Common plumbing problems
Start with the symptom. These pages explain useful checks, likely fault paths and when a plumber should investigate.
No Hot Water
No hot water can result from electrical supply, controls, valves, a failed element or thermostat, or a broader hot-water system fault.
Toilet Keeps Running
Continuous toilet flow usually points to a cistern control or sealing problem, but the exact component depends on the cistern design.
Drain Smells
Drain odours can come from a dry trap, fouling, defective seals, poor venting or a drainage problem further downstream.
Banging Pipes and Water Hammer
Banging or knocking can result from rapid valve closure, pressure changes, loose pipework or other hydraulic effects.
Dripping Tap
The correct repair depends on whether the fitting uses a washer, ceramic cartridge, mixer cartridge or another internal control.
Burst Flexible Hose
Flexible connectors can release large volumes of water quickly, so safe isolation and damage limitation come first.
Geyser Overflow or Discharge Pipe Dripping
Some valve discharge can occur during heating, but continuous or heavy flow can indicate a control, pressure or valve problem.
Slow Draining Shower
Hair and soap deposits are common, but repeated slow drainage can indicate a deeper restriction or pipe-route problem.
Suspected Leaking Pipe in a Wall
Dampness does not by itself prove a concealed supply-pipe leak; drainage, waterproofing and external water can produce similar symptoms.
Suddenly High Water Bill
A high bill is evidence of increased recorded consumption, not proof of a concealed pipe leak. Start by ruling out common continuous water users.
Gurgling Drains
Drains that gurgle or draw air can indicate restricted flow, venting effects or a developing blockage.
Leak Under the Kitchen Sink
Water below a sink can come from supply connectors, mixer tails, wastes, traps, appliance hoses or water tracking from another point.
Toilet Will Not Fill Properly
A toilet that fills slowly or not at all may have an isolation, inlet-valve, pressure or cistern-component problem.
Shower Leaking Into the Ceiling Below
Water below a shower can come from supply fittings, wastes, overflows, seals, waterproofing or nearby pipework.
Low Hot-Water Pressure
Low pressure on the hot side only can point to restrictions or components in the hot-water system rather than the incoming supply.
Water in or Around a Geyser Tray
Water near a geyser needs source identification because the cylinder, valves, pipework or another nearby source may be responsible.
No Water From One Tap
When other fixtures still have water, the fault is often local to the tap, valve, flexible connection, strainer or branch serving that fixture.
Toilet Leaking Around the Base
Water around the base of a toilet may be from the cistern, supply, pan connector, seals or condensation rather than the pan itself.
Damp Wall Near Plumbing
Dampness near pipe routes can result from a concealed leak, waste leak, waterproofing failure, condensation or moisture from another source.
Several Drains Are Slow at the Same Time
When multiple fixtures drain slowly together, the restriction may be farther downstream than an individual trap or waste.
Hot Water Runs Out Quickly
Hot water that runs out sooner than expected can be related to demand, temperature control, heating performance or the hot-water system itself.
Whistling or Squealing Pipes
Whistling can be associated with restrictions, valves, flow velocity or specific fittings and should be traced to when and where it occurs.
Water Stain on the Ceiling
A ceiling stain may come from plumbing, a bathroom above, a roof or another moisture source, so timing and controlled testing matter.
Basin Drains Slowly
A slow basin may have a local trap or waste restriction, but recurring symptoms can justify checking the branch drainage and how the fixture is used.
Weak Toilet Flush
A weak flush can involve the cistern water level, flush mechanism, pan design, obstruction or downstream drainage rather than a single universal cause.
Water Meter Moves When Everything Is Off
Unexpected meter movement is a useful clue that water is being used somewhere, but it does not identify the source by itself.
Water Pressure Changes During the Day
Pressure that varies by time can reflect supply conditions, demand, controls or system restrictions and should be measured before changes are specified.