Turning off the water supply

 

Most plumbing jobs require you to turn off the water supply.

 

The easiest way to do this is to use an isolator valve on the water pipe to an individual appliance . If there is one on the item you need to work on then turn the valve to off using the screw on top of the valve (or this may be a tap on some isolator valves as in figure below.

                                                 Changing_a_service

 

f there is no isolator valve, turn off your main stopcock – this is a brass tap fitted on your pipe work and normally found in the kitchen or wherever the mains water enters your house (figure below).


                              stopcock


 

As a last resort, turn off the water at the water authority's valve under the cover outside your house (figure below). To do this you will need a special long-handled spanner, available from our online store.

                                                                          mains

 


After turning off the water, open the taps on your sink until the water stops running



Replacing a washer on a rising spindle tap

                                                                       taps

             Turn off the water at the isolater-valve. Drain any water in the pipe supplying the tap by turning it on.

It is a good idea to put the plug into the plughole to avoid losing any small parts should they get dropped into the sink.

Remove the coloured (red or blue) plastic index disc on the top of the tap and unscrew the retaining screw to remove the capstan head.

The bell-shaped metal shroud can now be removed.

Using a spanner undo the headgear nut. It is advisable to grip the body of the tap with a pipe wrench (first protecting the tap with a cloth) or by hand to prevent the tap turning and fracturing the connecting pipework.

If the headgear nut is difficult to turn apply penetrating oil round the joint and allow it to penetrate the joint for about 10 minutes.

Remove the rubber washer at the base of the tap by prising it off with the blade of a slot headed screwdriver. There may be a small nut holding the washer in place, which needs to be unscrewed first before the old washer can be removed.

                    Fit the new washer and grease the thread at the base of the tap       before reassembling.


                    

How To Replace A Tap Washer



                      

How To Repair A Ceramic-Disc Tap
 
 
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