Kitchen (EE)

Faulty appliances or plumbing, burst, blocked or broken pipes and drains can lead to undetected leaks, excess water in your home or, in the worst case, flooding.  Leaks can lead to slips and falls and can also be a fire risk if the water is leaking near any electrics. If you have a leak or a flood in your home, it may also mean that there is excessive moisture in the air for a prolonged period whilst the problem is found and resolved. This may lead to further problems with condensation, damp and mould.

Damp can pose health risks as it can lead to high humidity and mould growth. Breathing in mould spores can cause respiratory problems and can worsen existing health conditions such as allergies and asthma. Some groups of people, such as children and babies and people with medical conditions such as asthma, can be at greater risk, so it is important to tackle condensation, damp and mould.

Free To try and reduce the chance of blockages in pipework and drains, avoid putting oils and fats down the sink. Look at your pipework, plumbing and appliances every so often to make sure there are no apparent problems. Make sure you know where to turn off your water supply. If you have had a leak, make sure you are ventilating your home by opening doors and windows.

£ Use sink and drain strainers to reduce the chance of blockages. Fix any small problems you see early to avoid them becoming worse. Use a plunger to remove small blockages in your sink.

££ Purchase or hire a dehumidifier if you need to try and dry out a room quickly: industrial ones can be found if you have had a serious leak or flood. Consider investing in a reputable maintenance/repair plan or insurance to minimise potential one-off expensive repair bills.

Check out the Good Home Lincs pages on Plumbing (especially the drop-down section on General Plumbing Advice).

Read the Good Home Lincs Guide to condensation, damp and mould

Check out the Good Home Lincs information on Common hazards to find out more about how to manage damp and mould in your home.