We’ve all been there… something as pesky as a loose toilet seat or a leaking tap, and thoughts turn to how much a plumber will charge to come and fix it.
Especially if you’re not handy around the house, and your DIY skills are more ditch it than make do and mend.
As Ross Bliben, sales director at Bathroom Spare Parts in the UK, puts it: "For most of us, when something goes wrong in our bathroom, we tend to think it has to be fully replaced."
"The rip and replace approach has meant that many toilet seats, shower fixtures and taps end up in landfill each year.
"When, the chances are, with a simple spare part, the existing seat [or fixture] could have been fixed for just a few pounds."
While many of these fixes can be done yourself with the help of a couple of online video tutorials, Bliben says if you’re dealing with multiple issues at once – or don’t feel confident – it can be more cost-effective to have a plumber take care of everything in one visit.
But before you call in a pro, Bliben, who has more than 15 years of experience in the bathroom industry; supporting both trade and retail customers nationwide, shares his expert tips to help get the job done…
1. Leaking tap
A worn ceramic cartridge or washer usually causes a constant drip from a tap, explains Bliben. While you might think this means you need to rip and replace, he says it’s actually a pretty quick fix.
"To fix a leaky tap, you need to replace the internal cartridge – a simple swap once the tap is isolated. Most modern taps use a ceramic disc cartridge rather than a traditional rubber washer.
"When this wears out, it can’t be repaired individually, but it can be easily replaced as a single unit," he explains.
These cartridges come in different sizes and types depending on your tap, and are widely available. Bliben says they’re designed to be swapped out without replacing the whole tap.
There are also plenty of step-by-step video tutorials online to guide you through the process, he adds.
The tap body itself is rarely the issue, explains Bliben. "It’s a small internal component doing all the work, and one which can easily be replaced."
2. Loose or broken toilet seat
If your toilet seat is moving from side to side, or the soft-close is failing, you can fix it…
Bliben says the first step is to tighten or replace fastenings and washers. "Most will have a screw underneath, which is fitted by a screw-on fixer and then a washer.
"First, try tightening the screw part – this should tighten everything up and stop it from moving.
"If you’ve tightened it and it’s still moving, chances are you need to replace the screw-up part and the washer."
As long as the actual screw attached to the seat is in place, he says the other components can all be replaced.
3. Toilet constantly running
Do you have water trickling into the pan after flushing?
You might not even notice it at first, but this can end up costing you extra water, especially if it’s left unnoticed for a long period of time, warns Bliben.
Moreover, he says you can often lose up to 200 to 400 litres of water a day – and potentially hundreds a year if it goes unnoticed.
"In most cases, it's just a degraded seal, which is s a 10-minute fix."
If you’re unsure, "flush the toilet and once you think it’s stopped running, place a couple of pieces of toilet paper on the back wall of the pan… if it stays there, it’s not leaking.
"If it ends up in the bowl, you have a leak," he warns.
4. Weak shower temperature or fluctuating heat
Is your shower going hot and cold, or not reaching full temperature?
"This is usually a sign you need to replace the thermostatic cartridge inside the valve. You can do this yourself as long as you turn the water off and drain down the system," he explains.
To do this, Bliben says to turn your water off at the stopcock, usually found under the kitchen sink. Then turn your taps on upstairs and down, until there’s no water left in the system.
In most cases, he says the shower itself is fine. "It’s just the cartridge doing the regulating that needs replacing, especially if the shower is on the older side."
At the end of the day, one of the biggest advantages of these simple fixes is they have longevity.
"Not only can they save you money on installation costs and replacements, but can also save you money on your water and heating bills," highlights Bliben.
"Think of it as a bathroom health check."
