Tag Archive for: Bathroom

More than a quarter of UK homes suffer from damp and mould, according to new research by University College London (UCL). Experts say that six and a half million homes (approximately 27% of the total) are not being properly heated, and with the ongoing cost of living crisis many are choosing to reduce ventilation and heating to save money. Preventing damp in the home is, however, crucial to maintaining a healthy and comfortable living environment.

Here are ten top tips to help you avoid damp issues (in warmer and colder months):

Insulate Properly: Ensure your home is adequately insulated. Proper insulation not only helps regulate temperature but also prevents condensation on walls and ceilings.

Control Indoor Temperature: Maintain a consistent indoor temperature. Sudden changes in temperature can cause condensation, leading to dampness. Use heating during colder months to keep the home warm.

Seal Windows and Doors: Check and seal any gaps or cracks around windows and doors. This helps prevent cold air from entering, reducing the likelihood of condensation on surfaces.

Use Moisture-Resistant Paint: Consider using moisture-resistant or anti-mould paint in areas prone to dampness, such as bathrooms and kitchens. This type of paint helps inhibit mould growth.

Keep Furniture Away from Walls: Allow air to circulate around furniture by keeping it slightly away from the walls. This helps prevent the trapping of moisture between furniture and walls.

Use Humidity Monitors: Invest in a humidity monitor (hygrometer) to keep track of indoor humidity levels. Ideally, maintain humidity levels between 30-50%. High humidity can contribute to damp conditions.

Proper Ventilation: Ensure good ventilation in your home by using extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms. Additionally, open windows regularly to allow fresh air to circulate and moisture to escape.

Use Dehumidifiers: Invest in a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture from the air. This is especially important in areas prone to dampness, such as basements and attics.

Repair Leaks Promptly: Fix any leaks in the roof, walls, or plumbing as soon as they are detected. Leaks can contribute to dampness and provide an environment for mould growth.

Regularly Clean and Ventilate: Regularly clean your home to prevent dust and mould buildup. Ensure that air vents are not blocked and that air can circulate freely throughout the house.

For all your plumbing and installation needs, or energy-related queries, feel free to contact the team on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk – we’re happy to help.

If you are the owner (or user) of a small bathroom, do not despair! Check out these ten top space optimising hacks that will allow for improved functionality in your small space:

  • Wall-mounted storage: Utilise vertical space by installing shelves, cabinets or floating shelves on the walls. This keeps the floor clear and provides additional storage for toiletries and towels.
  • Over-the-door organisers: Use over-the-door hooks or organisers to hang towels, robes or other frequently used items behind the bathroom door.
  • Under-sink organisation: Make use of the space under the sink by adding storage solutions like drawers, baskets or stackable containers. This helps keep cleaning supplies and toiletries neat and easily accessible.
  • Corner shelves or cabinets: Corners are often underutilised. Install corner shelves or a corner cabinet to maximise storage without taking up too much floor space.
  • Mirrored cabinets: Opt for a mirrored medicine cabinet or a mirrored cabinet above the sink. It serves a dual purpose: storage and a mirror, which helps create an illusion of more space.
  • Slim or compact fixtures: Choose compact fixtures like narrow vanities, small sinks and slim-profile toilets to free up more floor space.
  • Towel bars and hooks: Install multiple towel bars or hooks on the back of the bathroom door or on the walls to hang towels and washcloths, saving space on towel racks.
  • Hidden storage: Consider using furniture or accessories that double as storage, such as ottomans or storage benches.
  • Utilise vertical towel racks: Instead of traditional horizontal towel racks, choose vertical towel racks that take up less wall space.
  • Use recessed storage: If you’re remodelling or building from scratch, consider incorporating recessed shelves or niches in the shower or walls to save space.

Often, all it takes is some lateral thinking.

For all your plumbing and installation needs, feel free to contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk – we’re happy to help.

Does it surprise you that women tend to be more frustrated by bad bathroom habits at home than men? A survey conducted by Mira Showers has not only revealed some of the most common bathroom pet peeves among people but also, that men are more tolerant.

  1. Not flushing the toilet after going
  2. Leaving urine on the toilet seat
  3. Leaving stains in the toilet
  4. Forgetting to replace the toilet roll or soap
  5. Leaving wet towels on the floor
  6. Never cleaning the bathroom or shower themselves
  7. Clogging the shower drain with hair and never cleaning it out
  8. Leaving the toilet seat up
  9. Causing a mess in the bath or shower with bathing products (i.e. spillage or leaving remnants behind)
  10. Not turning the shower or tap off properly.

