Knowledge base — practical tips & explanations
Honest, useful explanations about leaks, damp, central heating, electrics and more. Written by PandFix tradesmen, so you know what you can do yourself and when it's better to call a plumber.
Read our knowledge base
Click on a topic for the full article with steps, explanation and answers to frequently asked questions.
Water damage and insurance: what is covered?
Is water damage covered by insurance? How to support your claim with cause, photos and a report — and increase the chance of reimbursement.
Read article · 5 min SanitaryDripping tap: repair yourself or call a plumber?
Dripping tap? Find out whether it's a washer or cartridge, how to fix it yourself and when it's better to call a plumber.
Read article · 4 min Water PipeLow water pressure at home: causes and solution
Low water pressure? From a limescale-clogged aerator to a hidden leak — these are the causes and what you can do about them.
Read article · 5 min HeatingBoiler losing pressure or no hot water: what now?
Central heating boiler losing pressure or no hot water? How to check pressure, bleeding and faults — and when to call a technician.
Read article · 5 min Water PipeProtecting pipes against freezing in winter
Frost on the way? How to prevent frozen and burst pipes — and what to do if it does happen.
Read article · 4 min ElectricalRCD keeps tripping: causes & solutions
RCD keeps tripping? With this step-by-step method you can find the faulty circuit or defective appliance.
Read article · 5 min ToolWater meter leak test: do you have a hidden water leak?
Test in 3 steps whether water is leaking and calculate directly what the leak costs per year.
Take the test LeakFinding leaks at home: 9 places where a leak hides
Damp patch or high water bill but no visible leak? Start with these suspects.
Read article · 6 min Leak DetectionLeak detection without breaking: 8 methods explained
Thermal imaging, acoustics, tracer gas and more: how we find a leak without unnecessary breaking work.
Read article · 6 min InsuranceLeak detection report for your insurer: what's in it?
What's in the report and who pays the detection costs: owner, tenant or owners' association (VvE)?
Read article · 5 minEmergency plumber
Not every leak is an emergency — but some situations are. How to recognise when you ne…
Camera inspection leak
Film sewer or pipe in The Hague: see damage without breaking up.
Drain leak
Wet cupboard or shower: how to recognise a leaking drain.
Boiler breakdown The Hague
No hot water or heating: what to check yourself, when to call.
24-hour plumber
Night and weekend in The Hague: what's an emergency, what can wait until tomorrow.
Central heating boiler Rijswijk
Breakdown, maintenance or replacement — the same team as The Hague.
Leak detection costs The Hague
Leak detection without breaking is not 'charge an hour and hope'. You want to know roughly what it will…
Toilet blocked
A blocked toilet is annoying and can quickly get worse. These steps help you safely do it yourself…
Underfloor heating leak
A leak in the underfloor heating is often noticed by pressure loss on the boiler, damp patches or e…
LeakWhat to do in case of a leak? Step-by-step plan in 6 steps
Leak in your home? Follow this clear step-by-step plan: turn off the water, make the electricity safe, limit the damage and call the right help…
Read article · 6 min DampDamp patch on the ceiling: causes & solution
A brown damp patch or ring on your ceiling? Discover the 6 most common causes — from a leaking bathroom to a …
Read article · 5 min ElectricalWhen to replace your fuse box? 7 warning signs
Old fuse box or too few circuits? Discover the 7 signs it's time to replace your fuse box (consumer unit), what RCDs…
Read article · 5 min Solar PanelsSolar panels: payback period & calculation example
What is the payback period for solar panels? An honest calculation example with yield, savings and the factors that mat…
Read article · 6 min Drain UnblockingBlocked drain: unblock yourself or call?
Blocked kitchen sink, shower or toilet? Read when you can safely clear a blockage yourself and when it's better to call a plumber…
Read article · 5 min Drain UnblockingBasin blocked? How to clear the drain
Does the water stay in the washbasin? How to find the blockage, clean the pop-up plug and trap, and know when it's better to call.
Read article · 7 min Drain UnblockingBath not draining? How to unblock the bath drain
Bath water not draining? About the overflow waste set, the click plug, the trap under the bath and when it's better to call a tradesman.
Read article · 7 min Drain UnblockingWater coming up in the shower? Here's what's happening
Dirty water in the shower drain when the toilet is flushed? That points to a blockage further down the drain. What to do and what not to do.
Read article · 7 min Drain UnblockingDishwasher not draining? Appliance or drain?
Water remains at the bottom of the dishwasher? Here's how to check the filter, hose and trap and see whether you need an appliance engineer or a plumber.
Read article · 7 min Drain UnblockingDownpipe blocked? How to get the water flowing again
Does water slosh over the gutter or out of the downpipe at ground level? Causes, a safe step-by-step plan and when you're better off calling.
Read article · 8 min Drain UnblockingOutside drain blocked? How to clear it
Does water stand around the drain in the garden, patio or driveway? Cleaning in steps and how to tell if it's deeper.
Read article · 7 min Drain UnblockingBalcony drain blocked? Prevent leaks at the neighbours'
Water pooling on the balcony or roof terrace? How to clear the drain, prevent leaks to neighbours below and know when to call.
Read article · 7 min Drain UnblockingGrease trap or grease separator? How to keep the drain clear
Smell or slow drain at the kitchen? Explanation about the grease trap, emptying it and what to do if the drain behind it gets blocked.
