Plumbing & electrical help guides
Practical advice from our engineers for when something goes wrong at home: what to check, what to do right now, and when to call.
Most emergencies start small. A drip, a smell, a light that flickers. These guides are written by our London engineers to help you work out what's wrong, make it safe and fix the simple things yourself. Each one tells you clearly when it's time to call a professional.
Not sure where to start? If water is leaking, find your stopcock first. If anything electrical smells of burning, switch off at the fuse box and call us.
Plumbing and heating guides
Find and turn off your stopcockWhat a stopcock looks like, where to find it in a house or flat, and what to do if it's stuck.No hot water checksSimple checks for combi boilers and hot water cylinders that often find the problem in minutes.How to unblock a toiletStep-by-step ways to clear a blocked toilet, with or without a plunger, and when to stop and call a plumber.How to bleed a radiatorRadiator cold at the top? Let the air out in about ten minutes with a radiator key. Here's how.How to repressurise a boilerWhat your boiler pressure should be, how to top it up using the filling loop, and why it keeps dropping.How to fix a dripping tapWhy taps drip, how to replace the washer or cartridge, and when it's time to call a plumber.Toilet keeps runningWhy your toilet or cistern keeps filling, and simple fixes for the fill valve and flush valve.Frozen pipesHow to tell if a pipe is frozen, how to thaw it safely, what to do about a frozen condensate pipe, and how to stop it happening.Leaking toiletWater round the bottom of the toilet? How to stop it, find where it's coming from, and when a leak at the base needs a plumber.Smelly drainsWhy sinks, showers and drains smell even when they aren't blocked, and simple ways to get rid of the smell for good.Overflow pipe drippingHow to tell which pipe is dripping, from a toilet, a loft tank or the boiler, and how to stop it.Radiator not heating upWhy one radiator stays cold, or is cold at the bottom or top, and the simple checks that usually fix it.Boiler pressure keeps droppingWhy your boiler pressure keeps falling, how to find the leak, and when you need a plumber or a Gas Safe engineer.Banging pipes (water hammer)Why your pipes bang when a tap turns off or the washing machine fills, and how to stop it.Washing machine leakingHow to stop the water, work out where the leak is coming from, and fix the hoses, waste pipe or filter.Blocked sink or shower drainStep-by-step ways to clear a blocked kitchen sink or a slow shower drain, and the signs it's a bigger drain problem.Toilet won't flushWhy your toilet won't flush or flushes weakly, and the quick fixes for the cistern, handle, button and fill valve.
Electrical guides
Smoke alarm beepingWhat a chirping smoke alarm means, how to stop it, and when you need an electrician for wired alarms.Flickering lightsWhy lights flicker, what you can fix yourself, and the warning signs that mean you should switch off and call an electrician.Electric shower not workingSafe checks for an electric shower with no power, no water, or only cold water, and when to call an electrician.Sockets not workingWhy some sockets stop working while the lights stay on, how to reset them safely, and when you need an electrician.
Costs and prices
Emergency plumber costsCallout charges, hourly rates and how to avoid a surprise bill, in plain English.Emergency electrician costCallout charges, extra time and how to avoid a surprise bill, in plain English.
Need help now?
Our engineers are on call 24/7 across London. See our emergency plumber and emergency electrician services, or check our prices.