Twelve per cent of women said their biggest pet peeve are people who use up all the hot water.  Women are more likely to clean unpleasant stains off a friend or family member’s toilet (26%) than men (19%). Twenty-five per cent of women would never take a number two in a friend or family member’s toilet unless they absolutely had to, whereas only 18% of men said the same.

Fifty-seven per cent of those aged between 44-54 and 67% of those over 55 would always wash their hands in their personal bathroom, compared to just 23% of 16-24-year-olds and 30% of 25-34s.

Another juicy fact from the survey is that over a quarter of all respondents (27 per cent) said their own bad bathroom habits have improved since lockdown was first introduced. Hopefully it won’t always take a pandemic for us to remember to pick up our wet towels and flush the toilet!

For all your plumbing and installation needs, feel free to contact the team on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk – we’re happy to help.

Whether a hobby or a necessity, there are some DIY jobs that simply stress us out. Perhaps our new home improvement task ended up taking more time, costing more money or was more difficult than we originally thought, turning something fun into something less fun.

Using the most-searched DIY jobs in the UK (using ‘difficulty queries’ across UK Google), researchers have honed in on the tasks we find the most taxing. Check out the top ten:

  1. Plastering a ceiling
  2. Hanging wallpaper (one wall)
  3. Unblocking drains (using chemicals)
  4. Tiling a bathroom floor
  5. Removing grout from bathroom tiles
  6. Hanging doors
  7. Installing a toilet
  8. Assembling flat pack furniture
  9. Changing a door handle
  10. Installing a power shower

What about which areas in the UK are most stressed about what?

  • Plymouth – Plastering a ceiling
  • Aberdeen – Hanging wallpaper (one wall)
  • London – Unblocking drains (using chemicals)
  • Cardiff – Tiling a bathroom floor
  • Bristol – Removing grout from bathroom tiles
  • Aberdeen – Hanging doors
  • Northampton – Installing a toilet
  • Leeds – Assembling flat pack furniture
  • Norwich – Changing a door handle
  • Liverpool – Installing a power shower

One of the biggest causes of DIY stress is time – often, the longer a job takes to complete, the greater the chance of something going wrong and the more likely we are to get worked up about it.

It’s also interesting that four of the most stressful DIY jobs in the top ten are directly linked to bathroom improvement – tiling a bathroom floor, removing grout from bathroom tiles, installing a toilet and installing a power shower.

The antidote to stress could be to allow for a margin of error. Things may take longer, cost more and we may not get it perfect the first time. Planning is also important – working out a maximum budget and time scale. If you’re still uncertain it might be worth your sanity (and budget) to consult a professional.

For all your plumbing and installation needs, feel free to contact the team on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk – we’re happy to help.

Source: Victorianplumbing.co.uk (To find out more about this research, visit Victorianplumbing.co.uk)

Guess what? It is entirely possible to upgrade your bathroom without turning it into a massive DIY project – you can do it in a weekend without overspending. Whether it’s style or functionality you’re after, we have some top tips for you:

  • Accessorise – candles, towels, interesting trinkets (vintage, modern, eclectic) all make a massive difference to the personality of your bathroom. Swap some old accessories with new ones or simply move things around. You could also change fixtures, including towel bars, toilet seats and toilet roll holders.
  • Hang artwork – bathrooms are usually the last space one might think to hang some art but it makes the entire room look more luxurious and interesting, and creates a focal point for the space.
  • Update your lighting/fixtures – brighten or dim your lighting (depending what mood you’re going for), which you can do by exchanging your bulbs. A new light fixture can also change the atmosphere; from something simple and understated to something more dramatic, and vice versa.
  • Increase your shower pressure – a new showerhead really will bring you so much joy! There are many affordable spa-type showerheads available and if you don’t want to spend any money, clean your existing showerhead until it’s shiny and as good as new.
  • Wallpaper – an easy win here. Whether its textures or patterns, a new wall aesthetic can make a space feel very different.
  • Backsplash area – the space behind your basin is usually small and therefore the perfect mini-DIY project when it comes to updating your bathroom. You could tile this area, wallpaper or repaint.
  • Paint – a fresh coat of paint on the wall is an easy way to refresh a bathroom but you could also paint cabinet doors or door handles, or go big and choose a whole new colour.
  • Hang or upgrade your mirror – if you don’t have a mirror in your bathroom, get one. If you do have a mirror, do you need a new one? Or could you shift the old one to a new spot? Mirrors, as well as a practical bathroom necessity, create an illusion of space.
  • Hang a new shower curtain – choose a stylish pattern to emphasise the mood in your bathroom.
  • Repurposed storage – whether it’s a shelf, decorative baskets, a vintage cabinet or modern vanity, think of ways you can remodel your storage; remove doors, repaint, add shelves, have fun with ribbon or material.

