Harrow Glass expertise on Plumbing


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

 

·         If 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.

o    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.

o    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.


o    The bell-shaped metal shroud can now be removed.

o    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.

o    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.

o    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





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