Help with common plumbing problems at home

Most plumbing problems start small. A drip, a damp patch or a radiator that stays cold. This page explains what to do first, what you can safely try yourself, and when to call a plumber. It covers homes across the West Midlands, but the advice works anywhere in the UK.

First, find your stop tap

The stop tap turns off the cold water coming into your home. It's the most useful thing to know in a plumbing emergency. In most homes it sits under the kitchen sink. It can also be in a downstairs toilet, a cupboard under the stairs, or near the front door.

Turn it clockwise to close it. Try it once now, while nothing is wrong. Old stop taps can get stiff. If yours won't move, get it looked at before you need it.

A burst pipe or a big leak

Act fast, as water spreads quickly. Turn off the stop tap straight away. Then open your cold taps to drain the pipes. If water is near lights, sockets or the fuse board, don't touch them. Turn off the electricity at the main switch, but only if you can reach it while staying dry.

Put towels and bowls down to catch the water. Then call a plumber. Take photos of the damage, as your home insurer may ask for them.

A dripping tap

A dripping tap wastes a lot of water over a year. On older taps, the cause is often a worn washer. That's a small rubber ring inside the tap. On newer taps with a quarter turn handle, it's usually a worn cartridge. Both parts are cheap to replace. If you're not sure which tap you have, a plumber can tell you in a few minutes.

A toilet that keeps running

If you can hear water running into the bowl after a flush, a part in the cistern is likely worn. The cistern is the tank behind the toilet. The usual culprits are the fill valve, which lets water in, or the flush valve seal, which keeps it in. Lift the lid and look. If the water level is above the overflow pipe, the fill valve needs adjusting or replacing.

Radiators that are cold at the top

This usually means air is trapped inside. You can let it out yourself. This is called bleeding the radiator. Turn the heating off and let it cool. Use a radiator key to open the small valve at the top corner. Hold a cloth under it. Close the valve once water comes out instead of air.

Afterwards, check the pressure gauge on your boiler. It should usually read between 1 and 1.5 bar when the heating is cold. If it's lower, it may need topping up. Your boiler manual shows you how.

If a radiator is cold at the bottom instead, that often points to sludge. That's dirt that builds up in the system over time. A power flush can clear it.

Low water pressure

Check whether it's one tap or the whole house. If it's one tap, the filter at the end of the spout may be blocked with limescale. Unscrew it and soak it in vinegar. If it's the whole house, ask your neighbours. If they have the same problem, contact your water company first.

When to call a plumber

Call someone if water is coming through a ceiling, if a pipe has burst, or if a leak keeps coming back. Also call if you can't turn your stop tap. If you smell gas, leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency number on 0800 111 999. A plumber can't help with gas. That needs a Gas Safe registered engineer.