Lever mixers
The cartridge is swapped for one of the same size and shape. They are not universal, so the old one is usually taken out first and matched in the shop.
Small plumbing jobs · Taps, mixers, cisterns and toilets
Toilet and tap repair for drips, running cisterns and old mixers
Toilet and tap repair covers the everyday faults that make a flat annoying to live in: dripping taps, weak flow, leaks around a tap base, cisterns that never stop running, loose toilets and tired mixers or hoses. The price depends on how many items there are and which parts they need, and we quote from a list with photos. Book by phone, text or WhatsApp, with coordination in English.
- Taps, mixers, shower heads and aerators
- Cisterns, fill valves and flush mechanisms
- Loose toilets and worn seals
- Several small jobs handled in one visit
Taps
Dripping taps and what is worn inside them
A tap that drips after it is fully closed almost always has a worn internal part. In a single-lever mixer that is usually the ceramic cartridge. In an older tap with separate hot and cold handles it is usually the washer or the valve head under each handle.
A slow drip feels harmless, but it adds up over days and weeks on your water bill. If the drip is from the hot side, your electric water heater is also quietly reheating water that goes straight down the drain. Scale marks and a brown stain under the spout are the other giveaways.
Two-handle taps
Common in Soviet-era kitchens and bathrooms. The rubber washer or the whole valve head is replaced, and the seat it presses against is checked for damage.
Shower diverters
When water keeps coming out of the bath spout while the shower runs, the diverter inside the mixer is worn or scaled and can often be serviced or replaced.
Weak flow
Low flow from scaled aerators and shower heads
If one tap has turned into a trickle while the rest of the flat has decent pressure, the cause is usually at the end of the spout. The small mesh insert there, called the aerator, catches grit and scale. Old steel pipes send flakes of rust into it every time the supply is cut and restored, and hard water coats the mesh with mineral deposits.
A quick check you can do yourself
Most aerators unscrew by hand, or with a cloth wrapped around them to protect the finish. Rinse out the grit, then soak the mesh in white vinegar for an hour to soften the scale. The same trick works for a shower head that sprays sideways or has blocked nozzles. If the aerator is cracked or will not come off, it is an inexpensive part to replace.
When every tap in the flat is weak, the problem is further back, in the supply pipes, a half-closed valve or the building's pressure. That is covered on our main plumber page, in the section on old steel pipes.
Under the sink
Leaking tap bases and the flexible hoses behind them
Water that appears around the base of a tap, or in a puddle inside the cabinet, usually comes from one of three places. Each needs a slightly different fix, so it is worth looking before you call.
- The tap body. Water seeps out around the lever or the swivel spout when the tap is in use. The internal O-rings or seals are worn.
- The mounting. The tap wobbles on the worktop or basin and water gets under it. The fixing underneath has come loose, and the seal under the base may need renewing.
- The hoses. The two braided hoses connecting the tap to the wall valves weep at their ends or show rust spots on the braid.
Flexible hoses deserve special attention. They are cheap and easy to overlook, but they age from the inside, and an old one can split without warning under full pressure. If yours are stiff, kinked or discolored, it is sensible to replace them during any tap job. The small angle valves they connect to are worth testing at the same time, since a valve that will not turn is no help when you need it. If a hose has already let go, the emergency plumber page explains the first steps.
Toilets
Running toilets, fill valves and flush mechanisms
A cistern has two main parts. The fill valve lets water in and stops at the right level. The flush mechanism holds the water back until you press the button.
| What you notice | Likely cause | Typical fix |
|---|---|---|
| A thin stream running into the bowl all the time | The flush valve seal is worn or scaled and no longer closes | Clean or replace the seal, or the whole flush mechanism |
| A hissing sound, and water running into the overflow | The fill valve does not shut off at the right level | Adjust or replace the fill valve |
| The cistern refills by itself every so often | A slow leak past the flush seal | Replace the seal or the drop valve |
| The button has to be held, or pressed twice | A worn link or a mechanism set too low | Adjust or replace the button assembly |
| The cistern fills very slowly | Scale or grit in the fill valve inlet | Clean the filter or fit a new valve |
Hidden cisterns in newer flats
Many new-build and renovated flats have a concealed cistern inside the wall, with only the flush plate showing. The mechanism is reached by removing that plate, so a repair rarely needs tiles broken, but the parts must match the frame's make. A photo of the plate and, if possible, the markings behind it helps a great deal.
A toilet that runs quietly can waste a surprising amount of water. Our leak detection page describes a simple dye test that tells you whether yours is leaking into the bowl.
