Independent UK home plumbing help
Plain answers for the water in your home.
Leatmere explains how UK household plumbing works, what you can sensibly check yourself, and where the job belongs to a plumber, an electrician or a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Independent
Written by the Leatmere team. We are not a plumbing firm and we do not sell call-outs or quotes.
Sourced
Rules point to the official source. Product figures come from the maker or retailer page, with the date we checked.
Honest about limits
We have not tested the products we mention. Gas work is never DIY. Some electrical and water work needs a qualified person.
Directory
Home plumbing guides
Water supply
- Find your stopcock, isolate a leak, and track one downWhere UK stopcocks usually are, which way to turn them, what to do if one is seized, how isolating valves work, and simple ways to find a hidden leak.
- Low water pressure at home: common UK causes and what to checkHow to tell a gravity-fed system from a mains-pressure one, and the usual reasons UK homes get weak taps and showers, from a half-shut stopcock to limescale and peak-time demand.
- Frozen or burst pipes: what to do firstHow to tell if a pipe in a UK home has frozen, how to thaw it gently and safely, what to do straight away if it bursts, and when to call a plumber or an electrician.
- Stopcocks and water meters: who owns what, and using a meter to find a leakHow the internal stopcock, the external stop tap and a water meter fit together on a typical supply in England and Wales, who is responsible for each, and how to use a meter reading to check for a leak.
- Water softeners: what they do and what installing one involvesHard water in UK homes, what a domestic ion-exchange water softener does, salt and the bypass, why you should keep an unsoftened drinking tap, and the water regulations that cover installing one on the rising main.
- Limescale on taps, shower heads and kettles: causes and cleaningWhy limescale builds up in UK homes, how to clean a shower head or tap aerator, what scale does to heating elements, and the limits of in-line scale conditioners.
- Overflow pipes: why one is dripping and what it is telling youThe warning overflows from a loft cistern and a WC cistern, the bath overflow, what a dripping overflow usually means, how it links to the fill valve or ballvalve, and why it matters more in frost.
- Pressure reducing valves: what a PRV does on a home water supplyWhat a pressure reducing valve does on a UK water supply, why some homes have one (high mains pressure, unvented cylinders and some appliances), signs one may be faulty, and why setting or replacing it is usually a plumber's job.
- Checking your water pressure with a gauge: what the number tells youHow a householder can get a rough reading of mains water pressure with a simple gauge on an outside tap or washing machine valve, the difference between static and running pressure, what a reading does and does not tell you, and when it is the water company's problem.
- Lead water pipes: how to tell, whose pipe it is and what replacement involvesHow to spot a lead water supply pipe in an older UK home, the difference between the water company's communication pipe and your own supply pipe, what the Drinking Water Inspectorate advises, and why replacing lead is a job for a qualified plumber.
- Water quality and hard water areas: what your supplier can tell youWhat hard water means in UK supply terms, how to find out the hardness where you live, and what to ask your water company about taste, smell, colour or discoloured water, with the routes to CCW and the Drinking Water Inspectorate.
- Airlocks in hot and cold water pipes: symptoms, checks and when to call a plumberWhy taps splutter or run dry after a drain-down or when a cold water tank ran empty, the careful checks a householder can make on a tank-fed system, why mains-to-hot hose tricks are a bad idea, and when a plumber should clear it.
- Loft cold water tanks: lid, insulation, ballvalve and overflowWhat the cold water storage cistern in a UK loft does on a traditional gravity-fed system, what the water fittings regulations say it must have, how the ballvalve and overflow work, and why a tank running dry causes airlocks.
- Water softener types compared: salt, electrolytic and electronicHow a salt softener, tablet salt, an in-line electrolytic scale inhibitor and an electronic pipe conditioner differ, and why only the salt softener is the product DWI describes as softening water.
- Smart leak detectors and automatic shut-off valvesWhat a UK water-leak sensor does, where Wickes says to put one, how that differs from a valve that shuts the supply, and the limits of both.
- Check valves and backflow in a UK homeWhat backflow and back-siphonage are, where single and double check valves fit in a UK house, and why hoses, outside taps and appliances need backflow protection under the water fittings rules.
- Mains booster pumps for low water pressureWhat a whole-house mains booster pump is, how it differs from a shower pump, tank-fed versus direct boosting, noise and space, and why the water company and the Water Fittings Regulations come into it.
- Shared water supplies in flats and converted housesCommunal rising mains, stopcocks on landings and in shared cupboards, and how to work out whose pipe is whose in a block of flats or a converted house, in general terms.
