Plumbing and boiler help guides
What to check first, what is safe to do yourself and when a problem needs an engineer tonight. Grouped by what has gone wrong.
Boiler & heating breakdowns
Boilers overview- Baxi Boiler Flashing Red Light
- Baxi Boiler Pressure: Normal Range and How to Fix It
- Baxi Boiler Radiator Symbol Flashing
- Bleed Radiators With the Heating On or Off?
- Boiler Making a Banging Noise
- Boiler Breakdown at Night: What You Can Safely Do Until Morning
- Boiler Broke Down in Winter With Children or Elderly at Home
- Condensate Pipe Leaking: Boiler Still Safe to Use?
- Boiler Expansion Vessel: Signs It Has Lost Its Charge and What to Do
- Boiler Filling Loop Not Working
- Water Leaking From the Boiler Flue
- Boiler Gurgling or Bubbling Noise
- Radiators Hot but Hot Water Cylinder Cold: System and Regular Boilers
- Boiler Humming Noise
- Boiler Ignition Lockout: Why It Happens and How to Reset
- Boiler Keeps Turning Off: 7 Reasons
- Why Is My Boiler Leaking Water From Underneath?
- Boiler Leaking Water: What to Do in the Next 10 Minutes
- Boiler Display or Light Not On: Power, Fuse or Fault?
- Boiler Losing Pressure Every Day: How Worried to Be
- Boiler Losing Pressure but No Visible Leak
- Boiler Making a Loud Noise: What Each Sound Means
- Boiler Sounds Like an Aeroplane Taking Off
- Boiler Making Noise When It Is Not in Use
- Boiler Not Firing Up: Causes and Fixes
- Boiler Working but Radiators Stay Cold
- Boiler Not Working? A 10-Point Check Before You Call
- Boiler Overflow Pipe Dripping Outside: What It Means
- Boiler Pilot Light Keeps Going Out
- Pipes Under the Boiler Leaking: Which One Is It?
- Boiler Pressure With Heating On vs Off: The Normal Range
- Boiler Pressure Keeps Dropping: The 6 Usual Causes
- Boiler Pressure Keeps Going Up When the Heating Is On
- Boiler Pressure Relief Valve Leaking: Causes and Fixes
- Boiler Pressure Too High: Causes and What to Do
- Boiler Pressure at Zero: Can You Still Use It?
- Boiler Pump Noise: Worn Pump or Air?
- Boiler Thermostat Not Working: Is It the Stat or the Boiler?
- Boiler Making a Loud Vibrating Noise: Is It Dangerous?
- Whistling Noise From the Boiler
- Central Heating Leak Sealer: Does It Work?
- Combi Boiler Pressure: Why It Matters More Than You Think
- How Much Does an Emergency Boiler Repair Cost?
- Glow-worm Boiler Pressure Problems
- How a Thermostatic Radiator Valve Works
- How to Drain a Central Heating System
- How to Reduce Boiler Pressure Safely (Step by Step)
- How to Repressurise a Boiler (Any Make): Find Your Filling Loop First
- How to Reset a Baxi Boiler (and When Not To)
- How to Increase Worcester Boiler Pressure Without the Key
- Is a Leaking Boiler Dangerous? When to Switch It Off
- Is Low Boiler Pressure Dangerous?
- Leaking Boiler Repair Cost: What Each Fix Typically Costs
- How to Lower Boiler Pressure Without Bleeding Radiators
- One Radiator Not Working When the Rest Are Hot
- Power Flush Cost After a Breakdown: When It Is Worth It
- Noisy Radiators: Ticking, Banging and Gurgling
- Radiator Not Heating Up: The Fix in Order
- Repair or Replace a Broken Boiler? The Honest Maths
- Thermostatic Radiator Valve Stuck: How to Free It
- Vaillant Boiler Not Turning On
- Vaillant Boiler Pressure: Too Low, Too High, and Topping Up
- How to Reset a Vaillant Boiler
- Worcester Boiler Flashing Blue Light: What It Means
- Worcester Boiler Not Firing Up
- Worcester Boiler Pressure Too Low: How to Top It Up
Hot water problems
Hot water overview- Baxi Boiler No Hot Water
- Boiler Not Heating Water: What to Check First
- Combi Boiler Hot Water Not Working
- Heating On but No Hot Water: Combi Boiler Causes
- Heat Interface Unit Not Working: No Heating or Hot Water in Your Flat
- Hot Water but No Central Heating
- Hot Water Only Lukewarm From a Combi
- Low Pressure on the Hot Tap Only
- Hot Water Runs Cold After a Minute
- Hot Water Smells of Rotten Eggs
- Hot Water Tank Dripping: Is It Failing?
