Cold Tap - little pressure and hard to turn - what's wrong?

travel_freak

Hi,

My sister's tap seems not to be flowing as fast/with as much pressure as it used to.

It is the cold water one - so mains pressure.

She's also noticed it's harder to turn than usual.

The hot tap seems fine though.

Please does anyone know what could be wrong and if it's an expensive fix?
Many thanks.

mitchj

it might be the head gear in the tap-

http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/taps/head_gear.htm

http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/taps/replacing_tap_head_gear.htm

travel_freak

Thank you very much Mitchj, those are really useful links.

It seems as if we could attempt this ourselves?!?

Are head gear replacement bits for kitchen taps universal - so if we just went along to a plumber's merchant and asked for these they should fit?

What does it mean by "ensure the tap is in the open position when you re-assemble it so that any debris will be flushed out of the tap and not damage the washer"?

Not sure I understand this part as the tap will be closed, surely, when removing the head gear - does it mean once you've put everything back together to turn the tap full on before turning the mains stopcock back on?

Sorry if being dim here .....?!

weekendwarrior

As long as your taps are not modern quarter turn taps then, the tap repair heads are normally universal.

Here they are on screwfix tap revivers


When you put the new heard gear into the tap, if it is open the washer can pick up bits of debris on the tap seat and so it is best to make sure that the head gear is in the open position, so that the washer does not compress onto the tap seat.

De isolate the water and the water will flush out any debris from the tap, then you can close it.

I foregot to mention that 1/2 revivers are normally for sink/basin taps and 3/4 revivers are for bath taps.

travel_freak

Hi,

Thank you very much weekendwarrior. Whilst you were replying I just ran out to Wilkinsons (forgot completely about Screwfix ).

They had a 1/2" headgear and I also bought, just in case, something called "Adapt-a-Tap", which is like the reviver kits you pointed out but is universal to fit both 1/2" or 3/4" - it has some kind of adapter thing with it.

I think I understand now, so I put the replacement headgear in, leaving it open. Then turn the stopcock back on so that immediately I do this the water will be flowing - as the tap is open. This flushes out any debris etc. Then when I turn the tap off all should be hunky dory..... in theory.

Oh my God I'm panicking already...! I can hear the water gushing...still the stopcock is right under the sink so I haven't got far to go if it all goes horribly wrong!