Showers
- Shower pump sizing: positive or negative head, single or twinHow to tell whether a gravity-fed shower needs a positive head or a negative head pump, single or twin ended, and why combis and unvented cylinders are usually the wrong system for one.
- Electric showers vs mixer showers: which suits your homeHow an electric shower differs from a mixer shower in a UK home, which suits gravity-fed, combi and unvented systems, the limits of each, and why an electric shower is a job for a qualified electrician.
- Why is my shower pump noisy? Humming, vibration and cyclingThe usual reasons a gravity-fed shower pump hums, rattles, vibrates or keeps starting on its own, what a householder can reasonably check, and when to call a plumber or an electrician.
- Shower pumps compared: positive head, negative head and a single outletHow to choose between the positive head, negative head and single-outlet pumps Wickes lists, using the head type and figures on each listing, and why a combi or unvented cylinder is usually a different problem.
- Shower valve cartridges: leaks, wandering temperature, and matching the partA UK mixer or thermostatic shower valve that drips or will not hold its temperature: isolate it first, match the make and model, and why a cartridge is not a universal part.
- Shower heads and hoses: descaling and replacing themHow to descale or replace a UK shower head and hose, what a standard screw fitting means in practice, and the limits on electric showers and gravity-fed systems.
- Bar vs concealed shower valvesExposed bar mixer valves and concealed shower valves compared: how they look, how you reach the cartridge later, what must be decided at first fix, and what low-pressure systems need.
- Digital and smart showers explainedHow a digital or smart mixer shower differs from an ordinary thermostatic or bar mixer: the hidden processor or pump unit, the wired or wireless controller, the electrical supply, and what to check before buying.
- Bath shower mixers and diverters: how they work and common faultsHow a bath shower mixer uses a diverter to send water to the spout or a handheld shower, the common drip and diverter faults, and isolating the water before a like-for-like swap.
Hot water
- Combi, system and regular boilers: how your hot water worksA plain explainer of the three common UK home setups (combi, system boiler with a cylinder, and regular boiler with tanks), what each means for hot water and showers, and when a shower pump is even relevant.
- Unvented hot water cylinders: what they are and why they are not DIYWhat an unvented (mains pressure) hot water cylinder is, how it differs from a vented copper cylinder with a loft tank, why work on one is specialised, and what a householder can safely notice and do.
- Hot water cylinders and immersion heaters explainedHow a vented hot water cylinder works, what an immersion heater does as a backup or main heat source, single and dual immersions in plain terms, and what you can safely check when the hot water stops.
- Point-of-use electric water heatersSmall undersink and oversink electric water heaters explained: how they differ from a boiling-water tap or a cylinder immersion, vented and unvented types, where they make sense, and why the electrics need a qualified electrician.
- Secondary hot water returns: why some taps run hot straight awayWhat a secondary hot water return or recirculation loop is, why some homes have a pumped return so a distant tap runs hot sooner, the trade-offs, and why adding one is a planned plumbing job.
Toilets
- Why your toilet keeps running, and how to stop itUK cisterns use a siphon or a drop valve to flush and a fill valve to refill. Here is how to find which part is letting water run, from a high float to a worn seal.
- Toilet fill valves and flush valves: which part do you need?Side entry or bottom entry fill valve, siphon or drop valve flush: how to tell what is in your UK cistern, what to measure before buying, and when a seal or diaphragm is enough.
- WC pan connectors: the fitting between your toilet and the soil pipeThe pan connector joins a UK toilet to the soil pipe. Straight, angled and flexible types, why most are sized for a 110mm soil pipe, how to tell a connector leak from a cistern leak, and when to call a plumber.
- Macerator toilets and pumped waste units: how they work and how to look after oneWhat a macerator or small-bore pumped waste unit is, where it is used in UK homes, how to look after one in general terms, and when a blockage, a smell or constant running means calling a plumber instead of adding more chemicals.
- Bidets and shower toilets in UK homes: water supply, backflow and electricsA guide to traditional bidets, bidet sprays and wash-and-dry shower toilets in UK homes, covering the water connection, isolation, why they are treated as a high backflow risk, notifying the water company, and why electric shower toilets need a qualified electrician.
- Wall-hung toilets and concealed cistern frames explainedHow wall-hung toilets and concealed cistern frames work in UK bathrooms, how they differ from close-coupled toilets, why the access panel or flush plate matters for repairs, and why fitting the frame is usually a first-fix job for a plumber.