- Hot Water Tank Replacement Cost
- How to Drain a Hot Water Tank
- How to Reset an Immersion Heater
- How to Test an Immersion Heater Element
- How to Turn Off the Hot Water Supply From a Cylinder
- Immersion On but Still No Hot Water
- Immersion Heater Replacement Cost
- How Much Does an Immersion Heater Cost to Run?
- Immersion Heater Stopped Working: Fuse, Stat or Element?
- No Hot Water Coming Out of the Taps
- No Hot Water to the Shower Only
- No Hot Water From a Worcester Boiler
- Temperature and Pressure Relief Valve Explained
- No Hot Water in a Rented Home: Your Rights and Timescales
- Water Running Into the Tundish: Emergency or Not?
- Vaillant Boiler: Heating Works, No Hot Water
- Water Heater Working but No Hot Water
- What Does an Immersion Heater Do?
- Why Have I Got No Hot Water? A Quick Diagnosis
Leaks & burst pipes
Leaks overview- Burst Pipe Repair Cost: What You Should Expect to Pay
- Burst Pipe: What to Do Right Now
- Burst Water Main in the Street: Who Fixes It?
- Ceiling Leaking Below the Bathroom
- Central Heating Pipe Leak Under the Floor
- Copper Water Pipe Leak Repair
- Dishwasher Leaking: Checking the Plumbing Side
- Emergency Leak Repair Cost
- How to Fix a Leaking Radiator Temporarily
- Frozen Pipes: How to Thaw Them Without Bursting Them
- Gutter Leaking at a Joint
- Signs of a Hidden Water Leak
- How to Stop Pipes Freezing This Winter
- How to Read a Water Meter to Check for a Leak
- Isolation Valve Leaking
- Leak From the Upstairs Flat: Who Is Liable?
- Leak Repair Before the Insurer Visits: Allowed?
- Leak Under the Bath: Finding the Source
- Leak Under the Bathroom Sink
- Leaking Pipe: Temporary Fixes That Actually Hold
- Leaking Pipework Joints: Compression, Solder or Push-Fit
- Leaking Radiator Fluid: Inhibitor, Sludge or Water?
- Leaking Shower Head: Why It Drips After Use
- Leaking Waste Pipe: Kitchen or Bathroom
- Outside Tap Leaking or Frozen
- Overflow Pipe Dripping Outside: Which Pipe Is It and Is It Urgent?
- Pipe Burst While You Were Away
- Pipe Leaking Under the Sink
- Radiator Leaking: What to Do Now
- How to Report a Water Leak in the Road
- Shower Leaking: Tray, Seal, Valve or Waste?
- Stop-Leak Products: When They Help and When They Hurt
- Thames Water Burst Pipe or Leak: Whose Side Is It On and Who Pays?
- Thames Water Leak Allowance: Getting a Leak Taken Off Your Bill
- Thames Water Leak Map: How to Read It
- Thames Water: How to Report a Leak (and What Happens Next)
- Underground Water Leak: What You Can Do Yourself
- Washing Machine Leaking Underneath: Plumbing or Machine?
- Banging Pipes When Taps Turn Off (Water Hammer)
- Water Leaking From an AC Unit Indoors
- Water Leak at the Meter
- Water Leak at Home: The First 10 Minutes
- Water Leak in a Flat: First Steps for Tenants and Owners
- Water Leak in My Area: How to Check and Report It
- Water Leak Inside a Wall: Signs and Next Steps
- Water Spots on the Ceiling but No Leak?
- Where Is the Water Meter Located?
Toilets, taps & fixtures
Toilets & taps overview- Basin Waste Leaking
- Bath Waste Leaking
- Blocked Kitchen Sink: Trap, Waste Pipe or the Shared Stack?
- How Much Water Does a Dripping Tap Waste?
- Electric Shower Stopped Working
- How to Flush a Toilet When There Is No Water
- How to Fix a Leaking Toilet: The Five Common Faults
- How to Repair a Leaking Toilet Cistern
- How to Stop a Tap Leaking Tonight
- Kitchen Mixer Tap Leaking at the Base
- Leaking Toilet Cistern: Where the Water Comes From
- Low Level Toilet Leaks and Flush Problems
- Mixer Tap Leaking: Cartridge or O-Ring?
- No Cold Water Coming Out of the Taps
- Outside Drain Blocked or Manhole Overflowing: What to Do First
- Sewage Smell in the Bathroom or House: Find the Source in 5 Checks
- Shower Drain Smells: Trap, Hair Build-Up or a Venting Fault?
