Straight or Curved - these STAIRLIFTS in Stoke are indestuctible

Stoke on Trent and Newcastle under Lyme's only STAIRLIFT show house at Wolstanton village, was the scene of a major drama yesterday. It went up in flames! The little house next to Castle Comfort's main showroom has for years been a private home of Stairlifts expert and owner of the CCC Group - Keith Simpson. Clients wanting to do a 'try before they buy' always find a ride on a real stairlift much better then DVDs or brochure to help make an important decision

A fire that started in the kitchen washing machine gutted the house within minutes. Only due to Castle Comfort staff discovering the disaster early and the response within minutes of Staffordshire fire services, the house and possibly adjoining ones in the street were not completely destroyed.

Remarkably, despite the total internal damage - the working display Acorn/Brooks stairlift and a reconditioned Stannah curved lift, remained in full working use - and after a wipe down this popular Midlands chair lift company is still operating as normal.

We'll present shortly, a few alarming facts about the fire risk involved with washing machines and other appliances in the home upon which we all depend. But first - the two hours spent by twenty emergency services staff yesterday, was concluded by the hilarious tale of the first firefighter who charged into the house with his mask, headgear and hosepipe look for the source of ignition. He announced, after the drama subsided, to the roars of laughter of all present, that he could see little through the thick black smoke engulfing the lounge, other than the stairs situated just inside the front door as he entered. So ran up them. However, he quickly realised after taking about eight steps he would have gone nowhere, other than to the ceiling of the lounge ... he was going up the steps built for curved stair lift model!! So he came back down and went into the kitchen to put the fire out.

Now to less amusing facts. Is it safe to leave the washing machine on while out or in bed?
Many washing machines now come with delayed start features. This shows the manufacturers are happy for the washing machine to be used totally unattended. However, cases of washing machines (and other white goods such as dishwashers and tumble dryers) catching fire still occur. Government fire safety advice is to not to leave white goods unattended - CHECK YOUR HOME: Before Bed Routine (Government fire safety site)
Always at least have a smoke alarm fitted near to the washing machine (or other white goods appliance) if it is left on and unattended. However, this could be impractical if they are in a kitchen due to the nuisance alarms from cooking
The Trading Standards site has an excellent list of safety related product recalls which covers virtually all appliances in the home. It's well worth book-marking and checking regularly as it covers all safety issues on all consumer goods - even food mixers.






Some old washing machines (at least over 10 years) have no protection against overheating. If the timer or thermostat fails, it can boil the water inside. Your clothes could be reduced to pulp and the wallpaper in the kitchen could peel off. The other main risk is flooding. Most washing machines have a third level on the pressure switch (the pressure switch controls the water levels in the machine) This third level switch is supposed to protect against overfilling by energizing the water pump if the water level rises dangerously above normal. This will work fine if the cause of an overfilling machine is a fill valve that has failed to turn off. However, the majority of overfilling machines are caused by a blockage in the pressure system. This safety feature will not work if a blockage stops air entering the pressure tubing. This amounts to having no real overfilling protection at all. Finally flooding could occur through a leak.
Many people like to set their washing machine to come on during the night to use off-peak electricity through economy 7 ( further comment and information on my blog - Economy 7 and white goods ) If you are prepared to risk doing this then make sure you set it to come on as late as possible so that you will be up not long after the machine has finished. UPDATE: Most modern washing machines are now controlled totally electronically by software built into the main PCB. Such a machine will typically have selector buttons and LCD or LED displays. Some of them may still have control knob selectors, but unlike the old ones, when you turn them they don't click round (no cogs inside) and don't have the same resistance to turn that they used to. Instead they electronically send instructions to the main PCB power module. These washing machines have much better safety protection and will normally abort if they detect over heating for example. The computer style programs they use will time out (causing an abort of the programme and an error code to display or be indicated by flashing lights) if it takes too long to fill, empty or heat the water. They can even abort the programme if the load is unbalanced.
These washing machines are much safer than the old ones, but clearly none are infallible and electrical short circuits or overheating connections could still cause a fire! Fire risks in appliances (Whitegoodshelp Blog article)


To conclude - the frightening thing about this event is that the washing machine in the stair lift was not switched on when it caught fire. It was plugged in to a live 13 amp socket - but not in use. So who knows what can happen? For instance, a young man named Lupton - our contact at a Stairlifts company in Yorkshire - was recently woken up by a smoke alarm at home when his
heated and illuminated fish tank ignited !!








