You do not need a van full of tools to handle the first few minutes of a plumbing emergency. A handful of inexpensive items, kept somewhere easy to reach, can stop a leak getting worse until a plumber arrives. Here is what we recommend keeping at home. Think of it as a plumbing emergency kit for your home.
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1. A labelled stopcock
Not something you buy, but the most important item on the list. Find your stopcock, check it turns, and label it so anyone in the house can use it. If it is stiff or seized, get it replaced before you need it.
2. A torch
Leaks often mean switching off electrics, and stopcocks live in dark cupboards. Keep a torch with working batteries near the stopcock.
3. Old towels and a bucket
Simple, but they make a real difference to how much water reaches floors and ceilings.
4. Self-amalgamating repair tape
This rubbery tape bonds to itself and can slow a pinhole leak or a weeping joint temporarily. It is not a permanent fix, but it buys time.
5. A plunger
A cup plunger for sinks and a flange plunger for toilets will clear many simple blockages without a call-out.
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6. An adjustable spanner
Useful for tightening a loose compression fitting or closing a stiff isolation valve with a little extra leverage.
7. A flat-head screwdriver
Many isolation valves under sinks and toilets are turned with a flat-head screwdriver. A quarter turn is usually all it takes to stop water to one fitting.
8. Your plumber’s number
Save it in your phone and write it on a card inside the kit. In a real emergency, you will be glad you did.
Where to keep your plumbing emergency kit
Store everything together near the stopcock, often under the kitchen sink or in a hallway cupboard. In a flat, make sure you also know where the building’s communal isolation valves are, or who to call to reach them.
Frequently asked questions
Can repair tape fix a burst pipe?
It can slow a small leak temporarily, but a burst pipe needs a proper repair.
What are isolation valves?
Small valves on the pipes to individual taps, toilets and appliances, so you can shut off one fitting without turning off the whole house.
Should I keep a spare stopcock key?
If your home relies on an outside stop tap, a key can be useful, but it is best to have an internal stopcock fitted.
