Pipework repair & replacement

Lead pipes in older homes

Bristol Water says that if your home was built before the 1970s, you could have lead pipework. Much of Brislington and Knowle, from the old village to the interwar estates, was built well before then.

Responsibility is split. Bristol Water owns the pipe from the main to the pavement stop tap. The supply pipe from that stop tap into your home is yours. Lead pipe is usually dull grey and soft. If you scratch it gently with a coin, it shows shiny silver.

Bristol Water runs a lead pipe replacement scheme, currently limited to part of its area, and treats the water to reduce how much lead it picks up. Check Bristol Water’s website to see whether you’re covered. If you’re not, or you’d rather not wait, replacing the supply pipe on your side is plumbing work we can quote for.

Other pipework jobs

• Repairing and replacing corroded or leaking sections
• Fitting new internal stop taps where the old one has seized
• Outside taps, with an isolation valve and drain-down for winter
• Fixing knocking, banging and noisy pipes
• Rerouting pipework for kitchen or bathroom changes

We work on water supply and waste pipework only. We don’t work on gas pipework.

Sources: Bristol Water, lead pipe guidance and lead pipe replacement scheme.

Copper, plastic and everything in between

Most homes now have a mix of pipe materials. Copper has been standard for decades. Plastic push-fit pipe is widely used for repairs and new runs. In older houses there may still be sections of lead or galvanised steel. Each material behaves differently. Copper can pinhole over time, push-fit joints need to be properly supported, and old steel can corrode from the inside, cutting the flow long before it leaks.

Where different materials meet, the joint matters. A well-made transition lasts for years, while a poor one is a common weak point. When we’re working on one section, we’ll tell you if what’s next to it looks likely to cause trouble.

Noisy pipes

Banging when a tap shuts off is usually water hammer, a pressure wave in the pipe. Creaking or ticking as hot water runs is often pipes expanding against joists or clips. Constant humming or whistling can point to a partly closed valve or high pressure. Noise on its own isn’t always a problem, but it can loosen joints and clips over time, and it’s often a quick fix.