DIY Kings and Queens … Be your own knights in shining armour.
It’s annoying isn’t it; waiting around for a plumber to fix those little bitty jobs that you’re sure you can fix yourself! Well we’ve put together a handy guide to lead you through the most common complaints that could be solved in house.
Disaster number 1 – A Running Toilet
Running toilet water, irritating to the most tolerant of us but it’s not something you have to live with. Fixing this problem is normally quick, easy and it doesn’t require an engineer.
The first thing you should check is whether the flusher is stuck down. I know that seems like a really obvious thing to check but our engineers say that 9 times out of 10 this is the source of the trickling. If that doesn’t work then you may need to check a couple of other things…
- The overflow tube should place so that it lies marginally above the water line.
- The flapper chain needs to be tangle free and lined correctly (misalignment means that it won’t close correctly and water will continue to run into the toilet and the cistern will be continuously refilling).
Disaster number 2 – A Blocked toilet
A plunger is usually your best friend when comes to blockages in the toilet however sometimes a plunger just isn’t enough. When that point comes chemical drain cleaners are widely available and reliable.
Occasionally an obstruction can be more persistent … that’s when alternatively solutions need investigating!
- A mixture of baking soda and vinegar make a strong cocktail that will clear the most stubborn blockages.
On the other hand, you could try the Plumber’s snake trick
- Uncoil a metal hanger.
- Insert it into the toilet drain and move it around until the blockage moves
Disaster number 3 – Blocked Sinks
Blocked sinks can be tackled in the same manner as a blocked toilet. Our engineers would advise that you always start with a plunger before adding more aggressive methods such as chemical drain cleaners as they do cause some damage to the environment.
Disaster number 4 – Leaking Pipes
A leak can come from any number of places; the dishwasher, hot water systems , damaged pipes but they can all cause damage to your home if left unresolved.
- Remain calm
- Turn off the valve connected to the pipe that is leaking.
- If the problem cannot be fixed straight away a temporary fix may be needed. Our engineers suggest using a rubber cover or a clamp. A temporary solution will need replacing quickly to prevent further damage.
When replacing damaged pipes it is vital that you have the correct measurements of the pipes you require and that you have cut out the damaged section of existing pipework.
Good luck DIY Kings and Queens.