Older pipes often become corroded and start to weaken over the years. Scale can also build up in pipes, resulting in weaker water pressure. You’ll probably notice scale build up during the warmer months, right when you’re using a lot of water. While it’s not as noticeable when you’re washing dishes, you can more easily see water pressure problems when you’re filling up your swimming pool or watering your garden.

Full story: http://www.copperrepipingguide.com/pages/why-repipe-with-copper.html

Unlike traditional lift systems, wheelchair stair lifts are open and are usually used to assist people with a disability to move from one floor to the next where there is no established lift or where there is only a metre or two between floors. The wheelchair lift generally has side panels that can sometimes fold out to act like a ramp so that the wheelchair can easily move from one area to another. It also helps to make sure that there are no gaps between the lift door and the floor that they are getting out on, which also reduces the risk of wheels getting stuck or the chair not manoeuvring as it should.

Read more about stair lifts and StairLiftsOnline.co.uk.

Supermarkets are bracing themselves after more than 230,000 people joined Freya Valentine’s group.

It urges people to “go out and buy a load of carrots” on 15 May.

Ms Valentine, of Goring, Oxfordshire, who is celebrating her 19th birthday, said the interest highlighted the power of social networking sites.

She said she had the idea in January on a night out and within weeks her group had about 60,000 members.

Full article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/7402553.stm

The average price of a home in April dropped 1pc from a year earlier, and by 1.1pc compared with March.

The prospect of the value of homes dropping below what they were worth this time last year raises fears that many homeowners may be pushed into negative equity, as the amount owed on their mortgage exceeds the price of their home.

The weakness in the housing market will only add to pressure on the Bank of England to reduce interest rates from their current level of 5pc.

Danny Blanchflower, one of the nine people at the central bank who votes on interest rates, warned yesterday that prices could fall by as much as 30pc in the next two to three years and, that without a sharp reduction in rates, the UK economy risked a recession .

Full article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/04/30/bcnnation230.xml

Although the UK Government’s exact plans for a new generation of nuclear power stations are still unclear, E.ON said yesterday that it had signed letters of intent with France’s Areva and Germany’s Siemens to consider the construction of two power plants.

E.ON had previously said that it was leaving its options open about getting involved in new nuclear, a position that was seen as putting the company firmly in third place behind RWE and EdF as a likely player in the UK industry. But an E.ON source said that yesterday’s news was aimed at “nailing our colours to the mast”.

E.ON said it would use Areva’s 1,600 megawatts (mw) advanced pressurised-water reactor, powered by Siemens’ turbines. The three companies will also collaborate on a new type of 1,250mw boiling-water reactor produced by Areva.

Full story from Telegraph.co.uk: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/04/24/cneon124.xml

The owner of the most popular online search engine, said first-quarter profits rose to $1.31bn, up 30% from the same period a year ago.

Google boss Eric Schmidt said “innovation in search, ads, and apps” helped to boost earnings growth.

There have been fears that the firm was being hit by the slowing US economy.

Google said sales were up 42% to $5.19bn for the quarter ended 31 March.

For the first time, the California-based firm earned more revenue abroad – 51% of total sales – compared to its home market. This was partly due to a slump in the weak dollar which increases the value of non-US earnings.

Its shares fell $5.50, or 1.2%, to $449.50 before its results were released, but they rebounded sharply after the closing bell which means that when New York trading begins on Friday, they will rise.

It’s a good time to be a Google bull,” said Colin Gillis, an analyst with Canaccord Adams. “The boys delivered.”

Full story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7353677.stm

The charity’s Roof Affordability Index found that the price of an average first-time property rose from £52,674 in 1997 to £159,494 last year.

The figures showed that buyers’ average income had become smaller compared with the price of a property.

Prices are now starting to fall, but mortgages have become harder to secure.

Full story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7350968.stm

US light, sweet crude oil pulled back slightly to $114.97 in Asian trading from the previous day’s $115.21 high.

Brent crude hit an all-time peak of $112.83 before falling back slightly.

The weak dollar has helped to draw investors towards commodities, which are cheaper for foreign buyers because they are priced in the US currency.

Full story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7351913.stm