There’s nothing more relaxing then having a shower after a hard days work, but what happens if the shower heads shooting water out everywhere. This problem is a common one found in most households and can be fixed by removing the shower head from the shower arm, but what if your unable to take the shower head off. If you include yourself in this category and own a wall-mounted shower then no need to worry, as there’s a way to get around it and solve this problem.

Grab a plastic bag making sure there is no holes, and pour a mixture of vinegar and water inside it. Check that there is enough in there to completely cover the wall-mounted shower head, but so much that the mix wont overflow out the bag. Now tie an elastic band between 2 or 3 times at the top of the bag, as tying the elastic band around the top of the bag with the shower head in the vinegar and water can be a burden. Fasten the bag containing the mixture to the arm of the shower using either some string or your elastic band, but make sure that the string you use is strong enough to hold the bag around the shower head for several hours.

When you have secured the shower head in the bag, allow the mixture to work by letting it soak for 3-24 hours depending on the thickness of the limescale. Once your happy with the amount of time you have left it for, separate the shower head from the bag containing the vinegar and water mix and turn the shower on to test the flow of the water. If there’s any excess limescale found around the shower head, then use a toothbrush to get rid of it as the thistles will catch the majority of the limescale left. You are now able to have a relaxing shower once again.

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If you enjoy showers and your shower head is sending water everywhere through the holes, then you have a case of limescale build up. It can be very frustrating when some nozzles shoot the water out properly, while others trickle or squirt it out in another direction. This can be be a problem, but 1 that can be solved with a few simple DIY tricks.

First you will need to remove your shower head because after, you will have to put it in a bowl of water mixed with vinegar. This is because limescale is soap residue and hard water merged together producing a weak alkaline substance, while vinegar is weak acidic liquid for that reason cancelling the alkaline reaction therefore removing the limescale. The water it’s mixed with is used to clean the nozzles as well. Depending on how thick your limescale is, you should soak the shower head in the bowl for at minimum of 3 hours for it to work.

Now separate the shower head from the bowl and using clean water, wash the shower head making sure you get rid of any excess limescale left. Then with a needle or toothpick,  stab through the holes on the shower head to remove the limescale trapped inside them. To take off the limescale that develops on the surface of the shower head use a toothbrush so it catches the hard places, finally reconnect the shower head back on the arm of the shower and try it out to see if the water flows out correctly again. If the problem still exists then repeat the procedure, altering the amount of vinegar and water in the bowl.

Have a look at our range of showers and shower heads designed to match your bathroom, products come with a 10 year guarantee and a 48 hour delivery from purchase.

A common problem in most households is mould, it’s usually found in your bathroom and can be difficult to get rid of but not impossible. It’s a fungus found mostly in damp and moist places and as tiny spores, it travels through the air. You will need to remove it if your looking for a fresh and clean bathroom as it can give bad first impressions if left.

To do so, you must erase all the mould you can find on your ceiling and upper wall. This can be done with a cloth and mixture of bleach and water, try and dilute the bleach to a point where its effective but not strong in smell. Scrub vigorously and make sure that you regularly rinse the cloth under the tap after using it, as it can stay on the cloth and spread to other areas you clean. It’s advised that you keep the area aired out and wear goggles and gloves when doing this procedure. Once you have removed all visible mould, using clean water wash off any spare bleach you can find and then let the surface dry.

Now you need to stop the existing mould from sticking to the wall, by using Bin paint this can be done. With a roller, roll a coat of Bin paint on the area and allow to dry for 45-60 minutes. As it’s a stain killer also, this will stop the old mould from seeping to the surface later. You have now removed mould from your bathroom.

To prevent mould coming back, you can use a coat of Mildew-Proof paint the same way you used the Bin paint. This doesn’t kill the mildew so make sure you get rid of the mould effectively at first. But the best idea is to buy an extractor fan because it ventilates your bathroom but also limits the amount of heat loss when showering.

This can be a problem in a lot of homes and can happen anytime, not knowing what a ‘water hammer’ is can be a downfall to fixing the problem. This is how a ‘water hammer’ is caused.