They say that change is as good as a holiday. Go for it!

For all your plumbing and installation needs, feel free to contact the team on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk – we’re happy to help.

When it comes to cleaning bathrooms, our natural inclination is to bleach the daylights out of everything… but have you wondered how the harsh chemicals we use might affect our health, the environment and even the longevity of the surfaces to which they are applied? The good news is there are cleaning hacks that offer alternatives to heavy duty cleaning products:

  1. Toilet – bicarbonate of soda and water. Mix bicarb with water (three parts bicarb to one part water) to cut through dirt and grease, and use neat (it’s slightly abrasive) to scrub away tough stains. A teaspoon of bicarb on a damp cloth can be used on the toilet seat, cistern etc.
  2. Bath – grapefruit/lemon sprinkled with coarse salt. Cut the grapefruit in half, sprinkle it liberally with salt and scrub the grime away.
  3. Tiles – lemon juice. Cut a lemon into two halves and rub the tiles with the flat juicy side, then rinse off with plain water. Stained grouting can be cleaned with a bicarb and water paste, and a toothbrush.
  4. Bathroom mirror – vinegar OR tea. Mix water with some white wine vinegar (half and half) and use a spray bottle and newspaper for a streak free result. A black tea solution also works to clean greasy spots from mirrors (something to do with the tannic acid found in tea).
  5. Showerhead – vinegar. Soak the shower head overnight in white wine vinegar, wipe down residue and it should be clean.
  6. Floor (tiles or laminate) – vinegar. Vinegar is a natural disinfectant and stain remover; mix eight teaspoons of vinegar with three litres of hot water and clean as you usually would.

Of course, there are plenty of eco-friendly cleaning products available in stores but there is something deeply satisfying about not relying on a marketing plug or sales pitch.

Check out Mumsmakelists.com and bathroomcity.co.uk for more top tips.

For all your plumbing and installation needs, feel free to contact the team on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk – we’re happy to help.

The squeeze is on. The cost of living is up – we’re even cancelling our TV subscriptions – and we’re doing all we can to save an extra pound. The good news is that being conservative with our water, gas and electricity is also good for the environment!

So, for the sake of our monthly bills and a greener world, have a look at these basic tips on how to save water in your bathroom:

  1. Don’t let taps drip: to limit avoidable water wastage.
  2. Plug first: adjust the temperature of the water as your bath fills rather than running water down the drain as it heats.
  3. Shorter showers: a one-minute reduction in shower time delivers a 10% saving in water usage—a small amount that adds up over a month or year.
  4. Don’t leave water running when not in use: brushing teeth, washing your face or shaving.
  5. Hang towels to dry (outdoors preferably): rather than washing after each use.
  6. Install water saving/eco-friendly shower heads: that give the feeling of high pressure but use less water.
  7. Install a dual flush toilet: which gives you the option of a half flush (when pushing a single button) and a full flush when pushing both buttons.
  8. Check for and fix leaks: even a small drip can be wasteful.
  9. Make a full bath a treat: which means less water and more saving.
  10. Conserve water: and use it to water the plants, clean or even flush the toilet.

Not all of these top tips will be practical in the moment (like upgrading your toilet or shower head) but most of them are habits easily created if we are diligent about changing our behaviour. Small changes make a big difference—especially if we all try!

For all your energy-related needs, contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk

It’s all about kitchens and bathrooms—fix them up and you’ll add value to your property. This is not new news. But perhaps you’re not aware how much value?

The average house price in the UK (in 2020) was £235,298; research suggests that a kitchen renovation can boost the worth of a property by 10%, which is a massive £23,529.

Renovating a bathroom can add 5% to the value of a property (£11,647) – not quite as much as a kitchen but still worth the spend, depending how much fixing up you have to do.

