Outdoor Plumbing
Outside taps, garden pipes, hosepipes and rainwater systems
10 free DIY guides · 17 total
Outside taps, garden hosepipe connections, and external stop valves are often the most neglected part of a UK home's plumbing — until they freeze in winter or start leaking in spring. Installing an outdoor tap requires an inline double-check valve under UK water regulations (Water Fittings Regulations 1999), and the fitting should ideally be isolated and drained each autumn to prevent frost damage. These guides cover fitting and draining outside taps, dealing with frozen outdoor pipes, outside stop valves that have seized, rainwater goods, and external drainage issues including blocked gullies and manhole overflow.
How much does it cost to fit an outside tap in the UK?
UK prices for outside tap installation — supply and fit, pipe runs, and whether you need a check valve.
Blocked inspection chamber or manhole — how to clear it
Clearing a blocked drain inspection chamber and understanding what you're looking at
Drain Smell Outside the House — What's Causing It?
Bad egg or sewage smell near the outside of the house, near drains or inspection chambers
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