A Ball valve is what controls the cisterns for your tank and toilets when cold water is entered, hot water flows from your emersion which makes the cold water from the tank to replace it. Incoming flow is managed by a float, this inclines the water allowing the valve to shut once the tank is full which is a similar technique to when you flush the toilet. As cold water rushes into the cistern it causes the water to vibrate forming ripples, the float is then constantly moving up and down which opens and closes the valve. This vibration on the arm of the float within the valve is what makes the ‘water hammer’, this causes pressure behind the valve when shut because water is trying to flow through the pipes in such a high speed that it builds up. The more pressure it gains, forms a pressure wave which moves up and down the pipe changing the energy into friction causing the hammering noise.

Firstly you must check that the pipe is secure whether its against a joist or a surface, once that’s confirmed you can now start to get rid of this problem. Find an empty yogurt pot and tie it to the arm of the float with metal wire that will not rust. Position the yoghurt pot slightly below the water line, as this will cause enough weight to stop the reverberating but will still allow the arm to rise.

You have now fixed the problem and water can easily flow through your pipes.

If your tap keeps dripping even if the wahser has been replaced then you will need to reseat your tap. This is because dirt and grit have worn away the seating of the tap, but dont worry as this can be cured by reaseating. Before starting, make sure you put your plug in the plughole of your basin to avoid losing bits and bobs from the taps when working on them.
First, remove the head of the tap. Protect the surface of the tap from any tool by using your hand to unscrew it, remove the washer as well but leave the base and spout where they are. Place the reseating tool into the taps body and move it about until its touching the seat, now grind down the seat by turning the tool to reseat your tap. Note that if the grinding disc still has black marks then you need to continue the grinding procedure, once they vanish is when you know your tap has enough ground. In reverse order, reattach the tap to complete the reseating process. If you want to replace the seat of the tap then you require a new nylon one along with a new washer and jumpers. Put the nylon seat over the old one and change the new washers and jumpers with the old ones also. Put together the tap and gully close it as much as you can, this will show that you have fitted the new seat in the right place.

Have a look at our variety of chrome taps that have a 10 year guarantee & delivery from purchase.

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In some cases you might find that your waste pipe is blocked, if this is the case then use a hand operated hydraulic pump. Like the technique for unblocking a sink with a sink plunger, cover the overflow with a damp rag. Fill the pump with water and place the nozzle over the outlet, now to remove the blockage use a downward action on the pump so that water will powerfully force itself through it. If this hasn’t changed anything then using an upward motion, produce enough suction to unblock the blockage still keeping the device in place. Unfortunately, if this doesn’t work then it’s required that the trap found under the waste outlet needs clearing. A trap is U-shaped tube made to hold water so that the stench from the drain doesn’t creep into the room. Make sure you have a bucket underneath when clearing the trap.

If you have a lead or brass trap then it’s important that you take care when dealing with them to prevent damage. Undo the clearing eye situated at the bottom of the trap and use a pipe cleaner to get rid of any waste remaining. Now clean the clearing eye thread and use PTFE tape to wrap around it to avoid any leaks.

If you own a plastic trap then you will need to detach it as it doesn’t hold clearing eyes. To do so, undo the lock nuts located either side of the trap, if they don’t budge then apply boiling water over them. Once removed wrap some PTFE tape around the thread of the lock nut to avoid any leaks and replace.

If it’s a bottle trap you have then your able to undo the whole base of the trap by hand. Bottle traps are the most simplest therefore are the quickest in unblocking waste pipes, when the waste has been cleared from the trap use a pipe cleaner to catch any excess waste. Clean the trap with disinfectant and rinse thoroughly, also use PTFE tape to wrap around the cover thread previous from replacing.

When the trap has been replaced, check that the connections are watertight by running water through the system. If so, you have now unblocked your waste pipe.

If your having trouble with your basin unclogging then there’s a few procedures you can do to fix that problem. Firstly get rid of any waste substances found trapped in the plughole, common substances found are hair and food. The more these substances build up is the slower the water will flow, this is because of how small the gap inside the pipe will become. You can do this by using a chemical cleaner found at your local convenience, but make sure it’s appropriate for the type of plug hole you own.

