Emergency plumber in Hampstead

Hampstead is built on a hill, and that shapes the plumbing problems we see here. The highest point in inner London is on the Heath, about 137 metres up, and homes on the top of the village feel a cold snap before the rest of the city does. Lofts, north-facing walls and the pipes that run through unheated cellars are the first to freeze, and a frozen pipe usually splits when it thaws.

Old houses, old pipework

The village grew over three centuries, from the Georgian terraces of Church Row and the cottages of Flask Walk and Well Walk to the large Victorian houses of Frognal and Fitzjohn’s Avenue. Plenty of them still hide old pipework. Thames Water says homes built before 1970 may have lead pipes, which are dull grey, have rounded swollen joints and show silver if you scratch them. If you find lead near your stopcock, we can tell you what replacing it would involve. A failing lead joint is a common cause of a leak that seems to come from nowhere.

Many of the big houses are now flats, so the leak is often not yours. Water from a bathroom upstairs runs along a joist and appears through a ceiling rose two rooms away. We trace it to the source. If the source is in a neighbour’s flat or a shared pipe, we make your home safe and explain exactly what needs fixing and by whom.

Hard water and hot water

Hampstead’s water is hard, and limescale builds up in hot water cylinders, immersion heaters and valves. A cylinder that bangs, runs lukewarm or trips the electrics is often scaled up. We aim to get hot water back on the first visit, and we tell you honestly whether a part is worth repairing or is near the end of its life.

When the storms come

Hampstead holds a place in British weather history. The storm of August 1975 was one of the most intense downpours ever recorded in the country, and in July 2021 flash floods reached South End Green and the streets around it. Heavy rain can overwhelm old drains and send water into basements and lower ground floor flats. If water is coming in from outside, turn off the electrics in that part of the home first, then call us.

Working in a conservation area

Most of Hampstead is covered by conservation areas: Hampstead itself, Fitzjohns Netherhall, and Redington and Frognal. Camden also has Article 4 directions here that remove some of the usual rights to alter the outside of homes. Inside the house this rarely matters. Outside, it means a new flue or a pipe on a front wall can need planning permission, so we check with you before anything changes on the outside of the building.

If you are anywhere from Heath Street to Rosslyn Hill and water is going where it should not, call 07862 142953 or WhatsApp us a photo. Read what to do about a burst pipe while you wait.