If the tap still drips, the area underneath the washer may be worn, coated with limescale or scratched. This can be fixed with a special re-seating tool available from plumber's merchants or DIY stores. Push the end of the tool into the tap and twist it round to clean the metal. Even easier is to buy a combined washer and seating pack from a plumber's merchant.
Radiators cold down below
If the problem is cold spots at the very bottom of a radiator you have a slightly more serious problem but still one worth trying to repair with a DIY remedy before calling in a heating engineer. The cool areas are a sign of rust and sludge build-up that's sitting in the bottom of the radiator. You may need to remove the radiator and flush it out with a hose but it's worth trying a water treatment first. Check www.fernox.com for the correct product for your type of boiler.
Some hot, some cold?
This usually means your radiators aren't properly balanced. The nearest radiators to the boiler are taking more than their share of the hot water from the system. This is really a job for a heating engineer.
Washing machine smells
Gel washing machine capsules can block the pipework within the machine and cause the drum to smell. The answer is to run the machine empty on its hottest temperature for a long programme and then repeat. This should dissolve any remaining gel and clear the problem. Check the filter and clean at the same time.
Toilet won't flush properly
If the water is slow to drain out of the WC when you flush, there may be a blockage in the trap or in the pipe from the loo to the soil stack. A toilet plunger may be enough to fix the problem. Remember to cover the floor around the loo and wear rubber gloves. Hire Shops can also supply wire 'snakes' or augers that can dislodge blockages.
Banging pipes
Chances are you have what's called water hammer, the sound caused when water slams against a valve that has been closed abruptly. The force can also make the pipe vibrate and knock against the joists, creating even more noise. If you can pinpoint where a pipe is hitting a joist, a good DIY quick fix is to slip a piece of foam insulation around the pipe to cushion it and damp the sound. Otherwise, a plumber can check the system and may fit a water hammer shock absorber to solve the problem.
Blocked sink
The most probable cause is a blockage in the plastic trap under the plughole. Check to see if the bath, washing machine or any other outlets are draining OK. If they are, the problem is in the trap or pipe leading from your sink to the soil pipe or drain. If nothing's draining, you have a blocked soil pipe or drain.
First, try forcing the blockage through the pipe with a plunger or pump. Hold a wet cloth over the overflow hole and fill the sink with enough water to cover the rubber plunger. For a better seal, rub some Vaseline around the plunger rim. Pump the handle up and down at least a dozen times to try to clear the blockage. When clear, run both taps to clear any loose material. If this doesn't fix the problem, bail out as much water as possible, put a washing-up bowl under sink and unscrew the trap to remove the blockage. Rarely, the problem is further down the 40mm waste pipe and you may need to unscrew this pipe from the trap and use a piece of stiff wire (an old coat hanger is ideal) to wiggle the blockage free. If all else fails, try forcing a hose down the pipe and using a blast of water.
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