Taps, toilets and cisterns in Broxbourne and nearby towns

Which tap, toilet and cistern problems can I enquire about?

Almost anything that involves a tap, a toilet or the cistern behind it. Common examples are a tap that drips or will not turn off, a mixer that has gone stiff, a toilet that flushes weakly or not at all, a cistern that keeps refilling, water seeping out around the base of the pan, and a loose seat or pan that moves when you sit.

You do not need to know the part that has failed. Describe what you see and hear, and the plumber can work out the rest.

Why does my tap keep dripping?

Inside most taps is a part that seals the water off, either a rubber washer or a ceramic disc. Over time it wears, or limescale builds up around it, and the tap no longer closes fully. Hertfordshire sits on chalk, so the water here is hard and scale is a common culprit.

A drip from the spout is usually the seal. A leak from the handle or the base of the tap points to a worn O-ring or a loose fitting. Either can often be put right without replacing the whole tap, though an old or badly corroded tap is sometimes better swapped.

Why does my toilet keep running?

A cistern that refills every so often, or a trickle you can hear in the pan, usually comes down to one of two parts. The fill valve may not be shutting off fully, or the flush valve at the bottom of the cistern may not be sealing, so water leaks into the pan and the cistern tops itself up.

A continuous trickle is worth sorting out quickly because it wastes a lot of water over a day.

What if water is coming out of the overflow pipe?

Many cisterns have an overflow pipe that discharges outside the house, often through the wall above a window or near the ground. Water running from it means the fill valve is letting in more water than the cistern can hold.

Turning off the isolating valve on the supply pipe to the cistern, or the stopcock if there is no valve, will stop it while you wait for a repair. Look for the small slotted valve on the pipe beside the cistern and turn it a quarter turn with a flat screwdriver.

Can I do anything myself before the plumber comes?

• Find the isolating valve for the tap or toilet and check that it works, so you can stop the water quickly
• Lift the cistern lid and see whether the float is sitting too high, or the arm is catching on something
• Wipe away visible limescale, then watch whether the drip or trickle changes
• Put a bowl or towel under a leaking joint and note where the water is coming from

Avoid forcing a corroded tap or pulling at pipework that feels loose. A break at the wrong place can turn a small drip into a flood.

Does a toilet that will not flush mean a blockage?

Not always. A weak flush may be a worn flush mechanism, a cistern that is not filling properly, or limescale in the rim. A toilet that fills with water and will not clear may well be blocked, either in the pan or further along the waste pipe.

If every toilet and sink in the house drains slowly, the problem is probably in the drain outside rather than the toilet itself. That is a drainage job, and the plumber can tell you whether it falls into their work.

Can the whole tap, toilet or cistern be replaced?

Yes. If a part is worn out, obsolete or the fitting is badly corroded, replacing it may make more sense than repairing it. You can choose a new tap or toilet yourself, or ask the plumber what suits the room.

The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999, enforced by your water supplier, set rules on the fittings used in a plumbing system to prevent waste, contamination and misuse of water. A plumber will know which fittings are suitable, so ask if you are unsure.

What should I include in my enquiry?

• your postcode, so we can check whether a plumber covers you
• which tap, toilet or cistern it is and where in the home
• what it is doing: dripping, leaking, running on, slow to fill or not flushing
• whether you can turn the water off to it with an isolating valve
• the age of the fitting, if you know it
• whether you have already bought a replacement

What happens after I send it?

With your consent, we pass your enquiry to one local plumber, if one covers your postcode, and to nobody else. If nobody does, we tell you. The plumber contacts you to talk about the job, and you agree the details and cost with them directly. Sending an enquiry is free and you are not committed to anything.

What if it starts to flood?

Turn off the water at the stopcock, keep water away from electrics and move anything valuable out of the way. Call 999 if anyone is in danger. You can then send an enquiry about the repair.