Free plumbing guides
Plumbing tips & tricks, free.
Simple, step-by-step UK guides written by plumbing teachers. Fix it yourself — or learn to do it for paying customers.
Taps
How to fix a dripping tap (UK guide)
Stop a dripping tap yourself. Find out if your tap has a washer or a ceramic disc, which parts to buy and how to fix it step by step.
9 min read
Leaks & emergencies
How to find and turn off your stopcock
Where is my stopcock? Learn where UK stopcocks are usually found, how to turn them off, what to do if one is stuck, and about outside and shared stopcocks.
8 min read
Taps
How to replace a basin mixer tap
Replace a bathroom basin mixer tap step by step: removing the old tap, fitting flexible tails, the seals you must not forget, and testing for leaks.
11 min read
Fittings
Compression fittings explained (and how to stop them leaking)
How a compression fitting works, why the olive is the seal, how tight to do it up and how to fix a weeping compression joint.
9 min read
Fittings
UK isolation valves explained
What a UK isolation valve is, how to tell if it is open or closed, the different types and how to fit one with compression joints.
8 min read
Toilets
How to fix a running toilet
Toilet keeps running into the pan or overflow? Find the cause with a simple test and fix the fill valve or flush valve yourself.
9 min read
Drains & wastes
How to unblock a sink without calling a plumber
Unblock a kitchen or bathroom sink with a plunger, by clearing the trap, and what not to pour down the drain.
8 min read
Radiators
How to bleed a radiator
Radiator cold at the top? Learn how to bleed a radiator safely with a radiator key, in what order, and what to check afterwards.
7 min read
Careers
How to become a plumber in the UK (without wasting years)
The real routes into plumbing in the UK: apprenticeships, colleges, online learning and practical courses. How to start earning from small jobs sooner.
10 min read
Careers
The essential plumber's tool bag for beginners
The plumbing tools you actually need to start: spanners, pipe cutters, grips and more, what each does and what you can buy later.
8 min read
Leaks & emergencies
Leak under the kitchen sink? How to find and fix it
Water in the cupboard under your sink? Find out if it is the tap, the tails, the waste or the trap, and how to fix each one.
9 min read
Leaks & emergencies
Burst pipe? What to do right now
A burst pipe can flood a home fast. The first five things to do, how to make a temporary repair and how to stop it happening again.
8 min read
Leaks & emergencies
Frozen pipes: how to thaw them safely
No water in winter? How to find a frozen pipe, thaw it safely without damage and protect your pipes and outside tap from frost.
7 min read
Taps
How to replace a kitchen tap
Change a kitchen sink tap yourself: choosing a tap, removing the old one in a tight space, fitting the new one and avoiding leaks.
10 min read
Taps
How to replace pillar taps
Change old pillar taps on a basin or bath: tap connectors, fibre washers, top hat washers and the seals that stop leaks.
9 min read
Fittings
PTFE tape vs jointing paste: when to use each
Where PTFE tape works, where it does not, how to wrap it the right way and when to use jointing compound instead.
7 min read
Fittings
Push-fit plumbing fittings explained
How push-fit fittings seal, why you need pipe inserts, how to cut and mark plastic pipe and how to avoid push-fit leaks.
8 min read
Fittings
Flexible tap tails (flexi hoses) explained
What flexi tap tails are, the sizes used in the UK, how the rubber washer seals and how to fit them without kinks or leaks.
7 min read
Toilets
How to unblock a toilet
Unblock a toilet with a plunger or toilet auger, what never to do, and how to tell if the blockage is in the main drain.
7 min read
Toilets
How to replace a toilet fill valve
Replace a side-entry or bottom-entry toilet fill valve: choosing the right one, where the washers go and setting the water level.
9 min read
Leaks & emergencies
How to find a hidden water leak in your home
High water bill, damp patch or the sound of running water? Use the water meter test and simple checks to track down a hidden leak.
9 min read
Leaks & emergencies
Shared stopcocks and shared water supplies explained
Do you share a stopcock with your neighbours? How shared supplies work, who is responsible and your options for your own supply.
7 min read
Taps
How to replace a ceramic disc tap cartridge
Fix a dripping quarter-turn or mixer tap by replacing the ceramic disc cartridge. How to identify, remove and fit the right one.
8 min read
Taps
Low water pressure from your taps: causes and fixes
Weak flow from a tap or the whole house? Check aerators, isolation valves, stopcocks and system type to find and fix low pressure.
