Bathroom DIY plumbing and heating help and advice 

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Welcome to DIY Plumber

DIYPlumber offers its readers an extensive insight into the world of bathroom DIY, allowing even novices to perform professional bathroom DIY jobs. We have information on installing various bathroom products such as baths, showers and taps and also advice on bathroom design to help the reader choose the style of bathroom that they desire. We also provide our readers bathroom tips which we have gathered from trade professionals so that they can make their bathroom DIY project look a class above.

NEW To DIYPlumber.com: We now have our own bathroom DIY forum where we invite anyone to view and post their thoughts, opinions, questions and advice. It is completely free to sign up to the DIYPlumber bathroom DIY forum and takes literally seconds. You can discuss your bathroom DIY projects, stories and disasters as well as receive advice from other DIYPlumber forum users. We also have inhouse bathroom DIY experts who post on the forum to offer there advice and DIY knowledge.

CLICK HERE to enter our bathroom DIY and bathroom Help Forum

This website will constantly grow over the next few months, as it develops and grows we hope the site will act as a introduction to different methods of plumbing your bathroom and other household tasks, from a starter’s guide through to advanced plumbing DIY bathroom know how.

Common plumbing and heating faults

Your plumbing system can suffer from a wide range of faults, but they fall into four main categories.

Taps and valves

Taps and valves control the flow of water into and through the home. They may drip, causing stains and overflows, or may jam open or closed, or be hard to operate. Taps might need maintenance or replacement, depending on the severity of the problem.

Supply pipes

Supply pipes distribute water to wherever it is needed. They may leak, due to perforations developing in the pipe or faulty seals at pipe connectors. They may also gradually become blocked by scale, caused by hard water. Both faults are easily remedied, although leaks demand swift damage limitation – see Plumbing emergency action.

Storage tanks

Storage tanks hold cold and hot water. They may develop leaks or, in the case of the hot tank, may become inefficient due to a build-up of limescale. Replacement is the only long-term solution.

Waste pipes

Waste pipes convey used water from appliances, toilets and WCs to the household drains, via U-shaped traps designed to keep drain smells out of the house. They can become blocked, causing overflows, but most blockages can be cleared easily.

PLUMBING EMERGENCY ACTION

• If a fault causes water to escape, aim to stop the flow as quickly as possible.
• Make sure you know in advance where the system's main on/off and flow controls are located.
• Empty leaking water storage tanks and supply pipes by turning off the main stoptap and opening cold taps, or by attaching a garden hose to a drain valve and opening the valve with pliers or a spanner. Lead the hose outside the house.
• Clear blocked waste pipes and traps by dismantling, plunging or rodding.

The boiler

The boiler heats the system (and may also provide domestic hot water and heat to central heated radiators). It contains a number of parts that will need regular maintenance and eventual replacement and this is a job for a professional. Annual servicing will keep the boiler in good order.

The radiators

The radiators transmit heat to individual rooms. They sometimes develop pinhole leaks due to corrosion, and may trap air, gas or sludge (by-products of corrosion), all of which can cause uneven heating or banging noises when in use. The use of a corrosion inhibitor or leak sealer will help to prevent or cure these problems.

The pump

The pump circulates heated water round the system. It may become jammed or noisy in operation, or may simply fail altogether. Regular operation and cleaning help to prevent problems, but replacement is usually straightforward.

The heating system

A central heating system consists of five main components, each of which can malfunction or fail. expansion tank) tops up any water lost from the heating system through leaks or evaporation. The tank itself may also develop a leak and need replacing. The ballvalve that refills it may jam through lack of use, causing an overflow or allowing air to be drawn into the radiators and pump. A ballvalve can be repaired or replaced.

The controls

Controls operating the heating system include a programmer, thermostats and motorised valves. Faulty wiring may lead to malfunction, and mechanical failure may be remedied through servicing or replacement of the faulty control.

EMERGENCY ACTION

• If the system overheats or the pump fails, turn off the boiler.
• Turn off the gas at the meter immediately if you smell a gas leak and call the Transco gas emergency number (0800 111 999).
• Until you can make a repair, drain leaking pipes, radiators and hot water cylinders via the relevant drain cock.