If that doesn’t change anything then you might need to use a sink plunger as the problem is not found on the surface. To use the sink plunger, lay a damp cloth over the overflow first to keep it secure because this will hopefully allow the air produced to clear the blockage. Now place the cup of the plunger over the plughole and using a up and down motion plunge energetically for a few minutes.

In case this fails and it hasn’t unblocked your basin then it may be your waste pipe that’s blocked. Locate the trap under the basin and detach it. Water will flow from the basin so put a bucket under the trap so that the water doesn’t go on the floor. Find out if the trap is still blocked, if so then use a pipe cleaner to get rid of the excess blockage. If the problem still stands then it may be your drain that’s blocked.

Please note that many blockages are cause from soap scum from washing machines, dishwashers, etc. When purchasing any chemical to remove this scum please be aware that if you purchase your drain/pipe cleaner from a local supermarket that it will be of low grade and not always powerful enough to do the job, You need to go to a builders merchants to buy a strong cleaner, just make sure you use it safely and read the INSTRUCTION CAREFULLY.

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If you don’t fix the problem of a leaking radiator, you could end up with your floorboards or carpets ruined. This problem should be mended quickly. Find out if the leaking is caused by something else rather the the valve, if not then soak up the water around the valve and place tissue paper at different parts so your able to see where the leaking is coming from. It’s important to carry out this procedure as water can drip somewhere else making it difficult to find the the original problem.

If you can find the leak coming from the spindle then tighten the gland nut by using a spanner, if that doesn’t work then detach the nut and cover the area down to the spindle in PTFE tape. If the leak is located at the coupling towards the pipe then slightly tighten the nut more as this may be the only mishap, if that fails then drain the radiator and remove the cap nut so that you can take the fitting off and change the olive. Before re-tightening the cap nut, cover PFTE tape around the olive or rub silicone sealant onto it. Corrosion is another reason why i leak may happen, if you leak is because of this then you must fit a new radiator. For a temporary repair, use plastic resin filler where it’s damaged.

If you need to repair the valve then you need to drain the system, making sure the new valve is the same type as the damaged one. Undo the cap nuts connecting the water pipe to the valve using an adjustable spanner but use a wrench to support the body of the valve. At the end of the radiator you should find more cap nuts connecting the adapter in the end to the valve, remove these cap nuts and take the valve out. Also from the radiator, remove the valve adapter and clean the threads in the end. Using PTFE tape, wrap it around the thread of the new adapter and screw into the end of the radiator with a spanner to tighten. Move the new olive and valve cap nut to the other end of the pipe and install the valve,  using a wrench hold the valve and line it up with the adapter. Now tighten the cap nuts holding the water pipe to the valve as well as the other ones holding the valve to the adapter. You have now repaired your leaking radiator, check for any leaks and if needed tighten the nuts more.

Take a look at our radiators and radiator valves that come with a 10 year guarantee and 48 hour delivery from purchase.

When the weather is in severe conditions and it’s temperatures below Celsius, the water form into ice and stretches the pipes. Unlike plastic pipes, metal ones are more vulnerable to frost damage. Stainless steel pipes and copper ones also are not as exposed as lead pipes. When the water is unable to move along the pipes because it’s frozen, the pressure made is capable of making a joint open up or bursting the pipe. Ice at various sections of the pipes can also stop water flowing along the pipe. Depending on what type of metal your pipe is, finding out will establish the time and skill you will need for you to fix it. Before you start make sure cut off the water supply and that you drain the pipes from any excess water.

With lead piping you should use lead-to-copper compression fittings so that they can join the plastic or copper pipe to the lead pipe, then cut a little portion of the pipe with a hacksaw. Now using the same principle you would use for any compression fitting, connect the Leadloc fitting to the lead pipe followed by attaching the plastic or copper pipe to the opposite side of the fitting. You can now turn the water supply on and run the water through the pipes, make sure there isn’t any water dripping from the pipes.

If your dealing with copper piping and you have found that it’s damaged slightly, then remove the part that’s split and move the slip end from the coupling onto a pipe end. Push that nearer to the opposite end and detach the compression nuts, moving them and the olives at both ends along the pipe. Use pipe-jointing compound first, then reattach the olives and nuts tight with a spanner. Turn the water supply back on and allow the water to flow through the pipes, checking that there’s not any leaks.