Quick Question Thread

[Shandon Par]

56 minutes ago, Boghead ranter said:

Looking for advice re changing the washer on my drippy mixer tap. Have watched some wee online videos, and it seen fairly easy, however - how do do know I've bought the right size of washer? Or are these things a standard, one-size?

Any plumbers, home diy-ers? @Zen Archer Esq.?

Day 1 BR decides to fix tap

Days 2-14 BR loses the will to live as he struggles to source the appropriate washer

Day 15. BR discovers stopcock is fucked

Days 16-87 BR waits for a plumber to fix stopcock

Day 88 BR discovers tap is seized under sink and needs chopped off. 

Day 89 BR weeps when he sees price of new mixer taps

Best of luck with it anyway! 

Edited May 13, 2021 by Rasputin

[Boghead ranter]

3 hours ago, Zen Archer Esq. said:

Looks like that could be a ceramic disk as opposed to a tap washer, you won't know until you strip it down.

You might end up hawking the bits round plumbers merchants to get a replacement.

Ach bums, I was hoping for a quick water off, do the fix,  water back on thing.  But thanks for your response.

2 hours ago, Rasputin said:

Day 1 BR decides to fix tap

Days 2-14 BR loses the will to live as he struggles to source the appropriate washer

Day 15. BR discovers stopcock is fucked

Days 16-87 BR waits for a plumber to fix stopcock

Day 88 BR discovers tap is seized under sink and needs chopped off. 

Day 89 BR weeps when he sees price of new mixer taps

Best of luck with it anyway! 

I'll let you know on day 90, how accurate this was.

[GordonD]

2 hours ago, Rasputin said:

Day 89 BR weeps when he sees price of new mixer taps

Cheaper than a new Celtic tap.

[Jumbo Muir]

Looking for advice re changing the washer on my drippy mixer tap. Have watched some wee online videos, and it seen fairly easy, however - how do do know I've bought the right size of washer? Or are these things a standard, one-size?
Any plumbers, home diy-ers? [mention=31698]Zen Archer Esq.[/mention]?

Have both taps in open position.
Water off under the sink.
Hopefully you have 2 isolation valves, one hot, one cold.
If not, mains off at your internal stopcock and hot off at its internal stopcock. That could BeIn your hot water cupboard dependent on your set up.

Find the screw or wee Allen grub to allow you to take the top off the taps.

I imagine what you will find will be something like this.



Suitable sized spanner to carefully remove, being mindful to keep tap unit still while you do so. Second pair of hands are useful at this stage. There may be a wee bit of water still in there, so a wee towel or cloth is useful.
Having removed cartridge and depending how good your eyesight is, find the part reference number on the cartridge.

My taps were B&Q jobs and plumbers merchant advised part number search on eBay to get the right ones. My B&Q didn’t have them but were happy to sell me new taps if I wanted them.

Fitting is reverse of removal. Remember to fit cartridge in it’s open position while you refit to your taps still in their open position.
Gently on with the water now, if no leaks, fully on with the water supply.

I’m not a plumber by the way. Far from it.

Good luck

[Sergeant Wilson]

53 minutes ago, Jumbo Muir said:

Have both taps in open position.
Water off under the sink.
Hopefully you have 2 isolation valves, one hot, one cold.
If not, mains off at your internal stopcock and hot off at its internal stopcock. That could BeIn your hot water cupboard dependent on your set up.

Find the screw or wee Allen grub to allow you to take the top off the taps.

I imagine what you will find will be something like this.



Suitable sized spanner to carefully remove, being mindful to keep tap unit still while you do so. Second pair of hands are useful at this stage. There may be a wee bit of water still in there, so a wee towel or cloth is useful.
Having removed cartridge and depending how good your eyesight is, find the part reference number on the cartridge.

My taps were B&Q jobs and plumbers merchant advised part number search on eBay to get the right ones. My B&Q didn’t have them but were happy to sell me new taps if I wanted them.

Fitting is reverse of removal. Remember to fit cartridge in it’s open position while you refit to your taps still in their open position.
Gently on with the water now, if no leaks, fully on with the water supply.

I’m not a plumber by the way. Far from it.

Good luck

What could possibly go wrong?

[Derry Alli]

That's why I fucking love this site. Someone asks a genuine question and get quite a detailed answer and think 'it's great to see folk just sharing knowledge and helping out complete strangers on the Internet' then you get to the end and it basically translates to "it might go horribly wrong by the way and that's on you."

Edited May 14, 2021 by Mr. Alli

[Jumbo Muir]

That's why I fucking love this site. Someone asks a genuine question and get quite a detailed answer and think 'it's great to see folk just sharing knowledge and helping out complete strangers on the Internet' then you get to the end and it basically translates to "it might go horribly wrong by the way and that's on you."

