As autumn arrives, you will start to feel the crunch of coloured leaves under your feet, and Halloween creeping closer. You’ll probably start to transform your home too with little nods to the season here and there – pumpkins on the porch, cobwebs in the corners (a good excuse not to dust), autumnal flower displays, and flickering candles on the mantlepiece.
But, while you’re busy decorating for the spooky season, there could be a different kind of eerie lurking... in your plumbing and heating system.
Join us, as we step inside our plumbing and heating house of horrors, a haunted tour of all the plumbing and heating nightmares that can make even the bravest homeowner shiver. Each “room” hides a new fright, but don’t worry, we’ll show you how to exorcise the scares!
The Bathroom: The Phantom Flush
You’ve all heard it, a mysterious toilet flush in the dead of night. Heart racing, you tiptoe to the bathroom, half-expecting a ghost. But it’s not a spectre, it’s a silent leak.
A phantom flush might seem harmless, but over days and weeks, it can waste hundreds of litres of water. Not only is that environmentally unfriendly, but it can also leave your water bill looking like a horror story.
The solution is normally simple, a quick repair or replacing a faulty valve can banish this ghost forever.
The Utility Room: The Howling Boiler
Imagine sleepwalking past your boiler in the utility room at night and being startled awake by a mournful howl. This isn’t a werewolf (though it might sound like one), it’s your boiler struggling to cope.
Howling boilers can be caused by trapped air, pressure issues, or simply age. Ignoring the sounds can lead to cold mornings, higher bills, or even a system breakdown.
Top tip: Scheduling a boiler service will silence the howl, improve efficiency, and ensure your home stays toasty. Think of it as a way to keep your own little monster under control.
The Living Room: The Creeping Chill
There’s a chill that spreads through your living room in strange patterns, some radiators are hot, others icy cold, while some boast a few cold areas. It’s as if zombie fingers are creeping through your pipes, leaving a trail of cold spots in their wake.
These “zombie radiators” are usually caused by trapped air or a buildup of sludge inside the system. Left unchecked, they can make your heating inconsistent and less efficient, forcing you to wrap yourself in extra blankets just to stay warm, as well as pay more than you should when your energy build lands.
Our tip? Bleeding your radiators and flushing your system removes the “undead” blockages, restoring optimum warmth to every corner of your home.
The Kitchen: The Dripping Ghoul
That lonely drip from the tap… drip… drip… echoing through the night. Creepy? Absolutely. Dangerous? Maybe not, but it’s silently wasting water and money.
Even a small tap leak can waste thousands of litres of water a year, adding unnecessary cost to your bills and potentially encouraging damp problems if left unattended.
Our heating engineers would suggest, a small repair, new washer, or tap replacement to put this ghoul to rest.
The Hallway: Poltergeist Pipes
Sometimes the real horror lurks in the walls. Banging, knocking, or rattling pipes can sound like a poltergeist’s midnight antics. Loose pipe clips, sudden pressure changes, or expansion in hot water systems often cause these spooky sounds.
While terrifying at 2 a.m., these noises are rarely supernatural, but they are a warning. Ignoring them can lead to leaks or damage down the line.
What should you do? Asking a professional to properly secure or update your pipes should restore peace and quiet. No more midnight pipe concerts for you!
The Airing Cupboard Corner: The Silent Mould Monster
Not all horrors make noise. In dark, damp corners, hidden leaks or condensation can give rise to mould, the silent monster of many homes. Left unchecked, it can affect your health, stain surfaces, and spread quickly, turning cosy corners into a scary sight.
Try: Fixing leaks, controlling humidity, and checking hidden corners keeps this little monster at bay. With a few preventative steps, you can avoid unwelcome surprises this Halloween.
From Haunted House to Autumn Haven
The good news? Your home doesn’t have to stay haunted. A few simple checks and repairs can banish plumbing and heating horrors for good.
As you decorate for autumn, take a moment to think about your home’s hidden systems. Ensuring your heating is running efficiently and your plumbing is leak-free means the only chills you’ll feel in this Halloween are from the decorations you choose to put up, not a cold draught.
With over 50 years of experience, we’ve faced every phantom flush, howling boiler, and creeping chill imaginable so, “who you gonna call?”
Oliver Osmore has been part of Maintracts Services since 2001, following in his father’s footsteps. As Managing Director, he ensures the company runs smoothly, supports customers and engineers, and thrives on solving complex problems others can’t. Highly organised and approachable, Oliver works closely with customers to deliver tailored solutions, drawing on his extensive experience in plumbing, heating, and electrical services to resolve enquiries efficiently.
Since 1974, Maintracts Services has built a reputation for high-quality installation, maintenance, and repairs. Under Oliver’s leadership, the company remains committed to professionalism, safety, and customer satisfaction.