Back to the stairlift house.That machine in the house was bought second hand 8 years ago so it was at least 10 years old. However, the mystery with this one is the bloody thing had never been used in eight years and wasn't even switched on when it ignited !!??

The insurance loss adjuster who came to Castle Comfort Stairlifts to see the damage was asked if he personally always unplugs washing machines and other devices when not in use and he replied 'without fail'. He has seen too many cases like ours.

To repeat - that machine had never been used and as you can see here - it never will be.

Stairlifts in Spain - News for Brits

Castle Comfort's prominence in the Stair lift market in Spain has taken another step forward. The company has previously been contactable on their Madrid and Canary Islands phone numbers -(91) 562 2850 and (928) 514 838 -but as from now you can call them at MALAGA on (951) 247 196. Also, a National Spanish Freephone number is up and working - 900 809 802.

Calls from landlines and call boxes are free - but there is a small charge from mobiles, so if we see your are using a mobile we'll return the call.

As with the original numbers you can call anytime and you be answered personally - and in ENGLISH!

The website, as ever is constantly updated to bring you news about products, prices and things that are happening at the Castle Comfort Group in the UK and Spain. See it here

Stair Lift Prices are Monstorous

Stairlift Prices Are Monstrous...?
- well, they can be.

In which case - 'Spam!’ - you may shout at the next stairlift salesperson that turns up at your house.
.
Be on your guard if they arrive wearing a suit and brandishing DVD’s, a bunch of flowers and a smile that suggests you are going to tempted into a ‘special offer’ for a stair lift that may still be much more than you need to pay. This double glazing hard sell approach is all to common in the mobility products business – and not acceptable at all when often older and maybe vulnerable members of society are alone to deal with such matters. Often, the chairlift company seem more interested in selling it on the ‘never-never’ as more profit is always made in business when the customer can’t pay cash.

Remember, if a sales person in you home expects and entices an instant decision – just tell them you want time to think – and not just for twenty minutes whilst they sit outside in their car.
If the pressure is turned is on just politely ask them to leave. And they will. If they don’t, tell them you are going to call 999 and if they don't shift then - dial it! The police just love to responding to cries for help liked that – it’s easy meat (or even Spam) for the boys in blue.
The price for a stair lift isn’t a secret these days. Just ask the firm on the phone or look at a fact-filled website eg http://www.castlecomfortstairlifts.com/ A free survey is needed to check there are no extras but all that is needed is a phone call to get the cost. Many firms actually put their guide prices in their press adverts – but be careful – the word ‘from’ can mean anything.
Castle Comfort’s ads carry an ingoing price for a straight reconditioned lift - installed and guaranteed. And they are always available. Get a quote for a ‘recon’ and a new one but with prices having come down tremendously in recent years – the difference may not be that great. If you are under 95 - and looking forward to the next few decades, a brand new one with all the latest features is well worth the bit extra. It's best to get the options - then you decide. Another advantage with buying a new lift is that you will always get some money back on it if is to be sold one day.




Back to Spam. This phenomena of chopped pork, salt water and sugar with a few added chemicals was first made in 1937 – and its maker American firm Hormel Food Corporation is now on its way to producing its eight billionth can! That’s a lot of butties.

Britain’s brave Armed Forces have survived on the variety of meals that can be produced with Spam, yet the 2nd Royal Welsh Guards refused to surrender in Afghanistan when the Taliban interrupted supplies for six weeks. See Daily Mail article by Luke Salkeld.

Apparently, Spam stands for ‘shoulder of pork and ham’ although intellectual connoisseurs of school dinners have more than once labelled it ‘something posing as meat.’
These days day however, junk emails that constantly bombard us computer-literate geeks since, have been given a new name. These electronic literate attacks – have assumed the name of our infamous canned snack. Was the label Spam taken from the Bill Gates glossary no .... Monty Python. What??? Indeed. The monotonous use of Spam in endless dishes – egg, bacon and Spam, sausage and Spam, bacon and Spam and the repetitious nature of such inspired a month python mickey-taking sketch. This brilliant and now legendary sketch, see it here, was repeated so much at unwelcome times – that word was adopted to describe an endless boring sea of unwanted junk mails.

