Most common plumbing problems

Most of us don’t give our household plumbing a second thought until water starts flooding the bathroom or the shower runs freezing cold. Plumbing problems can really make your life a misery - here are the most common ones to watch out for.

You may need a plumber to
unblock drains and toilets

Toilet problems

A blocked toilet is one of the most horrible plumbing problems. While you may be able to dislodge minor blockages with a plunger, more serious congestion can cause sewage smells or flooding and require attention from a plumber. “General plumbing problems like toilets not working or flushing are very common,” says Mr Collins, of Baddow Plumbing in Essex. Running toilets that flush constantly are noisy and waste a considerable amount of water, so are worth fixing sooner rather than later.

Central heating nightmares

“We mostly get calls about central heating,” explains Mrs Phillips, of MPS Heating and Plumbing in Swindon, “at the moment lots of people are solving heating problems for good by installing a new boiler.” Most plumbers are also heating engineers and will be able to install, repair or service your boiler for you and fix other central heating related issues. Never try to fix a boiler yourself and make sure you hire a Gas Safe, or HETAS registered professional.

Noisy pipes

There are several things that cause annoying, noisy pipes. Mr Collins explains: “This is often due to a faulty ball valve vibrating in the pipe, which is a very common thing. The only way to fix it is to replace the valve.” Another cause could be ‘water hammering’, which occurs when water rushes through a pipe and meets a suddenly closing valve, which it slams against. This can cause damage to pipe joins; this can be rectified by a plumber who might build cushioning air breaks into pipes.

Leaky taps

A constantly leaking tap can waste a surprising amount of water over time and cause discoloured water spots in the sink. The sound of a dripping tap can also drive you completely mad. Fixing the problem could be as simple as tightening a connection or replacing a washer or it could be more complex - a plumber can investigate.

Blocked pipes

Blocked pipes can cause water to drain annoyingly slowly down the sink or even prevent it moving completely. In bathrooms, drains usually become blocked by hair or shampoo and other bathing products; in kitchens, scraps of food and cooking oil are the main culprits. This is a largely preventable problem if you’re careful what you put down the plug hole and use drain grills to filter out obstructions. When it comes to fixing a blockage: “You often need a plumber to actually take apart the piping and clean it out with different length rods,” says Mr Collins.

Frozen pipes

Insulate your pipes to prevent them from freezing

A burst pipe from freezing is a lot less common now that pipes are well insulated and loft lagging is installed. However, some people still get caught out, especially if they are going away for a period of time and turn the heating off in extremely cold weather. “If you are going away, you need to leave the heating on a touch and your loft hatch open a bit to stop your pipes freezing,” explains Jan Slade, from A&J Plumbing in Slough. If you do suffer from a burst pipe it is essential to get a plumber out; frozen pipes near to gas sources must also be thawed by professionals only.

Hiring a plumber

“The most important advice when it comes to plumbing is to always hire a professional – don’t attempt to fix the problem yourself,” warns Mr Collins. “A lot of the work that I do involves correcting mistakes that other people have made when trying to fix plumbing themselves.” Trying to fix something yourself may result in extra time, stress and money and could even breach legal standards for health and safety.

When hiring a plumber, it is important to check their experience and credentials, making sure they are a member of an association like the Institute of Plumbing or Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering is a good idea. This ensures they will have the proper training, insurance and good references.

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