General Plumbing in Stratton St Margaret

It can. On tank-fed systems some taps and the toilet run from the loft tank, so turning off the stop tap alone won't stop every leak. There's usually a valve on the pipe leaving the tank. How your system is fed matters before any work starts.

In many older homes, the kitchen cold tap is mains-fed while upstairs taps run from a loft tank, so the pressure is naturally lower. A partly closed valve or scaled tap can make it worse. Ask and I'll explain what's normal for your setup and what's a fault.

Green deposits on copper joints often point to a slow weep or corrosion around the fitting. It's worth looking at before it gets worse. Whether the joint can be remade or a short section of pipe needs replacing depends on its condition, and any repair should be tested afterwards.

It can be. When a combi goes in, old tank pipework is sometimes left capped in the loft or airing cupboard. Redundant pipes are best removed or capped properly, with what's left clipped and isolated where it should be, so send a photo and I'll say what I can help with.

Yes. Old bath taps can be tricky to remove, especially where the connections have corroded. Sometimes they have to be cut off carefully and new connectors fitted. Check whether the bath panel comes off easily, as that's usually the way to reach the connections.

Find where the water is coming from if you can do so safely, and check whether it's clean water from a pipe or tap. Look at the boiler pressure too, as a falling gauge can mean a heating leak. Then close the stop tap if water is escaping and get in touch.

Leaks under a close-coupled cistern usually come from the seal or the bolts holding the cistern to the pan. Put a towel down, turn off the isolating valve on the toilet supply and send a photo and I'll say what I can help with.

Yes, though it needs care. If pipes run under laminate or engineered boards, an access point such as a panel, a cupboard floor or the edge of a room is the first place to look. Let me know what flooring you have when you get in touch so I can plan.

Yes. Stratton St Margaret sits between my base in Highworth and Swindon, and Blunsdon and Old Town are close by too. All of them are in my area. Send your postcode with the job details and I'll take it from there.

Any leak should be made safe first. The first steps are isolating the water and checking for any risk to electrics, then tracing the leak to its source. Once the cause is clear, the repair can be talked through with you before anything is done.