Loose toilets
A wobbly toilet is more than an annoyance
A toilet should not move at all when you sit on it. If it rocks, the floor fixings have loosened or the base was never properly bedded, and every movement strains the seal between the toilet outlet and the soil pipe. Sooner or later that seal lets a little water through with each flush, usually under the floor where nobody sees it until a stain appears on the neighbor's ceiling.
- Tightening or replacing the floor bolts and caps
- Renewing the connector or seal to the soil pipe if it is cracked or shifted
- Bedding the base properly and finishing it with a neat line of silicone
- Checking the floor itself, since a soft or broken tile under the toilet can be the real cause
A smell around the base of the toilet, or a damp patch that returns after mopping, points to the same seal. It is a good reason not to wait.
Upgrades
Replacing old mixers and flexible hoses
Sometimes a repair is not worth it. An old mixer with a corroded body, a cartridge that is no longer sold, or a chrome finish that is peeling away is usually better replaced. The same goes for a cistern mechanism that has been patched several times.
- 1
Photograph what is there
Include the connections underneath or behind, not just the front. For wall-mounted bath mixers, the distance between the two pipe connections matters.
- 2
Choose the replacement
Pick a new mixer, or ask the plumber to check your choice first. A basin tap and a kitchen tap are not interchangeable, and some models need a higher water pressure than older buildings provide.
- 3
Buy the small parts too
New flexible hoses of the right length, and new angle valves if the old ones are stiff. Parts are usually bought by the customer unless another arrangement is agreed when booking.
- 4
Fit and test
The old unit comes off, the new one goes on, and every joint is checked under pressure before the plumber leaves.
Replacing a mixer on an electric water heater line, or fitting new hoses to the heater, often goes together with a look at the heater's own valves. Our water heater installation page covers that side.
Rented flats
Small jobs that come up in rented flats
Anyone who has rented a few flats in Vake, Saburtalo or Vera knows the pattern: a flat looks great at the viewing, and in the first week you find a tap that drips, a toilet that runs and a shower head that sprays everywhere except at you. None of it is urgent, but together it makes daily life irritating.
Before calling anyone, message your landlord with a photo of each fault. Many landlords are happy for the tenant to arrange the repair, while others prefer to send someone they know. Whether the tenant or the landlord pays is up to your agreement, and an early message with dated photos avoids disagreement at the end of the lease, when a move-out clean and the deposit conversation come around.
For hosts, the same small faults turn into guest complaints. A running toilet at 2 a.m. or a shower that barely flows is exactly what ends up in a review. Pairing a quick plumbing check with your Airbnb cleaning schedule helps you catch them between bookings.
Save time
Grouping small jobs into one visit
Each small fix may take only a short time, but every visit also involves travel, parking and setting up. It is almost always better value to collect everything that bothers you and have it done in one go.
Walk through the flat
Turn on every tap, flush every toilet and run the shower. Note anything that drips, hisses, wobbles or runs slowly.
Photograph each item
One clear picture each, plus a note on what happens. For a cistern, lift the lid and take a picture inside.
Send it as one message
A single WhatsApp message or email with the whole list lets us estimate the time, quote the visit and tell you which parts to buy in advance.
If the list includes a blocked or slow drain, add it too. Our drain cleaning page explains what the plumber needs to know about those.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth fixing a single dripping tap?
Yes, especially on the hot side, where the drip also wastes the energy used to heat it. If you have other small faults, add them to the same visit.
Can a running toilet be fixed without replacing the whole cistern?
Nearly always. The fill valve and the flush mechanism can be replaced separately, and the ceramic cistern itself rarely needs changing unless it is cracked.
My toilet cistern is hidden in the wall. Can it still be repaired?
Usually, yes. The mechanism is reached through the opening behind the flush plate. Send a photo of the plate so the right parts can be identified.
Do I need to buy the parts myself?
Usually, yes, from a list the plumber gives you after seeing the photos. Some parts, like cartridges, are easier to match once the old one is out. Another arrangement can be agreed when booking.
How often should flexible hoses be replaced?
There is no fixed date, but hoses that are stiff, rusty, kinked or of unknown age are worth replacing, particularly when the tap or toilet they serve is being worked on anyway.
Should I ask my landlord before booking?
Yes, send them photos first and agree who arranges and pays. For something that is actively leaking, close the small valve under the fixture and let them know at the same time.
Can you do several flats in one building?
Yes. Landlords and hosts with more than one property can list each flat's items together, and we will plan the visits accordingly.
Contact
Send us your list
A photo of each item and a short note are enough for us to quote the visit.
Send a short description
List the taps, toilets or hoses that need attention and your district. Photos can follow by WhatsApp.
Next step
A few small things to fix?
Send the list with photos, and we will arrange one visit for all of it.