Small plumbing jobs and repairs

Examples of small plumbing jobs

It pays to fix a small fault early. A seeping joint or a running toilet wastes water, and a leak that goes on for a long time can cause moisture damage.

A running toilet is often caused by a worn fill valve or a worn seal on the flush valve, and the fault can usually be fixed without replacing the whole toilet. When a new toilet makes more sense is covered in our article on toilet replacement cost. A sink that drains slowly, on the other hand, may have a blocked or badly fitted trap.

Typical small jobs are listed below. If what you need is not on the list, ask anyway – a short description and a photo of the problem help us assess what kind of job it is.

• repairing a leaking joint in the kitchen or bathroom
• replacing a shut-off valve or angle valve
• replacing the trap under a washbasin or kitchen sink
• repairing a toilet fill valve or flush mechanism
• installing or replacing a washing machine tap
• replacing the connection hose of a tap (faucet) or toilet

Keep your valves in working order

Shut-off and angle valves often go untouched for years. They can stiffen up or start leaking just when you need them. If a valve does not close properly, even a small repair may require shutting off the water to the whole flat or even the whole stairwell.

A working valve is a small but important part of preventing water damage. The connection hoses of taps and toilets also age, so it is worth checking them at the same time. When you replace a tap, for example, the old valves are easy to renew along with it.

A washing machine tap usually has a built-in non-return valve that stops water from the machine flowing back into the water supply. Extra protection comes from a leak tray under the dishwasher and a leak detector that sounds an alarm when water reaches the floor.

In a housing company or detached house

In a block of flats, find out in advance whether your flat has its own shut-off valves. If not, the water shut-off is arranged with the maintenance company (huoltoyhtiö) in good time, as other residents are usually notified of shut-offs in advance.

Your housing company's (taloyhtiö) division of responsibilities table (vastuunjakotaulukko) shows whether a repair is the flat owner's or the company's responsibility. Risers and their valves, for example, are usually the housing company's responsibility. If you notice a leak, also report it to the property manager (isännöitsijä) or the maintenance company. Our guide to a water leak at home explains what to do first.

In a detached house, the property's water and drain pipes are your own responsibility. Find out where the main water valve is and try turning it now and then – if there is a leak, it is the first thing you will need. Before the frosts, close the indoor valve for the outdoor tap and drain the tap, unless it is a frost-proof model.

Price and planning the visit

Small plumbing jobs are priced as a quote according to the scope of the work, and the price is agreed before work starts. Extra fittings, valves and hoses are charged separately. You can claim the household tax credit (kotitalousvähennys) for the labour part if the repair is your responsibility rather than the housing company's.

Make a list of everything that needs fixing at home, so several small jobs can be done during the same visit. If you know the make and model of the tap, toilet or valve, tell us, so it is easier to bring the right parts. Appliance connections, tap replacement and toilet replacement have fixed prices, which you can see on the prices page.

If the same faults keep recurring and the pipes are very old, it is worth considering a larger repair. In a block of flats, that usually means the housing company's pipe renovation (linjasaneeraus); in a detached house, for example, replacing the domestic water pipes.