You're on the job, the customer wants to keep their trusted 15-year-old tap instead of replacing it, and the wholesaler reports "not in stock" or weeks of lead time. Heading back to the shop without a solution costs you revenue and credibility.

Why wholesalers often don't have these parts

Large wholesalers run on turnover speed — fast-moving, high-volume items. Specific parts for older or less common brands (think German or Italian designer taps) fall outside their standard range, even though they still exist.

What you can do yourself on site

• Photograph the type plate on the tap (often under the spout or on the tap body).
• Note any visible part numbers on the broken part itself.
• Photograph the broken part from multiple angles, including a reference object for scale (e.g. a coin).

Where specialists come in

A specialist dealing exclusively in tap, gas strut and bathroom parts often has a broader and deeper range than a general wholesaler — precisely because this is their entire business model. Parts for older or less common brands are more often simply in stock here.

Practical: how to use this on the job

Message the photos directly from the job. Once the part is identified, you'll often know within an hour whether it's in stock and when it can be delivered — enough to give the customer a realistic timeline on the spot instead of "I'll get back to you".

Done? Here's your next step

Send your photos to our priority WhatsApp for trade professionals. We have 20+ years of experience with exactly this kind of "the wholesaler doesn't have it" situation.

Between one tenant leaving and the next moving in, you have access to the unit without coordinating around a resident. This is the cheapest time to do preventive maintenance — marginal costs are low, and you prevent breakdowns during the new tenancy.

Kitchen checklist

• Tap: cartridge function, leaks at neck and spout, check aerator for clogging.
• Sink: check strainer and trap for leaks and blockages.
• Dishwasher connection: inspect inlet and drain hose for wear.
• Kitchen cabinets: test gas struts and dampers/runners on flap doors and drawers.
• Angle valves: check function — seized valves are a risk for future repairs.

Bathroom checklist

• Shower tap: test temperature control and water pressure, check cartridge if in doubt.
• Sink tap: same check points as kitchen tap.
• Drains: check shower and sink drain flow for blockages.
• Filter stop valves: present and functioning? Significantly extends tap lifespan.

What you proactively replace, regardless of complaints

Aerators and sink strainers are cheap enough to replace as standard at every turnover, regardless of whether there was a complaint. This prevents a large share of first-month reports from new tenants.

Documentation: your biggest long-term time saver

Record per unit which parts (brand, type) are present. At the next breakdown, you — or your handyman — instantly know which part is needed, without having to look it up again.

Done? Here's your next step

Check out our turnover maintenance parts kit with the most common wear parts. Bulk orders for multiple units qualify for tiered discounts — ask about the options for a business account.

"Right to repair" keeps popping up in the news — from smartphones to washing machines. For kitchen and bathroom products, things are changing too, though more slowly than for electronics. What does this concretely mean if you have a leaking tap or a broken Quooker?

What does right to repair actually mean?

It's not a single law, but a collection of EU rules requiring manufacturers to make products more repairable: keeping spare parts available longer, sharing repair information, and sometimes setting design requirements so parts are easier to replace.

What does this mean for you as a consumer?

• Manufacturers of an increasing number of product categories must keep spare parts available for years after purchase.
• You have the right to repair it yourself or bring in an independent party (like us), without this automatically voiding your warranty.
• For purely mechanical parts — taps, gas struts, sink components — DIY repair was already common practice, but legislation now puts this on firmer legal ground.

Where is the legislation still lagging behind?

The focus for now is mainly on electronics and household appliances (washing machines, fridges). For purely mechanical products like tap parts, a repair culture already existed, driven by the market itself — specialists like us have existed for 20+ years precisely to fill this gap.

What can you do with this practically?

Know that with a broken part, you're not automatically stuck with the manufacturer or an expensive service contract. An independent spare part of the same brand and quality is often legal, affordable, and just as sustainable.

Done? Here's your next step

Check whether the part you need is available separately — for most tap, gas strut and Quooker parts, it is. Not sure? Send a photo and we'll figure it out for you.

The angle valve under the sink is corroded stuck, leaks when you turn it, or is simply worn out. Replacing it yourself is a simple job — but most "kitchen water damage" stories start with exactly this kind of task, from following the wrong order.

What exactly is an angle valve?

The small valve between the main water line and your tap or dishwasher, letting you shut off water locally without draining the whole house. Essential for maintenance, but subject to wear and limescale itself.