So now we now all about that can than has always been in the kitchen cupboard- who makes it, what it can be used for, and why its name was adopted in the world of computers. Who knows? You savvy stair lift shoppers may be bringing on a new use of the word. Remember, if it’s a hard sell, or the price seems over the top, yell ‘Spam.’

Happy chair lift hunting!

Stairlifts in Staffordshire - or Aeroplanes in Spain. Which take longest to fix?

Many modern gadgets have lights on them to warn you something is wrong - or about to go wrong. Usually such a diagnostic display, as it is known, will tell you exactly what there is to sort out. We have gone long way since a dock leaf from the side of the road was employed to wipe the oil dipstick. That metal stick, then told us, or told our parents/grandparents - that there was no oil in the car! Maybe that is why it broke down. So then the oil light evolved. Then, with a few inventions in between - came the modern DC (battery operated) STAIRLIFT - and what a delight for companies like us when someone calls us to say the lift has packed up. A number between 1 -12 is flashing, or maybe a certain letter. We know from this, if it has been accidentally switched off - or the batteries have flagged (unusual, but now and again it happens) or various other things usually connected with the circuit board. This magical circuit board is the brains of the chairlift. If it has caused a problem then the remedy is simple - a new circuit board. If a call out is necessary - we are all ready for it - quick, simple and soon the lift is back in action.

So what's this about aeroplanes? When buying a stairlift, it's normal to find out about the firm's reputation, the quality of the products and above all the technical back up if things go wrong. Imagine when booking a flight or checking in at the airport we asked those questions... well, that's just not on. Because things can't seriously go wrong. Really? Just read this -

Monarch Airlines flight ZB 626 Manchester – Lanzarote - 2/02/2010.
On board - 5 stewardesses, 2 pilots, approx. 188 holidaymakers and a working (more or less) stairlifts company proprietor from Newcastle under Lyme.

Half an hour from arrival I wondered why I had for years preferred routes via Madrid to visit our offices in the Canaries. After all, the trip was taking under four hours, I had an extra legroom seat, a meal that was OK and I was looked after by professional staff – then, sadly... it was problem time. No, the wine hadn't run out.



The pilot calmly announced that poor visibility would mean a trip around the island, getting us there 15 minutes late at 12.15 pm. No big deal, but I noticed sometime after a quarter past twelve that we had swerved away and heading for the adjoining island of Fuertaventura. A still calm voice from the cabin was heard again but with slightly more disturbing facts. The flaps had failed to open meaning, whilst the aircraft was ‘capable of landing without them - we needed a longer runway’ and that was to be found on the neighbouring island 15 minutes away. Then there was a ‘But.’ And the blood pressure went up. We were going to have a landing ‘faster than normal' and added that 'the fire engines would be there as a precaution.’ When he announced that we were to pay attention to instructions from the crew - it rang to me of something different, not experienced in 40 years of regular flying – an emergency landing. The cabin staff girls put on smiles a little exaggerated – I suspect that is practised in their training. The one who joined me in her jump seat in the emergency exit couldn’t smile for long. An eerie silence throughout the plane contrasted a previous holiday type buzz. Eyes were closed everywhere and couples squeezed each other's hands - even those who hadn't done so for years.
We hit the tarmac fast. How fast, I did not realise until later. Brakes screamed and the aircraft went, at speed, what seemed an awful long way on the ground – overstepping onto what was clearly not normally used tarmac - therefore a section littered with debris. Debris which may have included dust, small pebbles or building blocks, I don’t know – but the noise was frightening – with the sound maybe like that of a machine gun attacking the underside of the plane. I kept looking at the adjoining emergency exit door. For the first time in my life I read its opening instructions. Is there a turbo stairlift the other side to make a descent? If not, there’s no time to do a quote. Brakes were rammed on and golly they were loud – and everyone wished and hoped they were good ones. We eventually stopped with fire engines on both sides chasing us. Thankfully, they didn’t need their foam or water. Any stairlift in situ the other side of my exit door would have remained idle.
An apology came from the pilot amongst a ripple of applause from all, and he told us we had landed 'at 170 knots' – but the inconvenience suffered was better that ending up, he said casually ‘in the sea at Lanzarote.’ He then – or it may have been his co-pilot, told me at the departure steps whilst he proudly saw us off – that 170 knots meant we had landed at 200 mph! – against what would normally have been 40 - 50 mph.

