Fix every drip and leak in the house

Work through every tap, valve, toilet and waste in the house over a weekend, tackling drips, running loos and a tired bath seal in one sequenced plumbing project.

Guides in this project

01Free a stiff or seized stopcock 02Fix a dripping tap by replacing the washer 03Fix a dripping tap with a ceramic disc cartridge 04Fix a leaking radiator valve 05Fix a toilet that keeps running 06Replace a toilet flush valve 07Fix a leaking sink waste 08Reseal a bath

AB-01Survey the house and get your kit togetherWalk round every room and list every drip, running toilet, weeping valve and gappy bath seal you can find, including the shed tap and outside taps. Buy washers, cartridges and sealant to match what you find, rather than guessing, since taps and valves vary by brand. Set aside a full weekend for a typical house with a few jobs; a house with lots of old taps and a stiff stopcock can run into a second weekend. Keep buckets, old towels and a torch handy, and expect at least one trip back to the merchant for a part you didn't know you needed.

1 each · Adjustable spanner

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2 roll · PTFE tape

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1 each · Bucket

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4 each · Old towels or rags

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AB-02Free the main stopcock firstFollow the HomeGraft guide 'Free a stiff or seized stopcock' before anything else, because you need to shut the water off cleanly for every repair that follows. If it's seized solid and won't budge with gentle, patient effort, stop and call a plumber rather than forcing it; a snapped valve means a flood you can't turn off yourself. Once it turns smoothly, you're set up to isolate water for the whole project.

RULES

1 can · Penetrating oil

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KNOW THE RULES

If the stopcock sits in a chamber outside your property boundary, it may belong to the water company, not you. Contact them rather than forcing it yourself.

AB-03Fix every dripping tapGo tap by tap. For older taps with a separate head and spindle, follow 'Fix a dripping tap by replacing the washer'. For taps with a single lever that moves smoothly with no separate washer, follow 'Fix a dripping tap with a ceramic disc cartridge' instead. Isolate each tap (or the whole supply if there's no isolation valve) before you start, and work through kitchen, bathroom and any outside taps in one session while your tools are already out.

4 each · Tap washers (assorted sizes)

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2 each · Ceramic disc cartridges

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1 tube · Silicone grease

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AB-04Sort out leaking radiator valvesFollow 'Fix a leaking radiator valve' for each radiator that weeps from the valve body or the spindle. Do this on a day the heating has been off for a while so the pipework is cool and you're not scalded by hot water. Check each repaired valve again after the heating has run for an hour, since a slow weep can take a while to show itself.

2 each · Radiator valve O-ring or gland packing kit

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1 roll · PTFE tape

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AB-05Stop the toilet from runningFollow 'Fix a toilet that keeps running' first, since adjusting or replacing the float and fill valve solves most running toilets on its own. If it still runs after that, the flush valve itself is worn and you'll need 'Replace a toilet flush valve' as well. Doing them in this order saves you buying and fitting a flush valve you might not have needed.

1 each · Fill valve (float valve)

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1 each · Toilet flush valve kit

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AB-06Fix leaking sink wastesFollow 'Fix a leaking sink waste' for any sink, basin or kitchen sink where water drips from under the unit rather than from the tap. Check the joint again after running a full bowl of water through it and letting it drain, since a slow weep under load often shows up only then. If the waste pipe itself is cracked or badly corroded rather than just a loose joint, replace the whole waste rather than patching it.

2 each · Sink waste washers (assorted)

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1 tube · Plumber's putty or silicone sealant

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AB-07Reseal the bath lastLeave 'Reseal the bath' until the end, once the rest of the plumbing in that bathroom is sorted and you're not going to disturb the new seal by working nearby. Old sealant needs to come out cleanly and the gap needs to be bone dry before new sealant goes in, so do this on a day you can leave the bathroom unused for 24 hours. A rushed seal that gets wet too soon is the most common reason this job fails.

1 tube · Sanitary silicone sealant

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1 each · Sealant removal tool or scraper

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1 roll · Masking tape

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AB-08Test everything and check again the next dayTurn the water back on at the stopcock, run every tap, flush every toilet, and run the heating for an hour to put every repair under real pressure. Check back the next day, not just straight away, since slow weeps often only show up after the joint has had time to move or cool. If anything is still dripping after a second attempt at the right guide, or you find damp you can't explain, call a plumber before it damages flooring or a ceiling below.

1 roll · Kitchen roll (for leak checks)

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