Emergency
Water is escaping from a split pipe and will keep escaping until the supply is shut off.
Caution
Cold water runs fine but the hot taps stay cold, or run hot then go cold within seconds.
Low risk
Taps trickle, the shower is weak, or pressure drops away whenever someone else uses water.
A tap keeps dripping after it is turned off, or water seeps from the base of the spout.
Water is pooling in the base of the sink cabinet, or the chipboard floor of the unit has gone soft.
Water trickles into the pan constantly, or the cistern never stops refilling after a flush.
A small plastic pipe through an outside wall is dripping or running, sometimes soaking the brickwork below.
A bang, knock or shudder runs through the pipework when a tap or appliance valve shuts.
High risk
A tap has stopped running in cold weather, or a pipe in the loft or garage is iced up.
A stain, a drip or a bulge has appeared in a ceiling below a bathroom, kitchen or flat above.
Describe the job and get a fixed price from a local plumber.