8 min read
Taps
How to fit an outside garden tap
Fit an outdoor garden tap with a kit: the double check valve rule, isolation valve inside, drilling the wall and frost protection.
10 min read
Taps
How to replace bath taps
Change bath pillar taps or fit a bath shower mixer: access under the bath, ¾ inch connections, seals and testing.
10 min read
Fittings
The SSS rule: Solid – Seal – Solid
The simple rule that explains every plumbing joint: between two solid parts there must always be a seal. Learn where the seal sits on every common fitting.
8 min read
Fittings
Copper vs plastic pipe: which is better?
Copper and plastic (PEX) pipe compared: cost, fitting, durability, where each is used, and what beginners should know.
8 min read
Toilets
Weak toilet flush? How to fix it
Toilet not flushing properly? Check the water level, the button, the flush valve, limescale and blockages to get a strong flush again.
7 min read
Toilets
How to replace a toilet flush valve
Replace a dual-flush or push-button flush valve: when you can do it from the top, when the cistern must come off, and where the seals go.
9 min read
Drains & wastes
How to unblock a bath or shower drain
Slow draining bath or shower? Remove hair from the waste, clean the trap, plunge properly and stop it blocking again.
8 min read
Drains & wastes
Smelly drain in the house? Causes and fixes
Sewer smell from a sink, shower or bath? Learn how traps stop smells, why they fail, and how to get rid of the smell for good.
7 min read
Drains & wastes
Types of plumbing traps explained
P traps, S traps, bottle traps, running traps and anti-siphon traps — what they look like, where they are used and how they seal.
8 min read
Drains & wastes
How to fit a basin waste (slotted and unslotted)
Fit a click-clack or pop-up basin waste: slotted vs unslotted, where the seals go, and how to stop leaks around the plug hole.
8 min read
Drains & wastes
Kitchen sink waste and plumbing explained
How kitchen sink waste works: basket strainer, overflow, trap, washing machine and dishwasher connections, and fixing common leaks.
8 min read
Radiators
Radiator cold at the bottom? Here's why
Radiator hot at the top but cold at the bottom? Learn what sludge is, how to check, and the options from flushing to replacement.
8 min read
Radiators
How to balance radiators
Some radiators hot and others cold? Balancing with the lockshield valves gets heat evenly to every room. Step-by-step guide.
9 min read
Radiators
How to replace a radiator valve
Change a radiator valve or upgrade to a TRV: draining options, valve tails, PTFE on threads, olives on the pipe, and testing.
10 min read
Radiators
Thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) explained
What the numbers on a TRV mean, how a thermostatic radiator valve works, and how to free a stuck TRV pin.
7 min read
Radiators
Radiator leaking at the valve? How to fix it
Find where a radiator valve leaks — spindle, union nut, tail or pipe nut — and how to fix each one safely.
8 min read
Leaks & emergencies
Can't find your stopcock? Where to look
Can't find the stopcock? A room-by-room checklist for houses and flats, how to follow the pipe and what to do in an emergency.
7 min read
Taps
How to change a tap washer
Change the rubber washer in a traditional tap: sizes, removing the headgear, the jumper, and re-seating if it still drips.
7 min read
Toilets
Toilet cistern not filling? How to fix it
Cistern not filling or filling very slowly? Check the isolation valve, the fill valve, its filter and the float. Easy fixes inside.
7 min read
Toilets
Leaking close-coupled toilet: bolts and doughnut
Water dripping between the cistern and pan? Fix close-coupled toilet leaks: bolt washers inside the cistern and the doughnut seal.
8 min read
Toilets
Toilet leaking at the base? Causes and fixes
Water around the bottom of your toilet? Find whether it is the pan connector, the cistern, condensation or the supply, and how to fix it.
8 min read
Careers
Can you become a plumber without an apprenticeship?
Too old, too busy or no apprenticeship available? How adults in the UK learn plumbing online, practise and start doing small jobs.
8 min read
Careers
What to look for in an online plumbing course (UK)
Choosing an online plumbing course? The features that matter: real teachers, detailed theory, practical videos, quizzes, exams and a path to first jobs.
8 min read
Careers
How much do plumbers earn in the UK?
What affects a plumber's income in the UK: employed vs self-employed, location, job types, and how beginners can grow earnings.
8 min read
Careers
How to price your first plumbing job
Price plumbing jobs fairly: time, parts, travel, call-out, fixed prices vs hourly, and how to write a clear quote.
9 min read
Careers
How to get your first plumbing customer
Find your first paying plumbing customers: friends and family, local groups, Google Business Profile, reviews and simple marketing.
8 min read