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One of the most frequent plumbing issues we come across in homes at Emergency Plumbers is poor water pressure, when your ‘power’ shower is more of a dribble it can be a severe annoyance!

So how can you boost water pressure and why is water pressure low in so many areas.

The UK existing mains water has had its pressure reduced to combat leaks, also where more homes and buildings are being built the existing network cannot deal with the increase in water demand. This problem is particularly prevalent at peak usage times and is increasingly becoming a frustration for many homeowners across the country.

A great starting point is looking at your heating system. If you have a combi/megaflow boiler system your only real choice is to boost your whole house, even if it’s just a bathroom tap that needs boosting.

If you have a gravity fed system then you can choose to boost just a single shower or tap but if you have more than one outlet to boost, it is more efficient boosting the whole house. We would always recommend boosting the whole home, its better to do the job properly the first time around!

You can increase water pressure by installing a break tank, this will give you a reservoir of water to boost water from (You cannot add a pump directly to the mains.)

You can then add a pump a control unit to the tank.

The average home will need a 200-litre tank.

Increasing water pressure in your home is easily achievable, we certainly wouldn’t recommend the average DIYer to attempt this job, so give us a call today, we can provide you with a quotation and advice on increasing water pressure in your home. We service St Albans, Watford, Bushey, Barnet, Edgware, Borehamwood and the surrounding areas. See our website now for a list of our services: http://www.emergency-plumbers-edgware.co.uk/service

We have all been there, the dreaded blocked toilet. If you do not have a plunger don’t worry, you can use other household items instead! Please see our Emergency Plumbers guide here:

1. Cover a mop head or toilet brush with a plastic bag. Wrap the bag securely around the end of the brush, you can then tie it up using string or a rubber band. Proceed to plunge the plastic bag end in and out of the toilet exactly as you would with a plunger, this should have the same effect! Simply take the plastic bag off when you are finished and pop it in the bin.

2. Another way to unblock your toilet would be to use a spare metal coat hanger, use one coated in plastic if you can to avoid any scratching. If you do not have one cover it in tape.

You can then push the coat hanger into the toilet and try and remove the blockage, this may be more effective than the plunger depending on the type of blockage you have. It may take several minutes to clear the entire blockage, make sure you throw away the hanger after and not use for hanging up your favourite jacket!

3. Don’t fancy getting your hands dirty? We don’t blame you, here at Emergency Plumbers we know it can be a grim job. You can try and use vinegar and baking soda – mix equal amounts of each to a container or bowl. Normal baking soda and white vinegar will work fine. The mixture will start to fizz. Pour the now fizzing mixture down the toilet and leave for around 10 minutes. The fizzing can help break up toilet blockages, If it does not work first time you can repeat the action.

4. If your toilet is overflowing now, we would highly recommend getting a bucket and emptying the contents of the toilet bowl into a sink or drain (wear gloves!) to avoid further mess and disgustingness on your bathroom.

Then try and unblock your toilet using a plunger or any of the methods described above. If the problem persists, please do give us at Emergency Plumbers a call on 020 800 40 999 or see our website for more details – http://www.emergency-plumbers-edgware.co.uk/services/blocked-drains-edgware/

Please note all the above advice is just a guide or quick fix to help you now, you will need a professional plumber to unclear bad blockages. Here at Emergency Plumbers we are happy to help unblock toilets in St Albans, Watford, Edgware, Borehamwood, Barnet, Bushey, Luton and the surrounding areas.