Fitted taps - now leaking

[mo7]

I have fitted some new taps to my bathroom basin and my kitchen sink. However I am having problems with the kitchen taps.

I took off the old taps, put some new fibre washers in. Connected up the new taps and all looked fine for both sets

I did not use PTFE tape if that matters. I noticed on both the hot taps that there was some white gunk that the previous installer had used - maybe melted PTFE tape or something?

A few hours later I went to have another feel of the kitchen taps and the connectors/pipes are wet/moist. Its not a drip drip leak and I am not worried about the connection coming apart as it is connected quite solidly. But I am a bit puzzled as to where the water is coming from.

My first thought is that it is where the water pipe connects to the tap tail but it is connected tight and I put a new fibre washer in. As it is happening on both downstairs taps but not the upstairs it suggests I can put a fibre washer in OK..

The other thing I noticed was that the rubber ring that goes under the actual tap I noted did not seem perfect for the size of the hole in the actual kitchen sink - so I wonder if there is a gap where the tap touches the sink allowing water to go through the hole. But this would require a fair bit of water to be going to where the tap connects to the sink which hasn't happened much (although we have used the sink a fair bit so it is possible.

My final thought was that it may just be condensation. The pipes for the kitchen sink are in a cupboard under the sink where it is near ground level and quite cold (and our house walls are not great). Could it just be condensation? We keep our pots and pans in the same cupboard under the sink and they never noticeable wet (but they are not made of copper if that matters).

I suppose the question is how do I categorically find out?

 

[Alanc]

is it dripping, look with a torch with taps off.

 

[plumber0808]

Just keep your eye on them, maybe condensation.

a bit of jet blue round the fibre washer will do the trick if not.

 

[CXR100]

ive had some appalling 1/2" fiber washers recently , they seem to just give up as soon as i tighten them! but the water flows out, i sometme put some wras aprroved water hawk on them if i have any doubts, seems to do the trick!

 

[tom609]

could be coming from theseal between the tap and the sink rather than the washers put some tissue on the underside up by the locking nuts if that gets wet there is the problem i always use fixatap sets where possible

 

[Paul Cockhill]

This happened to me last year, in the end I refitted the pipes without any fibre washers and abit of jet blue and it worked fine. Also about the rubber rings next to the tap, get some slightly larger rubber rings from a plumbers merchant or put a little clear silicon around the tap

 

[AWheating]

This happened to me last year, in the end I refitted the pipes without any fibre washers and abit of jet blue and it worked fine. Also about the rubber rings next to the tap, get some slightly larger rubber rings from a plumbers merchant or put a little clear silicon around the tap

your suggesting a metal to metal seal on a tap swivel/connector? jointing compound is for low pressure and should not be used as a seal on its own imo.


if the seal has a small leak you may stop it with a better fibre washer or alittle liquid pfte added, a better method would be to use a speedfit tap connector which has a thick rubber washer instead of a fibre one. Most time these leaks are caused by a little imperfection on the bottom of the tap thread end.

 

[WHPES]

Only use the red fibre washers. The green / pink /white cardboard ones are for low pressure only! (something that I wish Firebird would learn)

 

[iiplumbing]

This happened to me last year, in the end I refitted the pipes without any fibre washers and abit of jet blue and it worked fine. Also about the rubber rings next to the tap, get some slightly larger rubber rings from a plumbers merchant or put a little clear silicon around the tap

Nooooooooooo (please see my signature)

Fibre washers a load of poooo, remove all previous residue of washer then buy a pack of 20 rubber washers from JG and always use them on every tap fitting.

A rubber seal is far more effective than fibre and you will not have to overtighten it in order to get a good seal (note especially on plastic threaded toilet fill valves), if it needs jointing compound it aint a good way of sealing, how can it be if you need the washer (fibre) then "something" to help it seal?????

The fix-a-tap kit will not be any use on a thin metal sink, they are great on any pottery based basins etc or 6/8mm thk acrylic baths, I use them all the time.

Never use a poly washer or hard rubber washer under a tap , use a thin rubber washer of the correct size, lined up correctly and tightened correctly (in a sink application the lining up may require two persons to get it right!!! my arms are never long enough to hold, locate, point and tighten all in one go!)

If a tap drips back along its spout then it has lost its diffuser (the little black plastic (or chrome) insert inside the spout). The diffuser prevents the water (via capiliary action) from tracking back down the tap, onto the stem and then onto the base of the tap. If these are new taps then I dont think thats a problem.

Hope this helps and please dont use silicone as a method of sealing, its a bodge.

Russ

 

[WHPES]

Are we talking about copper pipe with a brass swivel nut, or a plastic pipe connector?

If we are talking about the copper, then you don't want a rubber washer. Those fittings aren't designed for them and you risk a flood at a later date as the washer creeps out. JG rubber washers are for JG fittings only.

Remember that fibre washers need nipping up twice, once to begin with and again after 10 minutes or so as they've bedded in.

 

[mo7]

Just to update you on this.

I spoke with a guy at work the next day who is handy on these types of things and he suggested condensation as he has it to.

I have just checked again and its all fine and no signs of leakage so I will (for now0 assume it was just condensation.

I thought washers changed when they got wet which is how they form a seal so good point about nipping after 10 minutes - but presumably you gotta be careful you don't crushed/damage them?

 

[Koogatubac]

Dead right, try post a picture in future. Tells 1000 words

 

[iiplumbing]

Are we talking about copper pipe with a brass swivel nut, or a plastic pipe connector?

If we are talking about the copper, then you don't want a rubber washer. Those fittings aren't designed for them and you risk a flood at a later date as the washer creeps out. JG rubber washers are for JG fittings only.

Remember that fibre washers need nipping up twice, once to begin with and again after 10 minutes or so as they've bedded in.

Hi WHPES

Sorry I have to dissagree with you here, there is no space in the fitting for "creep"



Thats a standard fitting with the rubber washer in and the rubber washer has exactly the same dimensions as the fibre washer, and more importantly it doesnt need to be tightened anywhere near as tight as a firbre washer, a great bonus on plastic fill valves.



Just go pinch tight and 1/4 turn more its done, the design of the fitting makes sure that creep doesn't happen.

How many failed fibre washer have you been called out to? I had one this Saturday, it had flooded the kitchen ceiling luckily it hadnt destroyed it, but thats fibre and they fail

I have been using rubber for four years now, I have yet to have a flood of complaints not even a trickle of complaints in fact on the complaint department (or call backs) its been dry.

I do agree that if you massively overtighten a rubber washer then you will be in trouble!!

Russ

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

13 posts on the most basic of plumbing jobs,the boredom is terrble