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What are the Most Common Plumbing Problems in the UK?

18 Apr 2024

Cheap plumber Chelsea - Speedy Jet Plumbers

Whether you live in a relatively new home or a period property – or are occupying commercial premises – you may well experience some sort of plumbing issue during your time there.

Here Speedy Jet Plumbers, an efficient and cheap plumber in Chelsea, Soho, Covent Garden and many other parts of Greater London, outline some of the commonest plumbing issues that home and business owners have to deal with – and how we can be relied upon to fix all of them.

Dripping Taps

A recent survey by the Water Regulation Advisory Scheme (WRAS) put dropping taps at the top of the list; 14% of respondents, or nearly one in seven people, said they had experienced this problem.

Not fixing any dripping taps means you could be wasting up to 5,500 litres of water a year (and adding more onto your bill unnecessarily). They are usually caused by worn-out components, for example in conventional faucets the washers or seals may come loose or get worn down at the edges meaning that water drips through.

Even in newer installations and ‘washer-less’ taps, the inlet or outlet seals can still become eroded over time.

We can repair any leaking taps in homes and businesses across London as part of our comprehensive range of plumbing services.

Blocked Drains

One in 10 people who responded to the WRAS survey reported that their drains were either not functioning properly or were completely blocked.

This is typically caused by people disposing of unsuitable items down sinks and plugholes such as fats, grease, oils and food scraps which can easily solidify in pipes and drains, resulting in a blockage.

At Speedy Jet Plumbers, we can offer a CCTV drain survey in all parts of London; this will quickly identify the source of the problem and can take remedial action accordingly. On the basis of our survey, we will also be able to tell you if it’s your responsibility or not – some drain blockage issues may be outside the perimeters of your property and may be down to your neighbour, or the local water company, to fix.

Boilers Breaking Down

Just like any other machine, boilers can malfunction. Perhaps your boiler isn’t providing any hot water, or the central heating isn’t working, or one or more components (including valves, airlocks, motors and thermostats) aren’t functioning, or it is just leaking.

The problem may be caused by rust or corrosion, which causes components to break down and become ineffective. Dirt and debris can also build up, meaning the water can’t flow through the boiler’s system efficiently.

Remember, it’s important to have your boiler serviced regularly, ideally once a year, and if the installation has a lot of problems, it may be more cost-effective to have it replaced rather than repaired.

We provide cheap boiler repair services in Soho and across London; we can install new ones as well.

Pipes Freezing

Exposed pipework in lofts and attics, basements, garages and from boilers to outside drains can be especially vulnerable to freezing temperatures during the coldest months of the year.

Water expands as it freezes, exerting pressure on pipes from within. Sometimes, particularly if the pipe isn’t lagged or insulated, the water inside can become frozen (and in worst-case scenarios it can crack or burst the pipe).

At Speedy Jet Plumbers, we can repair burst pipes as part of our emergency callout services; we also offer pipe freezing repair services in Covent Garden, Kensington, Marylebone and other parts of the capital.

This service is useful where emptying the system of water isn’t an option, for instance in shared facilities where you don’t have access to a stopcock, or if there’s a problem with the central heating system which has had expensive anti-corrosion agents added.

Toilet Problems

Just as disposing of the wrong items down your sink, shower or bath could cause problems, you should also take care regarding what you flush down your toilet.

Broadly speaking, toilets are only designed to dispose of human waste and toilet tissue – anything else (including disposable nappies and conventional paper towels) could cause a blockage.

Other problems can also arise, including cracked bowls, damaged seals (on the flush bend which links the cistern to the pan) and faulty fill valves (which means the pan won’t fill up with water properly after it has been flushed).

Speedy Jet Plumbers – a Cheap Plumber in Chelsea

If your home or business is suffering from any of the problems listed above, contact Speedy Jet Plumbers on 020 633 2424 – and remember we offer other services as well, including power flushing, underfloor heating installation and repairs, and leak detection and repairs

You can also click here and fill in the online form to request a callback. We have more than three decades of experience in sorting out plumbing problems and are available around the clock, so if you have an emergency in the middle of the night we will still come out to you; and we don’t apply a callout charge.

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