- Close-coupled, low-level, high-level and back-to-wall toilets comparedHow the main UK toilet styles differ (close-coupled, low-level, high-level, back-to-wall and wall-hung), how the cistern connects to the pan in each, and what that means for finding parts, fixing leaks and replacing a toilet.
- Toilet seat types and how they fit the panTop-fix and bottom-fix UK toilet seats, soft-close and quick release, and how to measure a pan against the hinge spacing on the listing.
Taps
- How to fix a dripping tap: washers, ceramic discs and cartridgesWhy UK taps drip, how to tell a rubber washer tap from a ceramic disc or cartridge tap, how to isolate it first, the common 1/2in and 3/4in sizes, and when a drip is urgent.
- Mixer taps, pillar taps and bath taps: what fits your basin or bathMonobloc, 2-hole and 3-hole taps, deck and wall mounted, low and high pressure: how to choose a basin, bath or kitchen tap that actually fits your UK plumbing, and what to check before you swap one.
- Thermostatic mixing valves (TMVs): what they do and who sets them upA TMV blends hot and cold water to limit the temperature at a bath, basin or shower. Where they are used in UK homes and care settings, what the Building Regulations say about bath temperatures, and why setting one up is a specialist job.
Drains
- How to unblock a kitchen sink or basinClearing a slow or blocked UK kitchen sink or bathroom basin: plunging properly, taking off and cleaning the trap, why not to mix drain cleaners, and when the blockage is further down and needs a plumber.
- How to unblock a toilet, and when the problem is further downClearing a blocked UK toilet with a plunger, why not to keep flushing, how to tell a blocked pan from a blocked soil stack or drain, and when to stop and call a plumber or your water company.
- How to clear a slow or blocked shower drainClearing hair and soap scum from a UK shower tray or wet room waste, how removable shower traps differ from fixed ones, how to tell a blocked waste from a blocked pipe, and when a tiled or tanked floor means calling someone.
- Outside drains: gullies, rodding eyes, manholes and who owns whatThe drain fittings around a UK house: yard gullies, hoppers, rodding eyes and manholes. What a householder can clear at a gully, when to stop, and the difference between your drain and the public sewer.
- Drain smells from plugholes, showers and gulliesWhy a UK plughole, shower or outside gully smells: a dry or siphoned trap, biofilm, a blocked vent, and when the job belongs to a drainage firm or the water company.
- Soil stacks, roof vents and air admittance valvesHow a UK soil and vent stack works, what an air admittance valve does, how a blocked vent or stuck valve can empty traps, and when a plumber should take over.
- Inspection chambers and manholes in a UK garden or driveHow to tell a private inspection chamber from a water-company manhole, when it is reasonable to lift a light private cover, and when to stop and call a drainage firm or the sewerage company.
- Septic tanks, treatment plants and cesspoolsHow a septic tank, small sewage treatment plant or cesspool differs from a mains sewer, who is responsible for one, emptying, what not to flush, and where to read the discharge rules.
- CCTV drain surveys and high-pressure jettingWhen repeated blockages lead to a CCTV drain survey or high-pressure jetting, what a survey report tells you, what to ask a drainage firm, and why chambers and jetting are left to professionals.
- Soakaways and land drains: where garden rainwater goesGarden soakaways and land drains for rainwater, how they differ from a foul sewer, a septic tank or a water butt, the signs one is failing, and why the council or a drainage designer should be asked before you build one.
Bathrooms
- Refitting a bathroom: the sensible order of workThe usual order for a UK bathroom refit, from planning and strip-out to first-fix pipework, wet-area preparation, sanitaryware, tiling, second fix and sealing, plus who normally does each stage and where building regulations come in.
- Shower trays and wastes: acrylic, stone resin and tiled floorsHow UK shower trays differ (acrylic, stone resin, tiled and wet room floors), what sits under the waste, why falls and access matter, how this differs from a blocked drain, and when a leak under a tray needs a plumber.
- Bathroom silicone sealant: when to redo it and what it cannot fixSanitary silicone around UK baths, shower trays and basins. When to replace it, removing old sealant and mould, preparing the joint, choosing a sanitary sealant, and why silicone does not fix a leak behind the wall or under a tray.
- Bath panels and bath traps: getting at the waste under a UK bathHow bath panels come off, what the waste, overflow and trap under a UK bath look like, what a householder can reasonably check for leaks, slow draining and smells, and when to call a plumber.
