Dumb ass plumbing question. Help required Please
Dumb ass plumbing question. Help required Please
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Wacky Racer

Original Poster:

40,528 posts

269 months

Monday 9th February
quotequote all
Quite a simple one in the grand scheme of things. smile

We have a free standing bath and this last week or so I have noticed the hot mixer tap has been dripping ever so slightly down the tap stem, and running over the edge of the bath, and dripping through the ceiling, (Picture one)



Now it might just need a new washer, but I'm hoping the connecting nut (For want of a better word) might just need nipping up a bit.

The problem is, which way do I turn it. looking down from the top,




I would imagine right to left as I look down, but it could be the other way. biggrin

Thanks in anticipation.

WR.

trickywoo

13,537 posts

252 months

Monday 9th February
quotequote all
Either way nipping that up isn’t going to help.

If they are quarter turn taps you’ll need a new gland. If they are old fashioned multi turn you might get away with a new washer.

Righty righty lefty loosey applies regardless you just need to know which end is threaded.

B'stard Child

30,739 posts

268 months

Monday 9th February
quotequote all
Any chance of a picture where the whole tap is shown?

It looks like it has a horizontal bar with a outlet for a shower/shower hose

Wacky Racer

Original Poster:

40,528 posts

269 months

Monday 9th February
quotequote all
trickywoo said:
Either way nipping that up isn t going to help.

If they are quarter turn taps you ll need a new gland. If they are old fashioned multi turn you might get away with a new washer.

Righty righty lefty loosey applies regardless you just need to know which end is threaded.
They are quarter turn lever taps.




Is a gland a posh word for a washer?

Also is the "nut" attached to the chrome fitting, or the pipe coming up from the floor?

I have stuck a bit of sticky tape behind the tap to divert any drips into the bath hopefully until I get it sorted.

trickywoo

13,537 posts

252 months

Monday 9th February
quotequote all
Wacky Racer said:
They are quarter turn lever taps.

Is a gland a posh word for a washer?

.
They don’t use washers in quarter turn taps. It a brass and ceramic disc assembly.

To be even more difficult they will be tap specific in terms of number of splines and size. If you don’t know the make and model of your tap you’ll probably have to take it out and take it to a plumbers merchant to get a replacement.

On the positive side they are normally quite easy to replace.

Actual

1,554 posts

128 months

Monday 9th February
quotequote all
Is that tap used? If you can remove the bath side panel and get underneath there may be an isolation valve so that you turn it off to stop the drip.

Wacky Racer

Original Poster:

40,528 posts

269 months

Monday 9th February
quotequote all
I sounds like it might be easier not to mess about and just replace it with a complete new one, as it is about fifteen years old anyway. I think it came from B & Q, I bought the nice bath and taps for £250 as it was ex display and they were closing the store down.

miniman

29,206 posts

284 months

Monday 9th February
quotequote all

Wacky Racer

Original Poster:

40,528 posts

269 months

Monday 9th February
quotequote all
Actual said:
Is that tap used? If you can remove the bath side panel and get underneath there may be an isolation valve so that you turn it off to stop the drip.
It is a free standing bath, but there is an isolation valve in the plastic piping to the side, so I could turn that off if it I really had to. Hopefully it will drip very very slowly into the bath until I can get it sorted.

B'stard Child

30,739 posts

268 months

Monday 9th February
quotequote all
Wacky Racer said:
trickywoo said:
Either way nipping that up isn t going to help.

If they are quarter turn taps you ll need a new gland. If they are old fashioned multi turn you might get away with a new washer.

Righty righty lefty loosey applies regardless you just need to know which end is threaded.
They are quarter turn lever taps.




Is a gland a posh word for a washer?

Also is the "nut" attached to the chrome fitting, or the pipe coming up from the floor?

I have stuck a bit of sticky tape behind the tap to divert any drips into the bath hopefully until I get it sorted.
so which joint is actually weeping?

Wacky Racer

Original Poster:

40,528 posts

269 months

Monday 9th February
quotequote all
B'stard Child said:
so which joint is actually weeping?
It's coming from underneath the large nut in the second picture of my original post; and running down the stem, very slowly, nothing to get alarmed about, especially if I can divert it into the bath.

Needs sorting though obviously.

Cheers for all the replies.

B'stard Child

30,739 posts

268 months

Monday 9th February
quotequote all
Wacky Racer said:
B'stard Child said:
so which joint is actually weeping?
It's coming from underneath the large nut in the second picture of my original post; and running down the stem, very slowly, nothing to get alarmed about, especially if I can divert it into the bath.

Needs sorting though obviously.

Cheers for all the replies.
Right so before the bar

Should be able to isolate the Hot and Cold feeds under the bath and then undo the bar section to see what sealing method it used (probably rubber washers)

Edited to add Google "Assembly Instructions deck-mounted bath shower mixer tap"

Here's one I found but has conventional taps not 1/4 turn cartridges

https://www.showerdoc.com/documents/Tay-Thermostat...

Edited by B'stard Child on Monday 9th February 20:23

Ted Maul

1,563 posts

28 months

Monday 9th February
quotequote all
trickywoo said:
If they are quarter turn taps you ll need a new gland.
I appreciate I'm a grown man and everything but, you know, chortle.

Belle427

11,205 posts

255 months

Tuesday 10th February
quotequote all
There is usually a sealing washer between the upstands and the tap itself. The nuts should turn clockwise to tighten if you were sat in the bath looking at the taps.

g7jtk

1,822 posts

176 months

Tuesday 10th February
quotequote all
There is a rubber or fibre washer behind the union nut. It might just tighten up but a replacement washer should sort it out. Turn the water off for both hot and cold before undoing the unions.