Tap won’t stop dripping? Or you just fancy sprucing up the kitchen or bathroom with some shiny new chrome? Whether it is a vital repair or a makeover, replacing a tap is one of the most manageable of DIY plumbing jobs.
BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES
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Inspect your new taps. Make sure that they will fit and you have all the bits and pieces required. Basin taps have two holes, and are fed by 15mm pipes; monobloc (or mixer) taps use one hole, and usually take 8mm bore pipes, which connect to 15mm feed pipes with M10 or M12 connectors; and bath taps are fed by 22mm connectors. Turn off the water supply at the mains, and switch off the boiler or immersion heater. Open the taps and drain the system, then protect the sink with a dust sheet or old towel. Top tip: to avoid losing small parts, put the plug in the sink.
OFF WITH THE OLD . . .
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Removing the existing taps can be tricky as connections may have melded together with corrosion. Apply a penetrating release oil (from motoring or DIY stores) to help to loosen them. Try to leave as much pipework as possible to connect the new taps to. You might need a basin wrench to undo bolts. Unscrew the old taps. Scrape off congealed sealant. Note: disconnecting bath taps can be a nightmare. Because of space constraints, taps may have been fitted to the bath before installation. Be prepared to remove the bath panel and perform contortionist tricks. You may need to cut the pipe, and then rebuild the pipework to the new taps.
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. . . AND ON WITH THE NEW
Do not rush. Read the manufacturer’s instructions and practise putting the new taps together. When you are confident enough to proceed, pop the taps into their holes and fasten them firmly into place, preferably by hand to avoid damage. Most new taps come with a plastic bedding washer. If yours do not, baste the hole with waterproof silicone sealing compound. Now think about connecting the new taps to the existing supply pipes. Do not stretch or pull the supply pipes. You may have to extend or trim to fit. If you are adding new pipework, measure carefully and factor in the size of connectors. When finished, turn on the water supply and run the new taps. Satisfy yourself that nothing leaks before replacing boxing.
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ER, I THINK I’LL JUST REPLACE THE WASHER
Before you turn the water off, have a choice of replacement washers to hand. Dismantle the head of the tap. Unscrew and lift out the workings.
If the washer is attached to the tap with a nut or screw, you might have to apply penetrating oil. Remove the old washer and replace. If the tap continues to drip, it may need “reseating”. For this, you will have to dismantle, as above, and either grind the existing seat to fit with a purpose-made tool, or fit a new plastic seat. You can buy both of these from plumbers’ merchants.
WEBWATCH
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www.plumbingpages.com — advice and information on all aspects of plumbing.
www.plumbworld.co.uk — huge selection of kitchen and bathroom taps, with a tempting sale section.
www.plumbcenter.co.uk — biggest plumbers’ merchants in the UK, with online ordering service and branch finder.