My intention was to offer help with something I managed to fix myself a few weeks ago without having to call a plumber.
I was pointing out to the guy that I’m far from being a plumber but I didn’t make it clear that I’d fixed a similar problem myself a few weeks ago.

It wasn’t intended as a disclaimer.

Hopefully others can take my post the way it was intended and the way you initially took it. Hopefully the OP will take it the same way. [emoji106]

[bennett]

On 13/05/2021 at 17:25, Boghead ranter said:

Looking for advice re changing the washer on my drippy mixer tap. Have watched some wee online videos, and it seen fairly easy, however - how do do know I've bought the right size of washer? Or are these things a standard, one-size?

Any plumbers, home diy-ers? @Zen Archer Esq.?

Your best bet is to ask Magee for advice.

 

Edit. Is it just me or does the reflection on the tap look like  Dougal McGuire?

Edited May 14, 2021 by bennett

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

23 minutes ago, bennett said:

Is it just me or does the reflection on the tap look like  Dougal McGuire?

If it was you, surely you would know.

[Boghead ranter]

12 hours ago, bennett said:

 

Edit. Is it just me or does the reflection on the tap look like  Dougal McGuire?

That would be an ecumenical question.

[Boghead ranter]

15 hours ago, Jumbo Muir said:

Have both taps in open position.
Water off under the sink.
Hopefully you have 2 isolation valves, one hot, one cold.
If not, mains off at your internal stopcock and hot off at its internal stopcock. That could BeIn your hot water cupboard dependent on your set up.

Find the screw or wee Allen grub to allow you to take the top off the taps.

I imagine what you will find will be something like this.



Suitable sized spanner to carefully remove, being mindful to keep tap unit still while you do so. Second pair of hands are useful at this stage. There may be a wee bit of water still in there, so a wee towel or cloth is useful.
Having removed cartridge and depending how good your eyesight is, find the part reference number on the cartridge.

My taps were B&Q jobs and plumbers merchant advised part number search on eBay to get the right ones. My B&Q didn’t have them but were happy to sell me new taps if I wanted them.

Fitting is reverse of removal. Remember to fit cartridge in it’s open position while you refit to your taps still in their open position.
Gently on with the water now, if no leaks, fully on with the water supply.

I’m not a plumber by the way. Far from it.

Good luck

Thank you.

I don't have a tank or cupboard, house is only 5 years old, so cold water feed only.

The videos I've seen make it look easy too, and the guys removed wee bits like you've pictured. I might be old school save the planet, but I didn't wanna just remove a complete part if it was just a washer, but seeing as they're only a fiver a pop, complete part it will be.

And my house is Persimmon built, so the existing part will be the cheapest of cheap crap available.

[Hedgecutter]

He clearly forgot to mention that if you're dealing with a hot water tap then you also need the window open and boiler up full blast.

[Robin.Hood]

How do I stop birds getting into my loft? Not so much my loft but under my tiles. Had nae bather before but ah of a sudden they are here.

 

[19QOS19]

How do I stop birds getting into my loft? Not so much my loft but under my tiles. Had nae bather before but ah of a sudden they are here.
 

After you murder them put them under the patio like a normal serial killer.

[Melanius Mullarkey]

5 minutes ago, Robin.Hood said:

How do I stop birds getting into my loft? Not so much my loft but under my tiles. Had nae bather before but ah of a sudden they are here.

 

I’ve got a squirrel or two that could chase them out for you.

[Derry Alli]

24 minutes ago, Robin.Hood said:

How do I stop birds getting into my loft? 

Stop being so god damn sexy!

[tamthebam]

42 minutes ago, Robin.Hood said:

How do I stop birds getting into my loft? Not so much my loft but under my tiles. Had nae bather before but ah of a sudden they are here.

 

I was listening to a programme about swallows and how they are having a hard time finding nesting sites because old farmhouse buildings where they nest each year get converted into holiday lets etc.

Swallows migrate to and from South Africa and eat lots of flies and midges. If you've got swallows, swifts or house martins in your tiles I'd leave them alone and enjoy watching them 

If it's seagulls though you've got a problem...

[bennett]

1 hour ago, Robin.Hood said:

How do I stop birds getting into my loft? Not so much my loft but under my tiles. Had nae bather before but ah of a sudden they are here.

 

 

Tabby Dave is a part time bird whisperer, he's your man.

[Bert Raccoon]

1 hour ago, Robin.Hood said:

How do I stop birds getting into my loft? Not so much my loft but under my tiles. Had nae bather before but ah of a sudden they are here.

 

I find a padlock and a cricket bat always does the trick

[anotherchance]

Anybody know the general etiquette for back to back two hour time slot bookings in the same pub? Places will differ In sure but don’t know if it’s generally just a case of walking out and walking back in, or whether we’ll be told to bolt when our cunning and dastardly plan is revealed?