Changing tap washers

N

Nemo30

Well, I thought I would have a go at changing the washers in my new IP today. How hard can it be? right?

I googled and watched a bit of youtube - all set to go.

Instructional videos gave me a very handy hint - put the plug in the sink in case you drop anythiing in the process.

So, water off at the mains, plug in the sink - pulled everything apart (I'm fast forwarding the 3 trips to bunnings), put the new washers in, put everything back together and then back out to the front yard to turn the water back on.

While I'm out there stop to say hi to nice new neighbour...go inside and find my hallway flooded. Taps on full and plug in the sink.

To make matters worse, my tap still drips!

Time to call a plumber... :eek:
 
Oops.

Did you check the seat to see if it had any groves in it? Sometimes they need to be ground down a bit or have a new seat installed.
Not too hard but best if you see someone who knows what to do show the process the 1st time around.
 
Bunnings have cheap kits to re-seat the taps also, makes a huge difference when doing the job and stopping those leaks
 
Nemo30 said:
Well, I thought I would have a go at changing the washers in my new IP today. How hard can it be? right?

I googled and watched a bit of youtube - all set to go.

Instructional videos gave me a very handy hint - put the plug in the sink in case you drop anythiing in the process.

So, water off at the mains, plug in the sink - pulled everything apart (I'm fast forwarding the 3 trips to bunnings), put the new washers in, put everything back together and then back out to the front yard to turn the water back on.

While I'm out there stop to say hi to nice new neighbour...go inside and find my hallway flooded. Taps on full and plug in the sink.

To make matters worse, my tap still drips!

Time to call a plumber... :eek:
Click to expand...
I think you may have to reseat the taps,both hot and cold,you can buy the kit for under 25 bucks these days,try and buy Australian Made
washers for extra few dollar they will last years..

http://www.plumbworld.co.uk/tap-reseating-tools-239-0000
 
Thanks for the laughs. Agree with the above may need to re seat to stop the leak.

Easy job hmmmmmmm but so is changing a washer ;). Come to think of it you did change the washer, so well done. Now if you can eliminate the flooding :D.

Look at it this way I bet you will not do that again, will you :confused::).

Brian
 
There is nothing in a tap nor are any of the tools you would be using that would be small enough to go down the waste so the internet has not been your friend here in saying to put the plug in.


Tools
 
Thanks everyone - I have several leaking taps, so will call the plumber to do the lot.

Funny thing yesterday was I had asked my 17yo son to come and learn how to change a washer :rolleyes:

Oh well, big learning curve
 
Well at least you turned off the mains - you can have interesting side effects when they are left on.

However, there was one occasion when we had a dripping tap in an old fashioned apartment block which had a single meter and mains tap for the whole block :eek:

The Y-man
 
Nemo30 said:
Well, I thought I would have a go at changing the washers in my new IP today. How hard can it be? right?

I googled and watched a bit of youtube - all set to go.

Instructional videos gave me a very handy hint - put the plug in the sink in case you drop anythiing in the process.

So, water off at the mains, plug in the sink - pulled everything apart (I'm fast forwarding the 3 trips to bunnings), put the new washers in, put everything back together and then back out to the front yard to turn the water back on.

While I'm out there stop to say hi to nice new neighbour...go inside and find my hallway flooded. Taps on full and plug in the sink.

To make matters worse, my tap still drips!

Time to call a plumber... :eek:
Click to expand...

i think the relevant term in this case is missing
and what is it
'turned the taps off first before turning water back on "
 
It may well be cheaper and quicker to just replace the tap than call a plumber to change a washer. Most just screw on and off, pretty easy.

Why you put the plug in the sink I just cannot understand. If you leave the taps on when you turn on the water it has no where to go but spill over, just common sense I would have thought.

Next time turn the tap off before you turn the mains water supply on.

on the plus side, sounds like you have real ace water pressure. :)
 
Most likey you have a crack and thats why its still leaking.

Turn the main off, undo the taps, clean around it and look in the water outlet, there may be a crack (May need torch).

Guarantee that a plumber will say your taps need a service, makes the problem sound bad, and then charge you million dollars.
 
arms said:
i think the relevant term in this case is missing
and what is it
'turned the taps off first before turning water back on "
Click to expand...

Actually you leave the taps open to flush out any crap and not damage the new washer. Particularly if you have ground the seat smooth.
 
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