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Plumbing Repair & Maintenance specialists - what you need to know

It’s enough to send shivers down your spine – water pouring through your ceiling or leaks spilling out over your floor. When a plumbing disaster strikes, it pays to know what to do (and who to call).

Plumbing repairs cover a wide range of services, depending on the conundrum in question. You might simply be stuck with a blocked toilet, or you could be facing more of an urgent issue – with burst or leaking pipes. Or your shower might be on the blink.

Unless you’re confident that you know what you’re doing, it’s often advisable to call up a professional plumber to come to your assistance. They’ll have the specialist knowledge to fix showers, baths, taps, toilets, pipes, and drains.

Cost of plumbing repair

Plumbers might price jobs by the hour (or day), or stick to fixed costs for specific tasks. If you’re paying an hourly rate, your plumbing pro will usually charge you between £40–£70 per hour.

If you’re being charged per job, here the typical prices you can expect to pay:

• Unblocking an outside drain: £90–125
• Fix a blocked toilet: £70–£160
• Fix a dripping tap: £70–£120
• Fix a leaking or broken radiator: £70–£160

How to unblock sinks and toilets

Blocked toilets and sinks are an inconvenience at best, and can be a real problem at worst. The good news is that they can be solved – either by you, or (should your attempts fail) an experienced plumber.

Sinks can block for a number of reasons. Your kitchen sink will get clogged up by cooking grease, food and oil, while in your bathroom limescale, dirt and hair can all block waste pipes. And as for toilets, aside from paper, the main clogging culprit is usually cleaning wipes or baby wipes being flushed down the toilet.

Thankfully, there are a few simple solutions that you can try to unblock your sink or your toilet with:

• Using detergent or unblocking solutions. Pour hot water and some detergent down the drain or toilet first, which will soften up (and may even partially remove) the clog. If the blockage persists, try using a specialist chemical unblocking product.
• Using a plunger. For sink blockages, fill your basin to around half-capacity with hot water. Then work the plunger up and down, ensuring you maintain an airtight seal on the drain or toilet bowl. Try plunging for a few minutes and see if the blockage has shifted.
• Using a wire hanger. For sinks, you can also try to straighten out a wire coat hanger to form a hook. Attempt to carefully lift out any clogged-up dirt or grime.

If the steps above don’t work, call up a plumbing professional. They may recommend removing the U-bend – which is often where any blockages will form.

Leaking pipes – when to call a plumber

Pipes can begin to leak for a number of reasons – beyond the obvious DIY drill disasters. The most common causes of burst or leaking pipes are blockages elsewhere causing water pressure to increase, or frozen pipes – with expanding water creating cracks.

Leaks aren’t always easy to see, but there are hidden signs that you could be losing water. Check for the following:

• If the flow or water pressure from your taps seems low, you may have a leak. 
• Keep an eye on your meter readings. If your water usage seems to be increasing, or your meter is recording use when you’re not home, this could be a leak.
• Look for puddles or waterlogged grass in your garden – which could also point to a leak.

If you do find a leak or burst pipe, turn your water off by locating your stopcock, and call an emergency plumber.

The qualifications your plumbing repair expert needs

Your plumber will only require Gas Safe registration if they’re working on your gas system. For most leaks and repairs, this won’t be necessary – but you never know what steps may need to be taken to fix a problem. So, while it’s not vital, it’s a good idea to look for Gas Safe registered plumbers.

In addition to that accreditation, it’s beneficial for plumbing repair professionals to hold vocational qualifications such as diplomas, City & Guilds, or apprenticeships. But more important than those certifications – and something it’s crucial to ask for – is experience, and proof that they’ve delivered a top-notch service for many customers in the past.

Insurance for plumbing repair

Leaks can cause serious damage. And while your plumbing pro is there to resolve the issue, things can get worse before they get better. Make sure they hold public liability cover – protecting your property and possessions from any damage caused during the repair process.

Questions you should ask your plumbing repair expert

• Do they charge by the hour, or by the job?
• Do they have a minimum call-out fee?
• Are they able to replace any defective parts?