Plumber In Ripley, Belper, Alfreton, Derbyshire

As a leading plumber in Ripley, Derbyshire, we like to give handy hints and tips on everything plumbing related; from leaky pipes, to conserving water, cleaning sinks and toilets to the efficient use of your boiler. So here are our top plumbing tips to help you in your home.

	To prevent stop cocks from seizing up, we would recommend turning them off and back on twice a year. This will help to ensure that, in the event of any disaster, you will be able to switch off your water supply without any problems.
Regularly check taps for leaks. Leaky taps can slowly loosen over time, wasting water and costing more. By checking for leaks, especially in rarely used taps, you will be able to correct for minor problems before there is a major leak.
	To clean your shower head, fill a plastic bag with white vinegar and fasten it to the shower head with a rubber band. Leave it to soak overnight and remove the bag the next morning. It will be good as new!
A leaky toilet can increase your water usage by more than 40%! You'll want to repair the leak ASAP to save money on your water bill.
	Take more showers than baths. You use 15-25 gallons of hot water for a bath, but less than 10 gallons during a 5 minute shower.
A perished washer or valve will eventually fail. It's only a matter of time. Waiting to replace it may leave you with a large leak or even a flood of water. If you replace them now, you'll save time and money in the long run.
	Check your water meter when no water is being used, then check it again about eight hours later. If you meter has moved, that's a clear sign that you may have a leak.
The flexible hoses connecting appliances should be checked annually for signs of wear. A fair amount of pressure goes through these, so check the connections as well as the hose to make sure there are no drips, which could develop into a bigger problem.
	One of the most common causes of blocked drains in the bathroom is grime caused by hair and soap. Use strainers to stop hair and soap from entering the drains on showers, baths and sinks. Clean strainers regularly to avoid clogs.
Normal baby wipes should not be flushed down the toilet. These are not able to break down and can end up clogging the toilet drain. Use regular toilet paper or flushable toilet wipes instead.
	Make sure you know where your stop cocks are in your home. If you know where all stop cocks are in your home you can isolate the water supply quickly if there is a leak; before it causes too much damage.
In the height of summer many of us leave a sprinkler on to water the garden. A mechanical timer that attached directly onto your outdoor tap will help prevent you from over or under watering your garden.
	Have an older shower head? Did you know that you can save up to 7.5 gallons of water per minute by replacing it with a newer model?
To clean your dishwasher, pour 125ml of white vinegar into the detergent cup and simply run the empty machine for one full cycle.
	You can use half a lemon to rub away any hard water stains on your taps.
Letting Coke soak in your toilet is the easiest way to clean your toilet bowl.
	You can remove that gross tub ring by sprinkling the tub with salt and using half a piece of grapefruit as a scrubber.
Toilets and sinks require different types of plungers to remove clogs. Make sure you're using the correct one.
	Caulking is one of the first lines of defence against leaks. When caulking cracks, it must be reapplied in order to create a tight seal. Take off the old caulking and then reapply new caulking in a clean and straight line.
Sometimes a toilet's flush mechanism will fail and cause the water in the tank to constantly run. To stop this waste of water, turn off the water supply using the valve located behind the toilet, near the floor. The entire flush mechanism may need to be replaced, or it may simply need to be adjusted.
	When using a plunger on a blocked bath tub, always remember to block off the overflow.
Many single handle shower valves now include temperature balancing technology. This mean that when someone else in the house flushed the toilet you won't get a sudden change in temperature.
	When you tap drips from the spout you need to change the washer, a soft rubber material which is screwed down onto the valve seat. When your tap drips from the collar you need to change the 'O' ring, a washer found around the top of the spindle.
Before the cold weather sets in, don't forget to disconnect your hose pipes. Water left in the hoses can freeze and expand, causing taps and connecting pipes inside your home to freeze and break.