Property experts suggest the most important kitchen features (in order of value) for new prospective buyers are:

  • Kitchen Island/ Breakfast Bar – supply & fit £600
  • Modern & Spacious Storage Units – supply & fit £4,000
  • Glass Doors (leading to outside) – supply & fit £3,000
  • Good Quality Tiles & Grouting – supply & fit: New Tiles – £35/sq.m. Regrout: £25/hr
  • Durable & Stylish Worktops – supply & fit £250
  • Adequate Lighting – supply & fit £100

Property experts suggest the most important bathroom features (in order of value) for new prospective buyers are:

  • Good Quality Tiles & Grouting – supply & fit: New Tiles – £35/sq.m. Regrout: £25/hr
  • Bathtub – supply & fit £500
  • Electric/Power Shower – supply & fit £100
  • Walk-in-Shower/Wet Room – supply & fit £8,000
  • Sturdy Fixtures – supply & fit £100
  • Neutral Colour Scheme – supply & fit dependent on scale of project
  • Underfloor Heating – supply & fit £100/sq.m

If you are hoping to upscale your kitchen/bathroom on a budget; cleaning the grout on your tiles, painting, replacing fixtures (taps etc.) or adding shelves (rather than entire units) can do the trick.

For all your energy-related needs, contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk.

Source: Tap Warehouse

Wallpapering a bathroom might sound counterintuitive but it’s absolutely doable and, yes; is even a good idea.

Extravagant wallpaper in small toilet spaces comes highly recommended by design pros (it can liven up a space and because one is only in the toilet sporadically, bold designs do not become tiresome) and there are many ways to use wallpaper creatively in bathrooms: as a border around the ceiling or a mirror, to accent certain areas or walls, or simply wallpaper the entire bathroom (including the ceiling!).

Now, you might be wondering about the whole ‘paper and water’ thing…

It’s true that bathroom wallpaper can be problematic as exposure to moisture can stain the paper or cause it to peel off, even with improved adhesives. There are, however, splashproof wallpapers that are specifically designed for high humidity areas and can even be wiped dry or clean. Here are a couple of quick tips for making wallpaper work well in a bathroom:

  • Vinyl wallpapers are resistant to moisture but choice is limited. If you prefer to use regular wallpaper (which is doable if your bathroom is not very humid) it is probably best to avoid high splash areas (or choose a splash-proof paper). And don’t write of wallpapering your shower – you can buy specialist wallpaper that is designed to be fitted inside the shower and wet areas.
  • Apply the wallpaper to a really well-prepped wall and use an extra strong wallpaper adhesive.
  • Ventilation is key to the durability of your wallpaper; you’ll want to avoid condensation on the wallpaper.

Wallpaper is usually cheaper than tiles, with more character than paint, and versatile in any space. If it appeals to you, go for it!

For all your plumbing and bathroom installation needs, feel free to contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk – we’re happy to help.

Sources: The Spruce and Sophie Robinson

Summer is the perfect time to paint a bathroom – the weather is warmer; paint will dry quickly and
you can boot the kids outside while you get the job done. Of course, hiring a professional is certainly
an option but if you decide on the DIY route, here are some top tips that will set you on the path to a
job well done:

  1. Paint choice: bathrooms are high traffic areas and susceptible to wear and tear, so a mildew
    resistant, water-repellent, easy-to-maintain paint (satin or semi-gloss) is the best option.
  2. Colour choice: versatile colours like white, grey and blue as well as lighter shades are
    popular as they create a calm and relaxing atmosphere. That said, if you like a bolder look –
    go for it!
  3. Remove obstructions: before you paint and clean, remove wall hangings, bathroom products
    and appliances, and if you can’t reach behind your toilet (etc) remove that too (just
    remember to turn off the water supply, and flush and drain the toilet before removing).
  4. Repair blemishes: patch any holes or cracks with filler or a drywall compound; also
    sandpaper flaking or peeling paint.
  5. Clean the walls: the paint will not adhere if the surface is unclean. Use a sugar soap solution
    and sponge to remove any dirt and then wash again with warm water to remove soap
    traces.
  6. Prime the walls: if you’re changing colour or patching holes, prime the wall with an
    undercoat. You can simply ‘spot prime’ where you’ve made repairs if your paint is generally
    in good condition and you’re not changing colour.
  7. Masking tape: put masking tape around any fixtures/edges that that need protecting from
    paint.
  8. Start with the edges: use a brush around the edges before painting the walls. For best results
    on walls and ceiling, use a quality, plush roller cover, which will allow you to get as much
    paint onto the surfaces in the shortest amount of time.
  9. Apply a second coat: wait at least 4 hours (or as directed) for paint to dry before applying a
    second coat.
  10. Wait 24 hours to decorate: play it safe and wait until the paint is drier than dry before
    removing the masking tape and replacing fixtures and wall art.

Hey presto! – You’ll have an incredible new bathroom.

For all your plumbing and installation needs, feel free to contact the team at AACooper on 01689
485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk – we’re happy to help.

Sources: DIY.com and Wikihow.com