What you'll need

• New angle valve (same size and thread type as the old one)
• Pipe wrench
• Teflon tape or hemp for the connection
• Bucket and cloth

Step by step

1. First shut off the home's main water valve — not just the angle valve itself, since that's exactly what you're replacing.
2. Open the tap above it to release pressure from the pipe and catch remaining water in a bucket.
3. Loosen the old angle valve with the pipe wrench. Keep a cloth ready for residual water.
4. Wrap Teflon tape around the thread of the new valve and hand-tighten it, then a quarter turn extra with the wrench.
5. Reconnect the water supply hose to the new angle valve.
6. Slowly open the main valve and check all connections for leaks before proceeding.

The most common mistake

Only closing the angle valve itself instead of the main valve — logical, since you're about to replace it. But a worn angle valve often no longer shuts off completely, and you only discover that once water sprays out anyway.

Done? Here's your next step

Find angle valves in the right size in our webshop. Not sure about the size or thread type? Send a photo of the old valve, so you're certain before you start.

The cutlery drawer no longer closes smoothly, slams shut, or catches halfway. With kids opening and closing drawers all day, this mechanism wears out faster than you'd think. A new kitchen cabinet isn't needed — usually a new damper or runner is enough.

What's the difference between a damper and a runner?

• Damper (soft-close) — makes the drawer close slowly and silently over the last few centimeters. If worn, the drawer slams shut again.
• Runner (rail) — the rolling mechanism the drawer moves on. If damaged, the drawer sticks or jams, or can even fall off the rails.

Check yourself: what's broken?

Does the drawer still close smoothly but without the delayed "soft click" at the end? Then the damper needs replacing. Does the drawer stick, squeak or catch throughout its whole travel? Then the runner is the problem.

Replacing the damper in 3 steps

1. Pull the drawer all the way out of the cabinet.
2. Click the old damper loose from the runner rail (usually a simple click system, no tools needed).
3. Click the new damper into the same spot and slide the drawer back in.

Replacing the runner in 4 steps

1. Pull the drawer all the way out and lift it off the runner rail.
2. Remove the mounting screws of the old runner on the side of the cabinet.
3. Fit the new runner in exactly the same position.
4. Put the drawer back and test that it opens and closes smoothly.

Tip: check the brand and size

Damper and runner systems differ by kitchen manufacturer (Blum, Hettich and Grass are the best known). Check the brand on the rail itself or send us a photo — that way you're sure to order the correct part.

Done? Here's your next step

Find dampers and runners for the best-known kitchen brands in our webshop. Not sure which type you have? Send a photo of the rail and we'll figure it out for you.

White crusts around the spout, a handle that moves stiffer than it used to, and a water stream that's no longer even. Limescale is the most common cause of "old tap" complaints — but not every case calls for replacement.

Where's the difference?

Limescale settles in two places: visibly on the outside (spout, aerator) and invisibly inside (cartridge, mixing mechanism). Outer limescale is almost always solved by cleaning. Inner limescale is the trickier story.

Test 1: the vinegar test for the aerator

Unscrew the aerator, soak it for 30 minutes in a bowl of (warmed) cleaning vinegar, rinse and brush the holes clean with an old toothbrush. Does the water stream flow evenly again? Then that was the only culprit.

Test 2: the operation test for the cartridge

Does the handle move stiffly despite a clean aerator? Then the limescale is inside the cartridge, between the moving discs. Cleaning rarely helps structurally here — the discs are often already damaged by pitting and scratches from limescale crystals.

Rule of thumb: clean or replace?

• Cleaning is enough for: build-up on the spout, a clogged aerator, scale on the tap's surface.
• Replacing is smarter for: stiff or jerky handle movement, a tap that no longer fully closes, a water stream that stays uneven despite a clean aerator.

Prevention is cheaper than the cure

A filter stop valve in the water supply catches limescale particles before they reach the cartridge and significantly extends your tap's lifespan — especially relevant in hard-water regions.

Done? Here's your next step

Still unsure after these tests? Send a photo of your tap and the issue, and we'll give you honest advice: clean it or order a part.

Finally some summer weather, the paddling pool is ready — but at the garden tap, water runs out around the hose connection instead of into the hose. Frustrating, but usually fixable in a few minutes.

Where's the leak usually located?

• Hose connection — a worn or mismatched fitting no longer seals properly.
• Tap washer (aerator or seal) — after a winter outdoors the rubber can harden or crack.
• Tap body itself — with older outdoor taps, the tap body can be internally damaged by frost.

Check yourself: where exactly?

Does water leak at the fitting where the garden hose clicks onto the tap? Then it's the connector or the washer inside it. Does water leak from the tap itself, even without a hose attached? Then the tap's internal mechanism needs replacing.

