Capillary action in curved mixer tap, is this normal ?

[Raff]

Hi had my kitchen tap working fine for 4-5 months, but suddenly it now drips ever 3-5 seconds. I read due to the curved design from these style taps here:

[DLMURL="http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Siena-Mono-Mixer-Kitchen-Sink-Tap-Chrome/p/207012"]Wickes Siena Mono Mixer Kitchen Sink Tap Chrome | Wickes.co.uk[/DLMURL]

that you can expect this Capillary effect of water dripping and its just due to the arerator trapping water in that curved tap design, but my query is does this occur every 3-5 seconds over 1 hour + (even if tap is switched off for that long) ?


I can't recall how it was originally since I never hanged about to watch a tap drip, I think it did not at first.

 

[Best]

I have come across same problem with many of the spouts holding water and suddenly letting a splash out. An aerator actually should prevent this if it is a fine mesh high pressure type.
I think you have a faulty ceramic works on the hot or cold, or perhaps dirt in one.
Try turning the supply off and this will prove if the dripping stops that it has to be the works

 

[rocketmanbkk]

I have the same in my bathroom & it's an expensive tap. I just bear with it.

 

[Raff]

yeah it still leaks even with mains off, so its a duff tap there seem to be a flood of them on ebay, amazon.

The one I got was a very popular one (no1 ranked) on amazon for 20 odd quid, the one in wicks and diy stores cost 60-80 quid so much for getting a bargain !

I will grab another and see how it goes, cheers.

 

[Riley]

It still leaks with the mains off?

 

[Raff]

sorry with the main hot and cold valve switched off its still leaking, when I remove that arrertator metal bit on the end of the tap tons of water comes out so its obvious its building up there and slowing dripping out.

If I shake all the water out the leaking eventually stops, I think its a the ceramatic parts inside the tap or washers gone but not gonna mess about, new fresh tap hopefully without the worry !

 

[tolly]

Take the spout of to prove if its cartridge letting by or if its the water in the spout. Normally though they dont drip, the vacuum of water in the spout is released and it will trickle out.

P.s im sure toolstation used to sell that kitchen mono mixer for £25 at one point

 

[Raff]

Ok rather then just buy a new tap I figured better to try the suggestions and you guys were right!

I removed the ceramatic cartridge piece (hot and cold) and was about to order another set for few quid of ebay, but spotted a brilliant youtube vid here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV9HIEhr1G8

I dismantled it like shown in the vid above, soaked it in white vinegar for 30 mins, cleaned all the small white ceramatic bits and bobs up, put it back in and its working perfectly fine just like it was 4-5 months ago with no drips at all.

I think it was hard water, lime scale and just dirt that got inbetween the bits (round white ceramatic plates) so it caused the water to drip constantly.

Its a small job to do frankly but one I thought would not need doing maybe the area I am in is just prone to hard water/dirt, who knows ! Maybe in future I will avoid taps with these ceramatic disc valves.