Aftercare after plumbing work
After a boiler installation or bathroom refit, you should receive a benchmark/commissioning checklist (for a boiler) or a written summary of the work done, which you'll want if you make an insurance claim or sell the property later. Keep it with your household paperwork alongside any appliance warranties.
What a boiler fault code usually means
Modern combi boilers display a fault code when something's wrong rather than just stopping — the exact meaning varies by manufacturer, but common causes behind a "no heat" code include low pressure, a faulty sensor, or an ignition fault. Note the code before calling a plumber; it speeds up diagnosis considerably.
Shared water supplies in flats and conversions
In a converted property, check whether your flat has its own independent stopcock and supply, or shares one with other flats via a communal system. A shared supply can mean a repair affects your neighbours too, and sometimes needs freeholder involvement before work starts.
When plumbing work needs a Gas Safe engineer instead
Plumbers can install and repair most water systems, but any work on a gas appliance or gas pipework — a boiler, a gas fire, a gas hob — is illegal for anyone who isn't on the Gas Safe Register, by law. If a job involves both plumbing and a gas connection (moving a boiler, for example), check whether your plumber is also Gas Safe registered before booking.
Outside taps and garden plumbing
An outside tap needs its own isolation valve and, in colder areas, either an internal shut-off you can drain down for winter or a proper anti-frost design — a poorly installed one is a common cause of a burst pipe in cold weather. This is separate from the electrical requirements for any pond or irrigation pump also being installed.
Boiler pressure and heating faults
Most combi boilers run best between 1 and 1.5 bar of pressure — too low and the heating cuts out, too high and the pressure relief valve can discharge. A plumber checking a heating fault will usually look at pressure, check for trapped air in radiators (bleeding), and check the pump and diverter valve before assuming a full boiler fault.
Combi vs system vs conventional boilers
A combi boiler heats water on demand with no separate tank, suits smaller properties with one bathroom. A system boiler uses a hot water cylinder but no cold water tank, better for higher demand. A conventional (regular) boiler uses both a cylinder and a tank, common in older properties and useful where mains pressure is poor.
Blocked drains — causes and what a plumber checks
Slow-draining sinks are usually a local blockage (grease, hair, food waste) that a plumber can often clear with rodding or a drain snake. A blockage affecting multiple fixtures at once, or gurgling sounds from other drains, points to something further down the system — sometimes needing a drain camera survey rather than guesswork.