Changing bath taps.

[rocketmanbkk]

Friends

Can I ask your thoughts on this one.

You go to change bath taps, say pillar taps.

You get them off but you can't see the tap connector on the feed pipe & can't feel if there's a fibre washer there, it's not on the bottom of the old taps,

So, you try to feel & scrape as best you can.

What do you do?

Put another fibre washer in so they're may be 2?

Any comments please?

Thx

 

[kris]

Fibre washers are not the same quality as they used to be . You should be able to look through the hole in the bath where the tap was to see if washers totally off. I'd put new 1 on.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Tried looking but very difficult to see as rigid plumbed & very little play in pipe.

 

[Toxic Ted]

Torch.....

 

[Best]

I will tell you the easiest way. Cut each pipe off at about 200mm down & then you can fit new washers no problem. Ptfe is actually a brilliant job made into a washer, but you need lots. Or use the flat 'rubber' washers that come with some plastic fittings & are same size as the fibre ones. (You can get a bag of them)
Then refit the pipes using brass connectors. Always an easy job in the future & it means the first pipe is out of your way to be able to work at the furthest one.
Or you could just use a light to look through the bath holes & work at the washers, but it is slow & awkward

 

[rpm]

If you go the ptfe route then the Loctite 55 string is better than the tape for making a washer that fits on the little spigot.

 

[WaterTight]

I attack them with a bradle, blind, then periodically peek down with torch from the top to check on progress. If it is too much of a pain then I cut them out and do as Best said. But if gap between pipe, bath and wall is small doing up compression can be a mother and so if you get fibre washer changed in situ it's better. Bath taps can be a pain and good source of strained this and pulled that. Charge accordingly.

 

[stevetheplumber]

most of the time its a bit of paste and back on with the old washers seldom leak

 

[lame plumber]

most of the time its a bit of paste and back on with the old washers seldom leak

said leaky steve 🙂