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The thought of going anywhere near a toilet, especially to fix it will probably bring a shudder of disgust to many. However, if the toilet is clogged then it is a problem that could be solved by you. Bear in mind that calling a plumber is always expensive, and probably not worth it in the long run if you can solve the problem by yourself. The good news is that you do not need to have specific plumbing skills in order to unclog your toilet. Unlike some other plumbing tasks that can be quite complex, unclogging a toilet does not have to be that difficult.

Before you rush into things it is best to first establish what is actually causing the clog. You may be guilty of repeatedly disposing items in the toilet that cannot be easily flushed such as baby wipes or cotton wool. In these cases you will most likely need to use the plunger. You should note that toilet paper is designed specifically so that it can be flushed easily; the same cannot be said of other items. So for future notice, do not attempt to flush away items that are non-flushable.

If on the other hand, you hear bubbling in the tub, then chances are that your sewer line is clogged. You should try turning on the bathroom sink if you hear bubbling. If this makes matters worse, then it is very likely that you will need to call a plumber, as plunging alone will not suffice.

Before you start to plunge away, you should first ensure that there is a sufficient amount of water in the toilet. You should plunge up and down several times so the plunger fills with water You may not be successful in unclogging the first time around, so be ready to do it a few times if need be.

The key to take a slight aggressive approach to the plunging. This correct tactic is to force the water in the plunger through the waste outlet of the toilet, dislodging the blockage in the process. Be wary of the fact that you may end up splashing a little water outside of the bowl. However, the mess can be avoided if you do not fill it up with too much water in the first place.

Unfortunately, even with all that plunging and mess your blockage problem may still not be resolved. You may have attempted to plunge many times, failing each time. Do not worry as there is another method you can use. For this you will need what you call a closet snake (or a closet auger). In order to use the snake, all you need to do is expand the handle all the way out, insert the functional end into the outlet of the toilet bowl, and crank it down into the bowl, making sure the cable goes into the drain.

Once the bowl has been drained, you should then flush the toilet pulling the cable up at the same time. This is so that the cable can be cleaned. It is strongly advised that you flush the toilet a good number of times before you put the snake away.

From February 2008 to September 2008, the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) conducted an investigation into how well the gas and electricity markets are operating with respect to the competitiveness of the markets and perceived customer satisfaction following the elimination of the energy supply monopoly ten years ago. The recent spike in fuel prices is cause for increased attention to the operations of energy suppliers.

For the most part, the transition to a competitive market has seen positive changes in the areas of lower energy costs, a larger selection of fuel programmes, and improved service to customers. Even though the measures taken thus far by the gas and electricity markets have appeared to gain favourable results, there are some areas of improvement that need to be accelerated in order to ensure the effectiveness of the competitive market and protect customers.

Great Britains gas and electricity markets currently have six prominent energy companies that serve domestic customers. While no evidence of a cartel has been detected, the presence of these businesses inhibits the emergence of new energy companies. Over the past ten years, new businesses have entered into the energy market competition, but the majority of them have exited the market, and those remaining serve only 0.3 percent of the customer base. Difficulties encountered by emerging energy businesses limit the choices available to gas and electricity customers.

The competitive energy market allows small business and residential customers to change their gas and electricity suppliers. Almost 100% of gas and electricity customers reported that they knew there was an opportunity to switch energy suppliers, and 77% of customers that decided to exercise this option rated their experience as being satisfactory. Even though the vast majority of customers are aware of their option to switch energy suppliers, a mere 17% of these customers actually decide to switch.

Most customers stated that they are fearful of the consequences of making a change and do not believe they have adequate information to make the best selection. Lack of Internet access restricts some customers because they do not have the means to review all the plans and programmes. Actions in the areas of increased customer awareness and an improved switching process are required to address these concerns.

Suppliers of gas and electricity offer competitive prices in order to draw customers to their businesses. Domestic and small business customers have their choice of incentive and reward deals, dual fuel packages, fixed and capped price tariffs, and green energy and energy service deals. In the case of dual fuel offers, customers that are not a part of the gas grid cannot benefit from this special pricing and are consequently charged higher prices for their energy consumption. Some of the lower-priced deals are in effect for limited periods, and customers are sometimes unaware of the pending rate increases.