London homes face the same plumbing problems – dripping taps, clogged toilets and cold showers that no one wants. Further, living in older flats or terraced houses, in and around Chiswick and West London, with hard water and old pipes does not help.
At Reliant LDN LTD, we regularly come across these problems and fix them quickly, easily, and professionally.
Below is a brief overview of the five most common plumbing problems – what causes them and easy ways to fix them. DIY when possible, or seek out a plumber in West London like us.
1. Leaking Taps – The Most Irritating Drip! Drip!
What you hear all night: plink, plink, plink from the kitchen or bathroom tap – uses up a lot of water ( worth an entire bath) everyday and could be causing excess dampness under your sink, as well as increasing the costs of your bill.
Hard London water causes limescale build-up, which ultimately leads to the wearing away of the rubber washers inside the taps and causes the dripping.
How To Fix That – The Easy Way
- Look for the tap underneath your sink and turn it off.
- Open the tap so that any remaining sediment in the line drains out.
- Disassemble the above tap handle – usually held in place by one screw.
- Remove and replace the old rubber washer from inside the tap (it will resemble a small rubber ring).
- If the rubber washer has become extremely “crusty” due to mineral buildup, soak it in vinegar and replace it with a new one (costs typically less than £1 at most hardware retailers).
- Once you have reassembled everything onto the tap, gently tighten and then turn on the water slowly.
If there is still a drip occurring after this install, the seat inside might be worn—call a plumber in West London from Reliant.
2. Low Water Pressure – Weak Showers and Splatty Taps
Your shower has all the power of a floppy garden hose, or you can barely get any water out of your taps upstairs. This issue is prevalent in high-rise apartments or older properties with pipes that are clogged up with the limescale, created by Thames Water’s incredibly hard water supply.
Easy Home Steps:
- Remove your showerhead or tap end (twist it by hand).
- Soak the end in a bowl containing white vinegar overnight. It will dissolve any limescale present and leave it cleaner.
- Rinse off the showerhead or the tap end before putting it back on.
- Check your hoses for kinks and straighten them out.
If you’ve followed the above mentioned recommendations and the water pressure is still low, your pipes could either be narrowed or you may have a hidden leak.
The best way to deal with both of these situations is by calling for emergency plumbing solutions to prevent further damage.
A Reliant plumber in West London will check the pressure with tools before flushing your pipes clean to get them working properly again. Our West London plumbing services fix it fast, often under an hour, keeping showers strong.
3. Blocked Drains – Slow Sinks or Gurgling Toilets
Slow sinks, gurgling toilets or kitchen sink filling up after washing the dishes? Bath drains slowly? Clogs in shared drainage systems under London floors are created by hair, grease and “flushable” wipes. If they are left unattended, there are smells and overflows from these clogs.
Quick DIY Clears:
- Pour boiling water into a cup of baking soda combined with vinegar into the drain, which will fizz and break up the clog.
- Allow the mixture to sit here for 10 minutes and plunge using an up and down motion.
- Use a bent wire hanger to fish out hair from the clog.
- Overnight, you can try using the supermarket’s enzyme drain cleaner – it eats organic stuff safely.
If drains are fully blocked, then it’s most probably because of roots or fatbergs.
4. Boiler Problems – No Hot Water or Heat
Winter mornings with no hot water? Your boiler may have low pressure; therefore, it will either make strange noises (kettling from sludge) or will not light up. Additionally, with London’s hard water, your old boiler from the 90s won’t last long.
To check your boiler at home:
- Verify your boiler’s pressure (should be between 1 and 1.5 bar) . If pressure is low, use the filling loop slowly to add more water.
- Press and hold its reset button for five seconds.
- Bleed your radiators by using the air key and turn it anti-clockwise, catching any drips until water starts flowing.
- If the pilot light goes out, consult your boiler’s manual to relight it.
If you see an error code flashing or if there is a water leak, stop! You are dealing with gas. Only Gas Safe pros touch boilers.
How to find a plumber in London safely? Visit the Gas Safe register online.
5. Frozen or Burst Pipes – Rapid Flooding
Cold snaps freeze pipes in lofts or outside walls, then they crack when they thaw. Water sprays everywhere, causing significant damage to carpets and walls, which is a big insurance hassle! If your pipe is old copper, it becomes subject to corrosion, making things worse.
– What You Should Do If This Happens
– Find the stopcock (under stairs/kitchen) and turn it clockwise fully to shut off the water.
– Open all of the taps throughout your house so that any remaining water in the system drains out.
– Wrap the broken pipe area in dry cloth or towel. You should use a hot water bottle (not blow dryers) to very slowly heat up the water in this area until the ice gets melted completely.
– Mop floors and use fans to dry electronics.
Contact a licensed plumber immediately because they will need to either solder or replace the section of the pipe that has broken—this should be done by someone who has been trained and experienced.
Emergency plumbing solutions from Reliant trace leaks with detectors, fix invisibly, and lag pipes with foam to prevent the next freeze. Our plumbers in West London are equipped with vehicles to reach your home quickly.
Conclusion
London plumbing problems can become a nightmare. Catch them early with simple fixes mentioned above. You might save yourself from a headache and a plumber’s bill while doing so. If your minor plumbing issue just turned into floods, our staff at Reliant Plumbing Services in West London can assist you.
Our crew at Reliant Plumbing is available to help with any plumbing issues you may have, including emergency plumbing services. If you need your home to remain dry and warm, please do not hesitate to contact Reliant LDN Limited’s plumbers in West London for the same.