. We all waited for some three hours in the transit terminal without news, and then suddenly the departure of our aircraft to Lanzarote was announced. I happened to know by talking Spanish to various airport staff earlier that a local engineer had checked the aircraft flaps within 20 minutes of us arriving, and all appeared OK – a fact that supports what I think to be the next and most startling part of my tale.
We boarded and took off again – scheduled to arrive at Lanzarote within 15 minutes at about, I think, 5.30pm. Then the impossible happened. Virtually over our intended destination island, the now almost standardised tone of apology came back over the loudspeaker.... and guess what? Those flaps yet again, would not open – so 'we were going back to Fuertaventura.' The pilot said he had done his best but apparently the fault had could not be not be simulated on the tarmac after the first emergency landing, so the reason for the problem was not clear. He surmised that it might have been that the flaps worked on the ground but not with the full weight of people on board.
So what had been a novelty of a first time bullet-style landing was to be repeated. All heads shook in disbelief. Only sober and mature Brits could absorb such drama without audible passion.
Once again, the debris, the fire engines, closed eyes etc – but this time it was made worse by the incredible repetition of what should have been a once (or never) in a lifetime experience. So it was buses again to the terminal – and an indefinite wait for more instructions. The uniformed Monarch official again saw us off the plane – but this time with a glaze this time of embarrassment rather than pride.

Now, it’s question time – and I have emailed the MD of Monarch, Mr Tim Jeans, as I’d be grateful of a response by someone in authority at the Airline. The answer if I get one, may deter me from doing what some contacts of mine who work in the aviation industry want me to do here in Spain – and that is file an official complaint to the Guardia Civil, who will alongside other authorities investigate possible negligence, unnecessary risks to passengers in an aircraft by possible irresponsible flying practices - or inept technical services on the ground. Someone gave authority for that aircraft to take off again – only to suffer a second emergency landing the same afternoon.

So, to sum up, an aircraft is diverted and grounded due to an essential item mal-functioning. Then the reason for flap failure is unknown and not discovered. A fact later admitted by the pilot to passengers. In non-airline speak - ‘an intermittent fault’. The same aircraft takes off – the same happens and a further emergency landed is deployed – putting some 200 passengers again, in my opinion, at risk.

WHY SHOULD THIS BE ALLOWED? If a faulty aircraft does not have its fault diagnosed and remedied, should it not be immediately grounded? It’s OK using an old STAIRLIFT if it keeps packing up and a retired and out of touch engineer can’t find the fault – but surely not a passenger airline!!

On a lesser note, yet still an important issue; can Monarch please explain why the passengers on this scheduled flight, not charter, who suffered a delay of his magnitude (original arrival time 12pm) were not offered free refreshments?
When I left this fracas at 6pm and continued my journey to Lanzarote by taxi and boat, no one, not even children had been offered as much as a glass of water. What happened after 6 pm I have no idea – maybe the nightmare continued until the following day.
It would be interesting to know if this aircraft – an Airbus 321 (registration G-OZBN) built in 1999, and flying, according to the Spanish press, since 17th December of that year, has had previous similar problems.

Over to you Mr Jeans.

Update - 2 weeks on, no reply to the email, so a recorded letter- (snail-mail style) has gone off to Monarch. Perhaps Mr Jeans is on leave in the Canaries. Watch this space.

Meanwhile - it seems that Ryanair have upset yet again- on the same Canaries route, a few passengers. - see their latest PR disaster

But at least they have planes with flaps working!

Stoke on Trent Stairlift Runner is Potteries bound again

It is almost a year since Stephen Auker was persuaded by his principal sponsors to take part in his first Potteries half marathon and he completed it with usual style and effort resulting in an amazing finishing time of 1 hour 51 minutes.

This large poster seen here was placed outside the Staffordshire stairlift specialist's head office at Wolstanton, Staffordshire for a few weeks before the race - and scores of people came in to leave a donation which boosted Castle Comfort's pledge of £1,000. The cash came with a condition - and until the start of the race Mr Auker assumed that the requirement to run the race with a Castle Comfort Stairlift model strapped to his back was wind up. But no... here is Keith checking the stairlift weighs in!


















Steve and ever supportive wife Julie were guests that weekend at the Borough Arms Hotel at Newcastle under Lyme and the sponsoring company were pleased to arrange that ... and ensuring that all present were kept with plenty of liquid refreshment (not Vimpto) after the race!
'Stairlift Stephen' as he is affectionately known in Staffordshire has so fare raised single handed £22,000 in aid of Cancer Research UK. See details of people's generosity here.