- Wet rooms and tanking: how a level shower floor stays watertightWhat a wet room is, how tanking differs from a shower tray, why the floor needs falls to the drain, what the drain and trap involve, who usually does each part, and why a waterproofing failure in a wet room is slow, hidden and messy.
- Basin wastes and bottle traps: slotted, unslotted and matching the partsHow to choose and match a bathroom basin waste and trap in a UK home, covering slotted and unslotted wastes, built-in overflows, click-clack and pop-up plugs, bottle traps and P-traps, and the 32mm basin waste size.
Kitchens
- Replacing a kitchen sink: inset, Belfast and what has to matchWhat is involved in fitting or replacing a UK kitchen sink: inset versus Belfast and butler sinks, bowl choices, wastes and overflows, taps and isolating valves, appliance connections, and why the worktop cut-out and pipe positions limit a straight swap.
- Food waste disposal units under a kitchen sinkHow a food waste disposer fits under a UK kitchen sink, the plumbing side, why the electrical connection is a job for a qualified electrician, what not to put down one, and how to check whether one suits your drains, septic tank or home.
- Boiling water taps: the tank under the sink, electrics and limescaleHow boiling and hot water kitchen taps work in UK homes, what goes in the cupboard under the sink, why the electrical supply is work for a qualified electrician, what Water Regs UK's guidance says about these taps, and how hard water and filters affect them.
- Kitchen tap types comparedMonobloc, dual-lever, bridge and pull-out kitchen taps compared by hole count and the pressure figures Wickes publishes, including the listings where those figures disagree.
- Jug, tap and under-sink water filtersHow a UK jug filter, a filter tap and an under-sink unit differ, what the Drinking Water Inspectorate says they are for, and how WRAS approval fits in without a certificate number.
Appliances
- Washing machine plumbing: valves, hoses, drains and leaksHow a UK washing machine is plumbed in: the hot and cold appliance valves, fill hoses, draining to a standpipe or sink trap, the usual leak points, and what to do if a hose splits.
- Dishwasher plumbing: supply, waste and the usual leaksHow a dishwasher is connected under a UK kitchen sink: the appliance valve, the fill hose, the drain loop into the sink trap or a waste spigot, and where leaks usually start.
Fittings
- Isolation valves: turning off the water to one tap, toilet or applianceHow the small quarter-turn service valves on UK supply pipes work, which way is open and closed, what to do if one is seized or painted over, and when to use the stopcock instead.
- PTFE tape on water fittings: when to use it and how to wrap itWhere white PTFE tape helps on UK water threads, which way to wrap it, roughly how much to use, and the joints where it does more harm than good, such as compression olives and washer-sealed connectors.
- Push-fit vs compression vs soldered joints on UK water pipesThe three common ways to join 15mm and 22mm copper and plastic water pipe in UK homes, when each one makes sense, pipe inserts, which joints come apart again, and why lead-free solder matters on drinking water.
- Pipe lagging: insulating pipes and loft tanks against frost and heat lossWhich pipes in a UK home are worth lagging, how foam and foil pipe insulation go on, what to do about a cold water cistern in the loft, and when pipes are too hard to reach for a DIY job.
- Noisy pipes and water hammer: banging, knocking and what to checkWhy pipes bang or knock when a tap or washing machine valve shuts, how loose clips and high pressure make it worse, the checks a householder can make, and when to call a plumber.
- Copper, plastic and MDPE: the water pipe types in UK homesA guide to the water pipe materials you are likely to find in a UK home (copper, polybutylene, PEX and barrier pipe, and blue MDPE for the incoming supply), the common 15mm and 22mm sizes, how to tell them apart, and when each is or is not a good fit.
- Push-fit and compression fitting packs comparedWhat is actually in the 15mm push-fit and compression packs Wickes sells, how those packs differ, and why they are packs of one fitting rather than a mixed kit.
- Temporary pipe repair clamps, wraps and tapeWhat an emergency pipe repair clamp, wrap or tape can do after a leak or burst in a UK home, why it is a temporary stop and not a joint, and when to call a plumber.
- Flexible tap connectors and copper tailsBraided flexi hoses and copper tails under taps, toilets and appliances: why they are used, why an old hose can leak, and how a like-for-like swap is done with the water isolated first.
- Pipe runs through floors and notching joistsHow first-fix pipes are routed through floors and timber joists, why support and protection matter, and why notching or drilling joists is controlled by the Building Regulations rather than guesswork.
