GUIDE TO REPLACING BASIN TAPS
Stunning taps and basin wastes are crucial assets to a great bathroom; chrome reflects light and attracts the eye to essential features, while the brilliant, clean look of new fixtures offers your bathroom a relaxing and fresh look. This is why when your basin taps begin to dull and scratch, it might be time to replace them.
Keep in mind that chrome plated taps are significantly more resistant to the chemicals that are used in the bathroom. Gold plated taps often lose their gold plating over time. A professional plumber from Active Plumbing can help you choose which one is appropriate for your bathroom and can advise you on how to look after them. If you purchase Gold taps clean them with Mr. Sheen this will help protect the Gold.
REMOVING OLD TAPS
First we would turn off water supply, positions some towels under the taps and a dish to collect any water, we then run the tap to drain remaining water in pipes. One challenging aspect of this project is getting the old tap off which can be secured with a large back nut that may be quite inaccessible. It may be difficult to position an adjustable spanner or footprint wrench. A special tool may be needed to remove this – an adjustable basin wrench should be appropriate for most sizes. First we remove the pipes from the wall connections and after removing the taps and pipes We need to clean the basin to remove any built up debris and have a clean surface to install the new taps.
INSTALLING NEW TAPS
After cleaning the area around the taps. If rust is present, we need to use a rust remover before beginning. We then place the new taps through the hole with the rubber anti-rotation washer on the upper part we can also add some sealer to make sure there is no leaks after installation, remembering that hot goes on the left, cold on the right. We reach the far tap underneath to connect the nut for the basin spout and tighter with a basin spanner.
Hold the tap in place and use a wrench to tighten the back nuts. You can still use the old pipe work if they still fit, but it is easier and a better job to replace the pipes and install new connectors. The easiest ones to fit are the braided flexible kind.
Single-hole mixers typically have flexible copper tails or braided hoses. The tails are easier to link since they are longer, and you can check what you’re doing. Using compression fittings or push-fit fittings, connect the pipe work to the taps. Two-hole mixer taps have to be secured above the basin or sink with the special washers included or sealed with a sealer. We need to make sure that the holes are a standard distance apart.
We then need to link the tap end of flexible connectors before connecting them to the supply pipes. Flush pipes through with the taps open. If a tap doesn’t shut off correctly, the washer or disc can get damaged. We need to open it up completely, run the water and then close it again. This should remove any debris. Normally we will change the tap washers to a high quality brand to minimise the chance that the tap washers failing.