No water coming out of the taps: what to check first
When no water comes out of the taps, the first job is to work out whether the problem is outside the property or inside it. If neighbours have also lost water, or your water supplier is reporting a burst main or planned works, the fault is on the public network and the supplier will fix it. If neighbours have water and you do not, check that your inside stop tap is fully open, then look for frozen or damaged pipework and a leak on your supply pipe. Which taps have stopped, cold, hot or both, tells you a lot about where the problem is.
Loyal Plumbers · Updated
Discuss your plumbing workIs it just you, or the whole street?
Ask a neighbour, or check your water supplier's website for incidents and planned work in your postcode. Thames Water and other London suppliers publish live information on bursts and interruptions. If there is a reported problem, the supplier is responsible for restoring the supply to your boundary, and you usually only need to wait and keep taps closed so they do not run unattended when water returns.
If nobody else is affected, the cause is more likely to be on your side of the boundary. In a block of flats, loss of water in one flat but not others often points to that flat's own isolation valve, supply pipe or a shared booster pump or tank serving part of the building. Our guide to losing water in one flat explains how responsibility is usually split in that case.
Which taps have stopped?
Try every tap in the property: the kitchen cold tap, bathroom taps, the toilet cistern filling, and any outside tap. The pattern is one of the quickest diagnostic tools you have. If the hot tap is spluttering or only trickling after the water has been off, the likely cause is covered in our guide to an airlock in water pipes.
| What you find | Likely area of the problem |
|---|---|
| Nothing from any tap, including the kitchen cold | Mains supply off, stop tap closed, frozen or burst supply pipe |
| Kitchen cold works, bathroom taps dry | Cold water storage tank empty or its float valve stuck |
| Cold works everywhere, no hot water at all | Boiler, cylinder or heating fault rather than a supply fault |
| One tap dry, others fine | Isolation valve closed, blocked cartridge or an airlock at that outlet |
| Water spluttering, then stopping | Air in the pipes after an interruption, or a very low supply |
Check the stop tap and isolation valves
The inside stop tap is usually under the kitchen sink, near where the supply enters the property, or in a cupboard in flats. If someone has recently worked on the plumbing, it may have been left partly or fully closed. Turn it anticlockwise to open it, gently. Old stop taps can be stiff, and forcing one can snap the spindle or cause a leak at the gland.
Individual taps and toilets often have small isolation valves on the pipe beneath them. A slot in line with the pipe means open; across the pipe means closed. If just one outlet has stopped, check its valve before assuming anything worse.
If the stop tap spins without doing anything, or leaks when you turn it, leave it and get it replaced. A stop tap that does not work is a problem the next time you have a leak.
Frozen pipes in cold weather
In a cold spell, pipes in lofts, garages, external walls, under suspended floors and the supply pipe where it enters the building are the most likely to freeze. The first sign is often one cold tap that stops while others still run. Frost on the pipe, or a section that feels much colder than the rest, confirms it.
Thaw frozen pipes slowly with warm air or a hot water bottle, starting from the tap end and working back, with the tap open so that water can escape as the ice melts. Never use a naked flame. Watch closely as it thaws, because ice can split pipes and the leak only appears once the water starts to move again. Our guide to frozen water pipes covers this in more detail.
When a burst or leak is the cause
A significant leak on your own supply pipe can drop the pressure so far that little or no water reaches the taps. Signs include a wet patch or water bubbling up in the front garden or driveway, the sound of running water with everything off, a water meter that keeps turning, or damp appearing on floors near where the supply comes in.
The supply pipe from the boundary into the property is normally the owner's responsibility, while the pipe up to the boundary is the water company's. Where the leak is inside, turn off the stop tap and call a plumber. Where it appears to be underground outside, report it to your supplier as well, because they can confirm which side of the boundary it is on.
When water comes back but something is wrong
After a supply has been off, water sometimes returns cloudy, discoloured or with spluttering taps. Cloudy water that clears from the bottom of a glass upwards is usually harmless air. Brown or discoloured water normally clears after running the kitchen cold tap for a few minutes; if it does not, contact your supplier.
Spitting taps, banging pipes and a tap that runs slowly are signs of air trapped in the pipework. Running each tap in turn, starting with the lowest in the property, usually clears it. If the air will not clear, or the boiler or a pumped shower will not work properly afterwards, get a plumber to check the system rather than repeatedly resetting appliances.
Getting your water back on
Loyal Plumbers deals with stop taps that will not open, frozen and burst pipes, supply pipe leaks and empty storage tanks across London and inside the M25, 24 hours a day. When you call, tell us whether neighbours have water, which taps are dry, whether there is any sign of a leak, and whether anyone in the property is vulnerable or relies on water for medical reasons.
If the problem is on the public network, we will tell you so and point you to your supplier rather than charging for a visit that cannot help. If it is on your side, we can find the fault, restore the supply and repair or replace the damaged section.
Common questions
- Why is there suddenly no water coming out of my taps?
- Common causes are a burst main or planned works by your water supplier, a closed or failed stop tap, frozen pipes in cold weather, or a large leak on your own supply pipe. Checking with neighbours first tells you whether it is a network or property problem.
- Who do I call if I have no water?
- If neighbours are also affected, contact your water supplier. If only your property is affected and the stop tap is open, call a plumber to trace the fault on your side of the boundary.
- Why does my kitchen tap work but not the bathroom taps?
- In many homes the kitchen cold tap is fed directly from the mains, while bathroom taps are fed from a storage tank in the loft. If the tank has emptied or its float valve has stuck, the bathroom taps stop first.
- Is no water classed as a plumbing emergency?
- It can be, particularly with no toilet flushing, young children or vulnerable occupants, or a leak causing the loss. If a burst pipe is the cause, turn off the stop tap and call straight away.
Sources and further reading
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