Why does he do it? Stephen's own words -
"Because cancer will touch ALL OF US in some way at some time. Plus one in three of us will actually PERSONALLY SUFFER from of cancer in our lifetime. This is my small way to help all of us and our children in the future."

There is a lot more to this guy, and anyone with a heart and will to enjoy life, will enjoy learning about him -See Steve's Google profile here .

And anyone reading this with a spare pound (or a million of them) just get your credit card out and go here or if you really have some bottle, speak to your doctor, and then click on the final 'here' below. See you in June!
Do you want to enter this year's 'arf Marathon in Stoke on Trent? do it here

Failing that (and you can claim your doctor wouldn't allow you to have a coronary attack) - we'll catch you in Weatherspoons, Hanley on the big day!

Mr Auker pictured in days gone by. As he is now tee-total the finishing time in the Stoke on Trent 'arf marathon will be even more amazing!

Newcastle-under-Lyme Stairlifts firm in the news again

People often ask how it all began. This chairlift company I started was a simple family affair and a pure accident that occurred when my own mother was searching for products to make her life easier. Here she is - now absent but always present. Doreen was faced with two extremes - shops who had no real interest or idea - to the heavy pressure boys, who wanted to camp out in her home for hours and try to extract thousands of pounds for something that should really cost hundreds. I could see there was a huge gap for a business to compete with the 'hard-sell' mobility product companies. And with such a lack of high street homecare products specialists, I had the perfect idea.

As a result we started locally and then went national throughout Great Britain and Spain - and by golly it worked. I was more than happy with modest profits and this soon caused the stair lift industry to offer low prices to compete.

Castle Comfort Stairlifts have always had a simple policies - make life and business fun ... smile and as a result have developed a special website to make folk do just that. Take a look.
Secondly and more importantly - all Castle Comfort's staff by instinct treat any client as they would treat their own parent or grandparent.

As a result, we have not only achieved the majority of the business in Staffordshire (and beyond) for the sales of stairlifts, riser recliner chairs and adjustable beds -but we have made many friends. Following simple common sense policies - and our ongoing 'Good Deeds Fund' we have been followed on many occasions by the local press - for example
I never forgot my failed aim to be a journalist as a child and being the type rarely to give up, there was an opportunity to belatedly achieve this by the back road. If no one would give me a job writing - then I was to have my own newspaper. And I made myself editor! This personal whim produced a remarkable marketing phenomenon. http://www.castlecomfortclarion.com/
At Castle Comfort, we religiously log the 'SOL' (the source of lead) of every single order or enquiry. We know exactly how and why a new or potential client approached us. The Clarion is, by far, the biggest single SOL.

Stairlifts in Spain? Si, por favor - but we don't want any British blood!

As a regular donor in Stoke on Trent in the Midlands, stairlifts expert Keith wasted no time when the Spanish blood donor bus pulled up outside Castle Comfort’s offices in Madrid. This is the way they do things in Spain in the major cities - one can still go to the hospital to donate but the Spanish system grabs the well-intending at appropriate and convenient moments e.g. - when leaving work and maybe on the way to a siesta, lunch, or even the bullring!

The Spanish nurses were flattered that an Englishman had taken the trouble to volunteer and wasted no time in producing the standard questionnaire. After all, although he had his UK donor

card they needed to register a 'first-timer'.

The rules and questions are much the same as our country - 'What illnesses have you had?' - where have you travelled?' etc. The final line on the form however asked 'Have you resided in the UK between 1996 & 1997?" and the obvious answer to that from a Brit is 'yes' "errr..... . 'I'll have to speak to the doctor' was the nurse's reply. Then came the shock.

A lady doctor appeared to thank him for the gesture, but she explained why he had to be rejected. The reason was clear - 'Mad cow disease. ' 'Moo', Keith thought. They all agreed it was a bit silly and bureaucratic but those are the rules - although they did promise to try and get them changed and that I should apply again another time.

Finally. after getting off the Spanish bus and shortly finding himself back in Stoke on Trent, he was more than welcome at the Staffordshire blood transfusion unit. There without hiccups or red tape some pure potteries blood was accepted with thanks.

Pictured here, Castle Comfort Chairlifts Chief Keith with grateful NHS staff.