The Most Common Plumbing Problems

Plumbing is a wonderful thing which allows us to live lives of such great comfort and convenience. Unfortunately, as with most good things, plumbing sometimes encounters problems, and fixing them can be a costly task. As experienced London plumbers, we’ve come across every imaginable plumbing problem on countless occasions, so here we’ve compiled a few of the most common and how you should respond to them.

Burst Pipes

Burst pipes are a huge pain which lead to leakages and sometimes flooding. They can be cause either my water expanding within the pipes, or simply by becoming worn down after long term use. As well as the huge inconvenience this causes, the water leaking from burst pipes can damage your home and belongings, so repairs need to be made as soon as possible. You particularly want to avoid water seeping into the electrics, so it’s wise to turn off the heating and power supply, as well as the water. To prevent damage to carpets and furniture, collect leaking water in a tub or bucket as far as possible. Other than this, do what you can to seal the leak temporarily, for example with plumbers’ tape, but you’ll need a professional plumber to fix the problem, so get one round as soon as you can.

Blocked Drain

Whether it’s in a sink or a toilet, blocked drains cause hassle, and often an unpleasant odour! Thankfully, most blocked drains don’t need a professional plumber to resolve the problem; there are ways to try yourself before you request a call out. Using a plunger should usually unblock a drain- you may have to be vigorous and try repeatedly, but this is often a simple solution. In the event that this doesn’t work, there may be a problem with the drainage system, in which case you will need to call a local plumber. Of course, to a large extent, you can prevent these issue from occurring in the first place by taking great care about what you put down the drain. Strictly no baby wipes, feminine hygiene products or anything that isn’t toilet paper should go down the toilet, and it’s also essential that you refrain from pouring oil or food waste down the sink, as this will lead to blockages.

Boiler Breakdown

A boiler breakdown can be an expensive problem to fix, so be sure to carry out a few simple checks before you get a plumber in. it may sound obvious, but check that the electrical supply is working; it could have been turned off accidentally, or intentionally but not been turned back on again. It’s also possible that the fuse could have tripped, so check the fuse box too. The next thing to do is to try resetting your boiler; the classic “turn it off and on again” trick can be surprisingly successful. You should also take a look at the pressure gauge to see if that is healthy; if it’s not between the two red lines the pressure will need adjusting. You can usually do this yourself following the instructions in the user manual.

Of course, if none of the above proves successful, you’ll need to assistance of an experienced plumber. Whilst the weather is hot and central heating isn’t required, it could be tempting to put this off, but leaving it could cause the issue to worsen, so don’t delay!

Gas Leak

The most dangerous of our common plumbing problems, gas leaks must be dealt with by a professional plumber immediately. If you think you can smell gas, get everyone out of the house as a matter of urgency. If you know how to, you should switch off your gas supply at the mains. In any case, get everyone outside and call an emergency plumber.

Staunch & Flow are always on hand to help with emergency plumbing in London, but we know you’d much rather avoid these issues in the first place. Do your best to take care of your plumbing as carry out regular maintenance checks to avoid unexpected repair costs, then you can save for more exciting plumbing works, like a new kitchen or bathroom suite!