Whether you rent or own your own property, you will likely face the same home maintenance issues, from trouble with your central heating to a blocked kitchen sink. A recent report has uncovered the top seven home repair questions troubling Londoners and Brits nationwide where they have turned to Google for help.
How to unblock toilet
Over 33,000 people search for information on how to unblock toilets each month, which makes it the most common home maintenance issue facing the British public. A trusty plunger is always the best first port of call if you are facing a blocked loo, but other options include pouring hot (but not boiling) water down the toilet, or using baking soda or a drain unblocker to clear the pipes. However, if you have tried these options and your toilet remians blocked then your best option is to book a professional London plumber to solve the problem.
How to bleed a radiator
Most central heating systems in London homes include a combi boiler to heat water and then a system of radiators around the property that keep it warm. Most home central heating systems do not have perfect seals and over time air will seap in. These air bubbles will become trapped in the radiators, which makes the system less efficient - something you might notice because of cold spots on the radiator or some radiators giving off less heat than others.
To fix the issue, you should bleed your radiators. This is a relatively simple process that involves using a radiator key to slightly open a valve on the radiator and letting the gas escape. This is a task which should be done each autumn as you switch on the heating and can be done yourself, or with the help of a professional London handyman.
How to unblock a sink
Sinks can become blocked for a variety of reasons. It could be that some larger bits of food waste have been washed down the sink and got stuck in the pipes, but could also be the result of ice forming in the drainage pipe during freezing weather conditions, or excess fats from cooking congealing in the pipes. Most of these blockages can be cleared with a plunger, pouring down some hot (but not boiling) water, clearing the bottle trap, or using a drain unblocker solution. However, if none of these solutions work then it is time to call in a reliable local plumber to get to the bottom of it.
How to fix a leaking tap
The taps on your sink or bath could be dripping for a variety of reasons, but it is an issue worth solving quickly as a single leaky tap can waste the equivalent of eight kettles of water every day. As a general rule, if water is leaking from the spout, the washer will need to be replaced; if water is leaking from beneath the handle, the valve O-ring will need to be replaced; or if water is leaking beneath the spout, the spout O-ring will need to be replaced.
Taking apart a kitchen or bathroom tap can feel like a daunting task if you do not have the skills or equipment, so if you are not a DIY enthusiast then a CanCan plumber can fix the tap for you in a few minutes with a minimum of fuss.
How to unblock a drain
Your drains run from inside your home, from your sinks and toilets, into larger drains outside and all can become blocked. We’ve already covered ways to unblock your sink or toilet above, but if it is your exterior drains that are the issue, with neither your sinks or toilets draining or with unpleasant odours coming in from outside then it is time to call a London drainage specialist to clear the problem.
How to wire a light switch
To wire a light switch, the first and most important step is to switch of the electrics in your home at your fuse box so you can work safely. Then you should gently unscrew the old light switch, keeping the screws somewhere safe as you may need then later and remove the switch plate, and keeping a note of where the wires go – take a photo for reference. Modern wiring has a brown live feed going into the COM terminal and a blue switch wire going into the L1 terminal. In older wiring, the live feed is red and the switch wire is black. With the new switch in hand, it is then a process of wiring up the new switch with the same wiring configuration as the old one, screwing the new light switch in place, and switching the elctricity back on at the fuse box before testing.
Many people turn to professional qualified electricians for all electrical repair issues, but it is possible to make small electrical repairs, such as replacing a light switch, to your London property yourself. However, if you are uncomfortable fixing or replacing electrical items within your home, then it is time to book a qualified local electrician to help.
How to fix boiler
The boiler is the centre of our central heating systems. When it develops a fault it means no hot water for showers, baths, washing up, or heating our properties – which means you want it fixed as quickly as possible, especially in the colder months. Depending on the fault, this could be as simple as following the manufacturer’s instructions to reset the boiler, adding more water into the system to increase pressure after a leak has been fixed or something much more involved. If you have a problem with your gas boiler that you cannot solve then book a GAS-SAFE heating engineer to safely fix your issue.
Are you facing a home maintenance problem you cannot fix? Whatever your home repair issue, CanCan traders are here to help.