Here's how to fix it

1. Shut off the water supply to the garden tap.
2. For a leaking connector, replace the rubber washer in the hose fitting — often enough on its own.
3. Still leaking? Replace the entire connector or the garden tap's washer itself.
4. Turn the water supply back on and test with the garden hose attached.

Preventing frost damage for next year

At the end of the season, shut off the outdoor tap at the main valve and let the remaining water drain from the pipe. This prevents the tap body from cracking due to freezing — the most common cause of leaking garden taps in spring.

Done? Here's your next step

Find hose connectors and garden tap parts in our webshop. Draining your paddling pool after summer too? Make sure your garden tap lasts the whole season.

You open the kitchen cabinet under the dishwasher and step into a puddle. First thought: ""do I need a new dishwasher now?"" In most cases, no. Nine times out of ten the problem is a loose, cracked or clogged hose — not a defect in the machine itself.

Where is the problem usually located?

• Inlet hose — brings clean water to the machine. An aged or damaged hose leaks at the connection.
• Drain hose — carries dirty water away. A clog or crack causes leakage during the cycle.
• Aquastop valve — a safety valve in the inlet hose that can sometimes jam itself.

Check it yourself: which hose is it?

Does water leak only while filling (start of the cycle)? Then it's the inlet hose. Does it only leak while draining (end of cycle)? Then the drain hose is the culprit.

Replacing the hose in 4 steps

1. Turn off the dishwasher and shut off the water supply.
2. Carefully pull the dishwasher forward for access to the back.
3. Disconnect the faulty hose and replace it with a new one of the same type and length.
4. Reconnect everything, turn the water supply back on and run a test cycle without dishes.

Still leaking?

Still leaking after replacement? Check the sealing ring at the connection on the machine itself — sold separately and costs a fraction of a new hose.

Done? Here's your next step

Find the correct inlet and drain hoses for your dishwasher brand in our webshop. Also check our article on maintaining your fridge and kitchen appliances in summer for more prevention tips.

You want to access your tap's cartridge to replace it, but the star-shaped handle on top is stuck solid. Pulling doesn't help, and using too much force risks damaging the handle or the spindle. With the right approach, it almost always comes off without damage.

Why does the handle get stuck like this?

Star handles usually click onto a splined spindle. Years of limescale build-up plus a bit of corrosion between the handle and the spindle create a kind of ""weld"" that can no longer be released by hand.

What you'll need

• Flathead screwdriver or a small knife
• WD40 or similar penetrating oil
• Cloth (prevents scratches)
• Optionally a small puller (for stubborn cases)

Step by step

1. Spray some penetrating oil between the handle and spindle, let it work for 10-15 minutes.
2. Wrap a cloth around the handle to prevent damage.
3. Carefully pry under the edge of the handle with a flathead screwdriver, working evenly around it — never keep prying at one single point.
4. Can't pry it loose? Pull the handle straight up with even force, not at an angle.
5. For stubborn cases: use a mini puller that grips behind the handle and pulls it up evenly.

What you should definitely not do

Never clamp pliers directly onto the visible handle — this permanently damages the surface. Also avoid using a hammer; the impact can damage the spindle inside the tap.

Done? Here's your next step

Now that the handle is off, you can access the cartridge. Find the correct tap cartridge for your brand and type in our webshop, and read our article on the difference between left- and right-closing cartridges before ordering a new one.

You've taken the campervan or caravan out of winter storage, tested the water system — and the tap in the kitchenette is leaking or turning stiffly. Often the result of months of standstill: rubber seals dry out, small parts get coated with limescale.

Why does this happen right after winter storage?

Taps in campervans and caravans are small and compact. During long periods without water flow, the rubber seals dry out and lose their elasticity. As soon as you pressurize the system again, leaks appear in places that used to seal fine.

Check yourself before you leave

• Turn the tap fully open and closed — does it feel stiff or catch? Then the inner mechanism needs replacing.
• Check the base of the tap for drips during use — that indicates an aged sealing ring.
• Check the water connection under the counter for damp spots.

Replacing the tap in 4 steps

1. Shut off the water pump or tank.
2. Loosen the mounting nut under the countertop.
3. Disconnect the water supply hose(s) and remove the old tap.
4. Fit the new tap, reconnect the hoses and test for leaks before departure.

Tip for next season

When storing for winter next time, don't let the tap stand completely dry — a small amount of water in the system keeps rubber seals supple. Consider frost-free storage if possible.

Final tip...

Make sure you're sorted before departure, not on the road.