- Blocked or Slow Shower Drain: Clear It Without Chemicals
- Shower: No Water Coming Out
- Low Shower Pressure: Causes and Fixes
- Broken Shower: Which Type, What Failed, and Can It Wait?
- Sink Overflow Leaking
- Sink Smells: Trap, Vent or Drain?
- Tap Leaking From the Handle
- Tap Won't Turn Off Fully
- Replacing Tap Washers: When It Is Still the Answer
- Toilet Blocked and Water Rising: What to Do Before You Plunge
- Toilet Leaking From the Base: Pan, Seal or Crack?
- Toilet Cistern Overflowing Into the Bowl or Outside
- Toilet Flush Button Not Working
- Toilet Inlet (Fill) Valve Leaking
- Toilet Keeps Running: Fix It in Order
- Toilet Leaking From the Back Pipe
- Toilet Leaking Into the Bowl Constantly
- Toilet Cistern Not Filling With Water
- Toilet Not Flushing Properly
- Toilet Overflow Pipe Leaking Outside
- Toilet Pan Connector Leaking
- Toilet Refill Valve Leaking
- Toilet Seal Leaking
Water supply problems
Water supply overview- Airlock in Water Pipes: How to Clear It
- Can’t Find the Stopcock Under the Sink
- What a Drain-Off Valve Is For
- Where Is the External Water Stopcock?
- Cold Water Header Tank Overflowing
- How to Fix a Leaky Stopcock
- How to Increase Water Pressure in a House
- How to Turn Off a Stopcock (Which Way to Turn)
- Lead Water Pipe Problems: Low Pressure, Leaks and the Thames Water Replacement Scheme
- Loft Tank Ballcock Stuck
- Low Pressure at the Kitchen Tap Only
- Low Water Pressure After a New Combi Boiler
- Low Water Pressure in My Area
- Who Owns the Water Pipe to Your House?
- No Water After Roadworks in the Street
- No Water in the House but Neighbours Have Water
- No Water in My Area: How to Check Fast
- Pressure Reducing Valve Problems
- Replacing a Stopcock: Job, Time and Cost
- Shared Water Supply With a Neighbour: Leaks, Disputes and Separating It
- Stopcock in a Flat: Shared Supplies and Risers
- Stopcock Won’t Turn: What to Do
- Thames Water Blocked Drain: Theirs or Yours?
- When to Call Thames Water vs a Plumber
- Thames Water No Water: What to Do
- Water Company Leak or Your Plumber’s Job?
- Water Meter Running With No Taps On
- Checking Mains Water Pressure With a Gauge
- Is a Water Pressure Pump Worth It?
- Where Is the Boiler Filling Loop / Refill Point?
- Water Back On but Cloudy or Discoloured
- What Does a Stopcock Look Like?
- Where Is My Stopcock? Every Place to Look
Emergency help & costs
Help & costs overview- Carbon Monoxide From a Boiler: Warning Signs
- How to Choose an Emergency Plumber (and Avoid Cowboys)
- Plumbing Emergency Over Christmas
- Plumbing Emergency at a Shop or Restaurant
- Is It an Emergency? When to Call Out vs Wait
- Emergency Plumber Night Rates and Weekend Prices: What Changes
- Emergency Plumber Scams and How to Spot Them
- Emergency Plumber vs Normal Plumber: Price and Speed
- Escape of Water Claims: A Plain Guide
- How to Check an Engineer on the Gas Safe Register
- Smell of Gas at Home: What to Do (Call 0800 111 999)
- Leaving Home for a Week? Plumbing Checklist
- Is Home Emergency Cover Worth It?
- How Fast Should an Emergency Plumber Arrive?
- How Long Does a Landlord Have to Fix a Boiler?
- How Plumbers Quote a Job (and What to Get in Writing)
- Landlord Responsibilities in a Plumbing Emergency
- Plumber Call-Out Charges Explained
- Plumber Cost per Hour in London
- 'Free Call-Out' Plumbers: What It Really Means
- Plumbing Emergency in a Block of Flats: Who to Call
- The 8-Item Plumbing Emergency Kit for Every Home
- Priority Plumbing Help for Vulnerable Households
- 7 Questions to Ask an Emergency Plumber on the Phone
- Tenant Rights When the Landlord Won’t Fix a Leak
- Turning Off Water, Electricity and Gas in an Emergency
- Water Damage After a Leak: Drying Out Floors and Ceilings
- Is Plumbing Covered by Home Insurance? The Damage Usually Is, the Pipe Often Isn’t
- What an Emergency Plumber Can Fix on the First Visit
- Winter Plumbing Checklist: Jobs to Do Before the First Frost