Read article · 7 min Drain UnblockingDrain unblockers: what really works?
Soda, vinegar, chemical drain cleaner or the plunger after all? An honest comparison of what does and doesn't work against a blocked drain.
Read article · 8 min Drain UnblockingWhat can go down the toilet? And what definitely not
Wet wipes, cotton buds, grease or medicines: what can and can't go down the toilet, and what happens in the drain when things go wrong?
Read article · 6 min Drain UnblockingPreventing blockages: tips for each room
With a few fixed habits and a short checklist you prevent most blockages. Tips per room, plus signs that something's deeper down.
Read article · 7 min Drain UnblockingBlockage? Everything by room
Where is the blockage? For each room the most common cause, what you can try first and which article will help you further.
Read article · 7 min HeatingBleeding a radiator? Step-by-step plan, and what if it doesn't heat up
Does your radiator tick, gurgle or stay cold? How to bleed step by step, top up the pressure and find the cause if it doesn't help.
Read article · 6 min HeatingBleed underfloor heating or is it not getting warm?
Cold spots or a floor that won't heat up? How bleeding via the manifold works, when flushing makes sense and what other causes there might be.
Read article · 5 min HeatingCentral heating expansion vessel: when to replace?
Pressure that fluctuates considerably or a dripping overflow valve? What an expansion vessel does, how to recognise a fault and when replacement is needed.
Read article · 5 min HeatingBoiler or radiator leaking? What to do immediately
Water under the boiler or a puddle by the radiator? What to do immediately, the most common causes and when to call.
Read article · 5 min HeatingReplace or repair your central heating boiler?
Old boiler or constant breakdowns? A clear decision framework: age, faults, parts, efficiency and comfort, and what to look for when replacing.
Read article · 5 min SanitaryToilet keeps running? Causes and solution
Do you hear the toilet constantly refilling or is there a trickle in the pan? Float, fill valve or flush mechanism: how to find the cause.
Read article · 5 min LeakLeak in the bathroom? Sealant joints, grout or pipes
Damp under the shower, loose tiles or a patch on the ceiling below? How to work out whether it's sealant, grout, drain or pipe.
Read article · 5 min CostsWhat does a plumber cost? How the price is determined
Call-out, hourly rate, materials and emergency: what a plumber's price depends on, which questions to ask in advance and how to keep costs down.
Read article · 5 min Drain UnblockingWashing machine drain blocked? Plus: proper connection
Washing machine won't drain or water from the standpipe? Find the cause step by step, plus the basics for connecting a washing machine and dishwasher.
Read article · 6 min Water PipeMains stopcock leaking? And installing an outside tap
Dripping or stuck mains stopcock? What to do and who's responsible. Plus: what to look for when installing an outside tap.
Read article · 5 min Drain UnblockingKitchen drain or kitchen sink blocked? How to solve it
Kitchen sink not draining? The causes, a safe step-by-step plan to unblock the kitchen drain and when it's better to call.
Read article · 6 min DrainageSewer smell in the house? Drain smells but isn't blocked
Drain smells even though everything drains normally? The six most common causes of sewer odour and how to rule them out.
Read article · 6 min DrainageDrain or toilet gurgling? Causes and solution
Toilet gurgling when the shower drains or kitchen sink bubbling? What bubbling means and when it's a warning sign.
Read article · 5 min Drain UnblockingShower drain blocked? How to clear it
Water pooling after showering? How to safely clean the drain or shower channel, and how to recognise a deeper blockage.
Read article · 5 min CostsWhat does drain unblocking cost? How the price is determined
What the price of sewer unblocking and camera inspection depends on, why a price per metre means little and how to limit costs.
Read article · 5 min Drain UnblockingUnblock sewer yourself: with high pressure or a drain snake
Unblock your sewer yourself with a snake or high-pressure: where your sewer runs, how to work safely, the risks and when to stop.
Read article · 5 min SewerSewer subsidence or tree roots in the sewer? How to recognise and tackle it
Repeatedly blocked? How a sewer subsides or fills with roots, which signs you see and why camera inspection is the first step.
Read article · 5 min CostsBlocked sewer: who pays? Tenant, landlord, owners' association (VvE) or municipality
Owner-occupied property, rental property or flat with owners' association (VvE): who usually pays for a blocked sewer, and what you should do first.
Read article · 5 min Drain UnblockingSoil stack blocked? What to do in a flat or apartment
Water backing up in shower or kitchen sink when upstairs neighbours use water? The signs, what to do immediately and who's responsible.
Read article · 5 min HeatingCentral heating boiler maintenance: why & how often?
How often does a central heating boiler need servicing? Read why periodic maintenance is important for safety, lifespan and gas consumption…
Read article · 5 min ElectricalPerilex or three-phase power for your hob?
Connecting an induction or ceramic hob? Read the difference between perilex and three-phase, when you need which connection…
Read article · 4 min LeakRecognising leaks from shower drains
Damp under the shower or a patch on the ceiling below? Learn how to recognise a leaking shower drain, what the causes are…
Read article · 5 minPrefer to speak to a tradesman directly?
Our knowledge base helps you on your way — but if in doubt or in an emergency, we'd rather you just call. We're here for you in The Hague and the Randstad.