Getting to know your home

There may be more than one valve to turn the water off or on. Stop valves are usually found in a kitchen cupboard - often under the sink, in the bathroom or beside the hot water cylinder.

The trip-switch, fuse box(es) and meter. For safety reasons the trip-switch will cut out your electricity supply if you have a faulty appliance and a fuse may blow. Get to know how to re-set your trip switch and to replace a fuse.

Gas bottles (LPG)

The gas bottles are required to stand on a solid base, chained to a wall.  The regulator and hoses are periodically checked.

It is good to check the connections. If you find the regulator or hoses show signs of perishing, please contact the AHA manager.

^{What do I need to know about gas servicing and maintenance?}

Gas safety inspections

Gas checks are carried out by a gas safe registered technician.

Servicing our gas appliances

We must also make sure that our gas installation is serviced regularly.

Our contractor will contact you to make an appointment to carry out the service. There is no extra cost to you for this service.

You must allow our contractor access so that they can carry out this important work.

Your gas appliances

Please note the gas safety check and service only cover the supply of gas to your appliance. We cannot check or service your cooker or other appliances that belong to you. You must arrange annual service checks by an appropriately qualified person.  Faults with the gas pipe work are our responsibility and these should be reported to the AHA manager.

Alarms, smoke, heat and carbon monoxide detectors.

We have an ongoing programme of fitting detectors in homes that are rewired or serviced within five or ten years, and we will arrange to do this.

Since 2011 we have built some highly insulated homes on the island and improved insulation where possible on refurbished properties. They are designed to be efficient and may use a combination of radiators, Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery system (MVHR) that extracts air from the warm damp areas of your home such as your shower and kitchen. The heat from the extracted air is transferred to incoming, fresh, filtered air and distributed to the living areas. The stale damp air is expelled outside through a duct.

AHA will continue to look at ways that are economically sensible and achievable of reducing energy, carbon emmissions and the use of renewable energies if possible.

What does my MVHR look like and where is it?

Your MVHR unit is a white box which can be located anywhere in your home. Generally it is in a service cupboard or the loft.

What does your MVHR do?

• It extracts air at a constant rate at all times
• It ventilates your home
• It removes stale air and moisture
• It brings in filtered fresh air
• It recovers heat which you produce, for example from cooking, showering etc so it saves you money
• It will not heat your house on its own but it will recycle heat you have made

Why do I need it?

• Your home is airtight/draught proofed
• It reduces your electricity bills and is low cost to run (same as a 60W light bulb)
• It stops black mould on your walls and ceilings
• The incoming air goes through a filter which will benefit those with allergies

How to make the most of your MVHR unit

• Don’t switch off your MVHR or try to adjust the system. You cannot make any adjustments to it
• Avoid opening your windows during cold weather as your heating costs will rise significantly
• Don’t adjust the vents fitted to the ceilings
• Do open windows in warm weather
• Do clean the ceiling vents on a regular basis with a soft cloth
• Do change the carbon filter in the cooker hood
• Do report to AHA if it is particularly noisy or if you notice any changes

The unit maintains a quiet and constant circulation of air within your home 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Please do not turn your MVHR unit off or adjust it in any way!

Contact Alderney Electricity (AEL) to see what payment options are available including card meters or regular standing order payments set to make sure payment levels are adequate to cover the electricity usage.

If you want SkyQ in your property you may need a DSEQ switch fitted linking it to the communal equipment.

Please be reminded that you should not flush any type of wet wipe or similar items down the toilets as they cause blockages in the drains. Please dispose of them in a bin.

The cost of clearing blocked toilets or drains due to wet wipes, or other non flushable items, will be recharged to the tenant.

Any new homes built by the AHA from 2011 onwards will have been fitted with a home heating and ventilation system.

The heating system is designed to be efficient using a combination of radiators and a Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery system (MVHR) that extracts air from the warm, damp areas of your home (bathroom/kitchen). The heat from the extracted air is transferred to incoming, fresh, filtered air and distributed to the living areas. The stale damp air is expelled to the outside via a duct. The unit maintains a quiet and constant circulation of air within your home 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

These homes are built with a high degree of insulation and airtightness. The MVHR system means that your house has all the clean air you need. In the winter this is also heated from the use of the kitchen/bathroom. Please do not open your windows during cold weather as your heating costs will rise significantly. Of course in warm weather you can open windows as you wish. The MVHR is not air conditioning.

Within the MVHR unit, there are filters. The filters will require cleaning. The AHA will arrange a convenient date and time to gain access and carry out the work.

The cooker hood where fitted should be used normally and will re-circulate the air in the kitchen through a carbon filter. This is not connected to the heat recovery unit. The carbon filter requires changing periodically to prevent grease build up.

Solar panels

The solar panels provide free energy that heats the water in the hot water cylinder: this is where your hot water will come from. Should there not be enough solar energy to heat your hot water cylinder fully, electrical energy is used. This is done automatically.

To make the most of the free energy you will need to use the hot water when the sun is shining.

The incoming energy from the solar panels is controlled automatically by the control unit located in the cylinder cupboard along with the display unit. You do not need to adjust the solar panels in any way as they are self-regulating.

The display unit (located in the cylinder cupboard) will provide you with temperature data from the solar panels.

Should there be a failure in the solar panel system a small amount of liquid may be discharged into the container adjacent to the pump station. If this occurs, please contact the AHA who will arrange for an engineer to attend to the unit. Please note that this is NOT an emergency and so can be dealt with in normal working hours.

The AHA appreciates that smoking is a personal choice and will not prohibit any resident smoking in their own home.

However, we also have a duty of care to members of staff and contractors so they can carry out their duties in a smoke-free environment.

If you smoke and have a pre-arranged visit with any member of AHA staff or contractor then we kindly ask if you could please refrain from smoking for at least half an hour before the visit and ensure the property is fully ventilated.

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter and we hope it does not cause any inconvenience.