in your heating system. Rust and corrision affect how efficiently your heating works, so we want to prevent it!

As well as checking inhibitor levels annually, Part L now requires new inhibitor or laboratory analysis of the water every five years. We now include this as a compulsory part of your boiler service each year.

So, you can see there are a number of new requirements under Part L – but we have been doing most of them for some time. Essentially, the changes are to help your heating system work more efficiently and safely, so that’s always a good thing.

If you’ve any questions about Part L changes or what this means for you, drop us a line at info@stevensonheating.co.uk or request a callback.