Plumbing Repairs in St Helens, Big and Small
Most plumbing problems start small: a tap that drips, a toilet that won't stop running or a slow leak under the sink. Left alone, they waste water, stain surfaces and can turn into a bigger repair. We handle plumbing repairs across St Helens, and Matthew turns up with the parts most jobs need, so many are fixed in one visit.
If water is pouring out and you can't stop it, that's an emergency. Close your stopcock and see our 24/7 emergency plumber page instead.
Dripping and Leaking Taps
A dripping tap can waste thousands of litres a year, and on a water meter you pay for every drop. The fix depends on the type of tap:
- Older taps with crosshead or round handles usually have a rubber washer. Replacing the washer and O-rings stops most drips.
- Quarter-turn and lever taps use ceramic cartridges. A worn or scaled-up cartridge is swapped for a matching one.
- Mixer taps that leak from the base or spout often need new seals.
- Old or corroded taps are sometimes not worth saving. We can fit new kitchen or bathroom taps and match them to your existing fittings.
If you'd like to try a washer change yourself, turn the water off at the isolation valve or stopcock first. Put the plug in too, so small parts don't vanish down the drain.
Toilet Repair and Cistern Problems
A toilet that misbehaves is annoying at best and a real problem if it's the only one in the house. Common toilet repair jobs include:
- A running toilet. Either the fill valve doesn't shut off and water goes into the overflow, or the flush valve seal leaks into the pan. We replace the faulty valve or seal.
- A weak or partial flush. Often a worn flush valve, a slipped cable on a push-button flush or a fill valve set too low.
- A cistern that's slow to fill. Usually a blocked or failing fill valve, or a part-closed isolation valve.
- Water on the floor behind the pan. Often a leaking pan connector or a loose cistern bolt. Catching it early protects the floor and the ceiling below.
If you're planning a bigger change, such as a new suite, our bathroom fitting service covers the whole room. For a new or replacement shower, see our shower installation page.
Kitchen Plumbing and Appliances
The kitchen sink gets more use than anything else in the house. We repair leaking waste traps, replace worn sink wastes and fix drips from the pipes underneath. A blocked sink is usually down to a build-up of grease and food in the trap, which we can clear and refit. If you're updating the kitchen, we can fit a new sink and tap, connect the waste and add isolation valves while the cupboard is empty.
We also plumb in new appliances. We fit and repair connections for:
- Washing machines, including new supply valves, waste connections and standpipes
- Dishwashers, connected to the cold feed and the sink waste
- American fridge freezers that need a water feed for the ice maker and drinks dispenser
Leaks behind appliances often go unnoticed until the floor is damaged. If you can see water stains around the kickboards, it's worth a look.
Outside Taps, Stopcocks and Isolation Valves
We fit new outside taps with a proper double check valve, and repair or replace ones that drip or have split in the frost. Regulations require that check valve, because without it dirty water from a hose can be drawn back into your drinking water. An insulated cover in winter is cheap and saves a lot of trouble.
Every home needs a stopcock that works. Many in St Helens houses haven't been touched in years and have seized solid, so they won't close in an emergency. We can free them off or replace them. We also fit isolation valves on taps, toilets and appliances, so one fault doesn't mean turning off the water to the whole house.
Low Water Pressure, Noisy Pipes and Water Hammer
Low water pressure has a handful of usual suspects: a part-closed stopcock, a scaled-up aerator, a faulty valve or old, narrow pipework. Matthew will test the pressure and flow at the stopcock to work out whether the problem is in your plumbing or on the mains. If your combi shower runs hot and cold, see our boiler repairs page.
Banging, knocking or humming pipes usually point to water hammer, loose pipe clips or high pressure. We secure loose pipes, fit water hammer arrestors and, where needed, a pressure reducing valve. A leak on a pipe you can't see is another matter, and our leak detection and repair service covers it.
Small Jobs Welcome: Plumbing Repairs Across St Helens
Plenty of plumbers won't come out for one tap. We will, and as a local plumber in St Helens we'd rather build a long list of happy regulars than chase big jobs only. Whether it's a single washer, a new toilet seat fixing or a list of small plumbing repairs you've been putting off, Matthew will happily work through it in one visit.
We cover the whole borough, from Eccleston to Rainhill, and we'll explain the work and agree the price before we start. For free, fixed-price quotes on larger plumbing repairs, just send a photo or two and a short description.