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Seven Most Common Home Repair Problems Facing by Brits This Year

Posted on the 10 December 2024 by Bboj Handyman

Whether you rent or own your own property, you will likely face the same home maintenance issues, from a blocked toilet to trouble with your central heating. A recent report has uncovered the top seven home repair issues faced by 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 this is something you are facing a blocked loo, but other options include pouring hot water down the toilet, or using baking soda or a drain unblocker. However, if none of these simple ideas are helping, then you can always call in a professional London-based plumber and drainage specialist 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 to move the hot water around the property and keep it warm. Over time, air will get into the system and these air bubbles will become trapped in the radiators, which makes the system less efficient.

You will notice these air bubbles because you will find some radiators not heating as well as others, or with cold spots on them despite the heating running full blast. To fix the issue, you should bleed your radiators, which generally involves using a 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 handyman.

How to unblock a sink

Sinks can become blocked for a variety of reasons, but generally it means there is a blockage in the pipework that needs to be cleared. This could be some larger bits of food waste that have been washed down the sink, but could also be the result of ice forming in the drainage pipe during freezing weather conditions. Using a plunger, pouring down some hot (but not boiling) water, clearing the bottle trap, or using a drain unblocker solution can all work to dislodge whatever is causing the issue, but if you cannot solve this yourself then it is time to book a handyman 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 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 reliable London handyman plumber can fix the tap for you quickly and with a minimum of fuss or water spillage.

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 drainage specialist to clear the problem.

How to wire a light switch

Many people turn to professional electricians for all electrical repair issues, but it is possible to DIY small electrical changes to your London property. 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, 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.

How to fix boiler

The boiler is the center of our central heating systems and so 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. 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, then call a GAS-SAFE boiler technician to safely fix your issue.

Whatever your home repair issue, Bits Bobs and Odd Jobs are here to help. Book a friendly London handyman today by calling us on 0208 244 5070 or booking online.


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