Plumbing repairs and installations in Loughton

What is housing like in Loughton?

Loughton has two quite different halves. The older town grew along the edge of Epping Forest after the railway arrived in 1856, with Victorian and Edwardian houses on roads climbing the hills, and later twentieth century semis and detached houses filling the gaps. Epping Forest District Council has designated conservation areas at Baldwins Hill, Staples Road and York Hill.

Debden, to the north east, is a different story. In 1944 the London County Council bought more than 600 acres here and built the Debden estate between 1947 and 1952, rehousing Londoners after the war. It brought homes, The Broadway shopping parade and an industrial area together in one plan.

What plumbing questions come up on the Debden estate?

Homes built to one design tend to share the same weak points. Many have had a loft tank removed, a combination boiler added and the bathroom refitted, sometimes more than once, so the pipework is a mix of eras.

• original copper pipes that have thinned and started to weep
• waste pipes from the bath and basin joining an outside stack that may be shared
• stopcocks under the sink that have seized
• small bathrooms where a new layout is hard to fit

Many former council homes are now privately owned. Tenants should report repairs to their landlord first.

What about the older roads near the forest?

Large Victorian and Edwardian houses often have long pipe runs, extensions on the back and pipework that has been altered many times. Some may still have a section of lead pipe where the water comes in. If your home is in a conservation area or listed, check with the council before altering visible features.

Mature trees along the forest edge can push roots into old clay drains, which shows up as slow drains and gurgling.

Does the hilly ground matter?

It can. Water pressure falls with height, so homes at the top of a slope may notice weaker flow than those below, particularly upstairs. If a change is sudden rather than lifelong, rule out a leak first.

What about the flats on The Broadway?

The Broadway, at the heart of the Debden estate, is a purpose-built 1950s parade with flats above the shops, and the district council has been refurbishing it. Living over a shop means the flat's supply, its waste and sometimes its stopcock share space with the business underneath, so a slow leak can show in the shop before anyone upstairs notices. If water is getting through, tell the landlord or managing agent and the shop as well as arranging a repair.

Does the River Roding affect homes here?

Low-lying ground by the river, on the eastern side of the town, lies within the Environment Agency's River Roding at Loughton flood warning area. In a flood, water can push back up through drains and toilets even when no pipe has failed. Keep an eye on flood warnings for your area, and once the water has gone, have waste pipes and fittings that were under water looked at.

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