You Don’t Need A Plumber.

Let’s face it, plumbers in Bath are sometimes hard to find and dare we say it some can be unnecessarily expensive, that’s if they answer their phones at all.

Believe it or not there are some jobs we get called to which could easily be fixed by the homeowner.  With a little knowledge and some simple tools you can save yourself time and money tackling those annoying jobs without paying a plumber to do it for you. 

Here we look at some of those common plumbing fixes which you do yourself at home.

Blocked sink

A very common problem as the sink can get clogged up with food and debris which causes the water to back up.  First plunge the opening a few times with a normal plunger that you can buy at any hardware or DIY store, keep plunging until the water starts to flow away.  Once you can see the plug hole use your finger to dislodge any larger items of food.  Next, remove the sink trap and again using your finger or a pipe cleaner poke around the hole taking out any debris remaining.  Rice and animal fat are the two biggest causes of sink blockages.  Make sure that you recycle your food or put it into the household waste to avoid this happening in the future, better still get your plumber to install a waste disposal unit which grinds up food into tiny particles which then get washed away. 

Running Toilet

A running toilet is usually caused by a faulty stop valve or floater switch. This is also called the floater valve or float cup. This large bulb stops the flow of water to enter into the cistern once the tank is full, you can often find that by moving the handle up and down this can temporarily stop the problem of running but for a more permanent fix you will need to replace the unit completely.  There are plenty of vidoes on You Tube which can show you how to do this, also don’t be afraid to get some advice from the assistant at the local hardware store.  Most fixing kits have excellent step by step instructions which come with them.

Upgrading/Replacing Showerheads

Lime scale can block a showerhead easily and if you live in a hard water area you will have already experienced having to change the showerhead.  Buy a replacement online or at your local DIY store and simple screw the new one onto your existing hose (but change that too if you suspect it’s also clogged with lime scale)  Whilst you are changing the showerhead look to buy a low flow version as these can use 20-30% less water, good news if your property is fitted with a water meter.  A more permanent solution to lime scale problems is to ask your plumber to fit a water softener to eliminate the buildup of lime scale on your appliances.

Dripping tap

A dripping tap is one of those plumbing problems that we have all experienced and almost always ignore, then the problem gets worse and you find yourself listening to the drip, drip, drip all night long.  To change a washer is more simple in older taps.  You first need to isolate the water and remove the top of the tap.    This is an excellent video which shows you how to do this effortlessly.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMaFmHBrpy4

Don’t touch it!  

So as you grow more confident with your new found plumbing skills there are some things that you should never attempt to fix.  Never go near anything to do with your boiler or gas appliance.  This should be handled by a fully registered Gas Safe engineer only.  Gas Engineers have spent many years studying and working towards their qualification with good reason.  Gas is dangerous in the wrong hands.   So if your neighbour’s brother’s son offers to ‘take a look’ for you then our advice to you would be to politely refuse and call in the experts!

So to save time and money and gain that warm glow that comes with a sense of achievement, then why not have a go at these simple DIY fixes.  As you have seen it’s is not as difficult as you might think and there are plenty of advice videos on You Tube to help.

Ace Energy, Plumbing and Heating in Bath are more than happy to advise you on any of the above DIY jobs, our office is open from 7am until 7pm,  7 days a week.  Call us now on 01225 729005

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