Plumbing in Withywood

Withywood is a large estate begun in the 1950s, bordered by Hartcliffe and Bishopsworth and lying just north of Dundry Hill. Shops on Queen’s Road and Four Acres Road serve the area, and the River Malago runs through it before disappearing into a culvert. Most homes date from the decades after the war, with newer flats and retirement housing added more recently. It shares an electoral ward with Hartcliffe, and the two are often talked about together, though each has its own centre. The Merchants Academy schools are also here, and the area has its own health centre at the Withywood Centre.

Houses of that era often have the plumbing grouped together, with the bathroom above or close to the kitchen and a single soil stack carrying waste down to the drain. It’s a tidy arrangement and easy to work on, but it also means one blockage can affect the whole house. Many homes now have combination boilers and modern bathrooms fitted into the original layout, so new pipes connect to older supplies and drains. Where those connections were rushed, small leaks can run unnoticed under floors for a long time. A stain on the kitchen ceiling under the bathroom is one of the most common things we’re called to look at, and it usually points to a bath, shower tray or toilet seal.

Common Withywood jobs

• Blocked soil stacks and toilets
• Kitchen drain blockages from grease and food waste
• Shower and bath leaks into the kitchen ceiling
• Slow-running taps and blocked aerators
• Outside drain and gully clearing

Living below the hill

Being at the foot of Dundry Hill, Withywood takes plenty of run-off in wet weather. Surface water heading downhill can find its way to gullies, yard drains and air bricks, especially where a drain is already partly blocked with leaves, silt or grease. Keeping outside grates clear helps a lot. If a drain backs up during heavy rain, the cause may be a blockage on your own pipe or a problem in the public sewer further along. We can check your side with rods or jetting and tell you which it is, so you only call the water company when it really is their problem. Clearing a slow drain before winter is a simple way to avoid trouble during the next storm.

Plumbing services in Withywood

• Emergency plumbing: burst pipes and serious leaks, aiming to arrive within the hour
• Blocked drains: sinks, toilets, gullies and manholes
• Leak repair: pipes, joints and appliance connections
• Radiators and heating: valves, cold spots and system pressure (no gas work)
• Taps and toilets: drips, running cisterns and replacements
• Bathroom and kitchen plumbing