- Plumbing manifolds for hot and cold water: how they work and when they suitPlastic-pipe plumbing manifolds fitted at first fix: a central set of ports feeding each room or outlet, isolation at the manifold, labelling, and why the water goes off before a port is opened.
- Gate valves vs lever valves: old wheel-head valves on hot and cold pipesAn old wheel-head gate valve compared with a quarter-turn lever valve on a hot or cold pipe run, why gate valves seize or let by, and why you isolate elsewhere before replacing one.
Tools
- A sensible plumbing tool kit for a UK homeThe handful of tools that cover the everyday water jobs on this site: spanners, grips, a basin wrench, a pipe cutter, PTFE tape, a radiator key, and the bucket and towels that matter most.
- Plumbing tool kits by budget: small sets and what a fuller box still needsThe plumbing sets Wickes lists, compared by what is in the box rather than by price, and why a fuller home kit is still separate tools.
Outdoors
- Frost-free outdoor taps: what they are and how to protect a garden tapThe difference between a true frost-free tap and an ordinary garden tap with lagging, a cover and an indoor isolating valve, plus the backflow rules for hose union taps in England and Wales.
- Water butts and garden watering: butts, hoses, simple irrigation and backflowHow a water butt and rain diverter work, simple ways to water a garden from an outside tap, and why hoses and irrigation systems on the mains need backflow protection under the water fittings rules.
- Rainwater harvesting at home: what a system can and cannot supplyWhat a domestic rainwater harvesting system is, what rainwater is typically used for in a house, why it must never connect directly to the mains, and why the mains top-up and backflow arrangement is a job for a qualified installer.
- Outdoor showers in the UK: supply, drainage, backflow and frostWhat to think about before fitting a garden or pool-side shower in the UK, covering the cold supply from an outside tap, where the water drains, backflow protection, winter draining, and why heated or electric outdoor showers are not a DIY job.
- Outdoor tap kits comparedHow the self-cutting garden tap kit, a wall-plate elbow plus bibcock, and a tap with a built-in check valve differ, and why the backflow rules are not settled by a product listing.
Heating
- Bleeding and balancing radiatorsHow to bleed a radiator with a key, what to watch on a sealed system's pressure gauge, how lockshield balancing evens out the heat, and when cold spots mean sludge rather than air.
- Radiator valves explained: lockshields, wheel heads and TRVsThe two valves on a UK radiator, what a thermostatic radiator valve (TRV) actually does, why a radiator stays cold or will not turn off, and how a TRV head or valve is replaced, with clear points to stop and call a plumber.
- Heated towel rails: central heating, electric and dual fuelThe difference between central heating towel rails, electric-only rails and dual fuel rails, why a towel rail is cold in summer, what connecting one to the heating involves, and why electric elements are a job for an electrician.
- Heating sludge and inhibitor: what is in your radiators and why it mattersWhat black magnetite sludge does to radiators, pumps and circulation, what a central heating inhibitor is for, why a flush or powerflush is a plumber's job, and the limits on topping up inhibitor yourself.
- Magnetic heating filters: what they catch and who fits themWhat a magnetic (and often combined magnetic and particle) in-line filter does on a UK central heating system, why many modern systems have one, how cleaning fits into a service, and why fitting one near the boiler is a plumber's job.
- Expansion vessels: what they do on sealed heating and unvented hot waterA plain-English explainer of the expansion vessel on a sealed central heating system or an unvented hot water cylinder, the signs one may have lost its charge, and why the work belongs with a Gas Safe registered engineer or a qualified plumber.
- Frozen boiler condensate pipe: why it happens and what you can safely doWhy the plastic condensate pipe from a condensing boiler can freeze in cold weather, the limited things a householder can safely do on the outside pipe, and when to stop and call a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- Replacing a radiator on an existing UK heating circuitHow a like-for-like radiator swap works on an existing wet central heating system, from closing the valves and draining one radiator to hanging the new one, plus the signs that the job is no longer like-for-like and needs a plumber.
- Radiator sizing: BTU, watts and how much heat a room needsHow UK radiator output is described in BTU and watts, what Delta T means on a product page, and how room size, insulation and heat loss affect the radiator you need. Online calculators are a rough check, not a heat-loss calculation.
- Underfloor heating basics: water systems, electric mats and manifoldsA plain-English explainer of water (wet) underfloor heating and electric underfloor heating in UK homes, what a manifold does, and why design, electrical work and commissioning belong with qualified people.
