Pipework repairs in Totterdown
Split pipes, leaking joints, rerouting and replacing old runs, including lead supply pipes. Free quotes over the phone.
What we do
- Repairing burst, split and leaking pipes
- Replacing corroded or damaged sections
- Rerouting pipes for a new kitchen, bathroom or appliance
- Fitting isolation valves so individual taps and toilets can be turned off
- Replacing stiff or seized internal stop taps
- Lagging pipes in lofts, cellars and under floors
- Replacing lead supply pipes inside your boundary
Lead pipes in older homes
Bristol Water says that if your home was built before the 1970s, you could have lead pipework. Most of Totterdown is Victorian terraced housing, so lead is worth checking for here, even if some of it has already been replaced.
Lead pipe is usually dull grey, soft enough to mark with a key (gently), and has rounded, swollen joints instead of neat fittings. The easiest place to check is where the supply pipe comes into the house, near your internal stop tap.
Responsibility is split. The pipe from the water main to the external stop tap in the pavement is normally owned by the water company. From that stop tap into your house, the pipe is yours. If you replace your section, contact Bristol Water too and ask about their side.
Why old pipework fails
Terraced houses in Totterdown have usually had their plumbing changed several times: a bathroom added upstairs, a kitchen moved to the back, radiators plumbed in. That leaves a mix of materials and joints of different ages. The weak points are usually:
- Joints between different pipe materials
- Old compression fittings that have worked loose
- Pipes in cold spots such as lofts, cellars and outside walls, which can freeze and split
- Pipes damaged during later building work
Frozen pipes
If a tap gives no water in freezing weather, a pipe may be frozen. Turn off the stop tap, open the tap it feeds, and warm the pipe gently with a hairdryer or hot-water bottle, starting from the tap end. Never use a naked flame. If the pipe has split, water will escape as it thaws, so keep the stop tap off and ring us.
Rerouting and new pipe runs
Moving a sink, adding an outside tap or plumbing in a new appliance means extending or rerouting pipes. We plan the route to keep runs short, avoid cold spots and keep pipes accessible for future repairs. If you are planning a bigger change, ring us early so we can talk through what is practical.
Questions
How do I know if I have lead pipes?
Look at the pipe near your internal stop tap. Lead is dull grey, soft and has bulbous joints. If you are unsure, we can check while we are with you.
Can you replace just part of a pipe?
Often, yes. If the rest of the run is sound, a section repair is usually enough. We will tell you if we think more needs doing.
Can you move my stop tap?
We can replace a seized stop tap, or fit an extra one somewhere more accessible.
Other services
Need a plumber in Totterdown?
Ring for a free quote over the phone. Open 24 hours, 7 days a week.