- Boiler pressure: reading the gauge and using an existing filling loopA householder-level guide to the pressure gauge on a sealed central heating system, what boiler makers say a normal cold reading is, how an existing filling loop is used in general terms, and when to stop and call a Gas Safe registered engineer or a heating plumber.
- Feed and expansion tanks: the small heating tank in the loftWhat the small feed and expansion cistern in a UK loft does on an open-vented heating system with a regular boiler, how it differs from the cold water storage tank, why it has an overflow, and why a tank that is empty, overflowing or discoloured is a warning sign for a heating engineer.
- Central heating circulator pumps: what they do and signs of failureWhat the circulator pump on a UK central heating system does, where it usually is, the common signs of a failing pump, what a homeowner can safely check, and why replacing one is a job for a plumber or, on or near a gas boiler, a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- Thermostatic radiator valve options comparedAngled, straight and corner TRVs compared using the Wickes listings: pipe direction, whether a lockshield is in the box, temperature ranges where they are published, and the lines that disagree.
- Towel rail types and sizing comparedStraight ladder, curved and electric-only towel rails compared using the outputs Wickes publishes, and why those watt and BTU figures are not one test and not a room heat-loss calculation.
- Zone valves, S-plan and Y-plan heating explainedWhat 2-port and 3-port motorised zone valves do on a UK regular or system boiler setup, what S-plan and Y-plan mean, and the signs that a valve has stuck. Explainer only; repairs are for a plumber or Gas Safe engineer.
- Powerflushing a central heating systemWhat a powerflush or system cleanse is, the cold-radiator and sludge symptoms that lead people to one, what a heating engineer should check first, and why it is a contractor's job rather than a weekend project.
- Automatic bypass valves on central heating: what they do and whyWhat an automatic bypass valve on a wet central heating system is for, why one is often fitted when most radiators have TRVs, the signs it may be set wrongly, and why adjusting or replacing one is a heating engineer's job.
Household
- How to hire a plumber in the UK: quotes, checks and the right tradeHow to find and hire a plumber without guesswork: written quotes, what a "from" price leaves out, insurance, WaterSafe and competent person schemes, and when the job needs a Gas Safe engineer or an electrician instead.
- Water leaks and home insurance: what to do before and after you claimPractical steps after a water leak at home: stop the water, record the damage, tell your insurer promptly and keep invoices. Plus the difference between a sudden escape of water and gradual damage, as insurers and the Financial Ombudsman describe it.
- Water coming through a ceiling: what to do firstWater through a UK ceiling: keep clear of wet electrics, turn the stopcock off, narrow down where it is coming from, and when to call a plumber, an electrician or the insurer.
- Tenant and landlord plumbing repairs: who does whatWho usually deals with plumbing in a UK rental, how to report it, and what counts as an emergency. Not legal advice, and no invented repair deadline.
- First fix and second fix plumbing explainedWhat first-fix and second-fix plumbing mean on a UK bathroom or kitchen job, how they fit the order of a refit, and what to agree with the plumber before the walls are closed.
- Legionella and little-used taps, showers and outdoor outletsWhy water left standing in little-used taps, showers and outdoor outlets is a hygiene concern in homes, rentals and holiday lets, what HSE says in general terms, and where to get proper advice.
Safety
- When to call a Gas Safe registered engineerThe signs that mean stop and call: a smell of gas, soot, yellow or orange flames, fumes, a boiler that will not light. What to do in a gas emergency, and how to check an engineer is registered.
- WRAS and the water fittings regulations: what they mean at homeThe Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations in England and Wales, what WRAS or equivalent approval of a fitting means, why the water company has a view, and why none of it replaces a plumber's advice.
Leatmere now covers 111 guides, from stopcocks, water meters, overflows and toilets to taps, outside drains, showers, hot water cylinders, water softeners, appliance plumbing, heating water and towel rails, bathroom refits, shower trays, silicone and bath traps, kitchen sinks and waste disposers, water pressure and pressure reducing valves, water quality and lead pipes, noisy pipes and airlocks, expansion vessels and frozen condensate pipes, water butts and rainwater harvesting, plus hiring a plumber and dealing with leak damage, and buying comparisons for shower pumps, fitting packs, outdoor tap kits, softener types, radiator valves, towel rails, kitchen taps and tool sets, plus drain smells, ceiling leaks, shower valves, leak sensors, drinking-water filters, rental repairs, toilet seats and shower heads, and will grow into more home plumbing topics over time.