Very leaky tap to pipe fitting, help.....

singlehouseholder

Help, I discovered last night, as I sat watching HolyOaks, that I hhave a leak. After investigating further it seems the connecting nut, on the tap to pipe part is leaking, and leaks very bad when I try and tighten it up.
I think whats happened is, the tap is somehow loose, so that even though the tap is turned off, the water is still leaking out. My ceiling has suffered and has damp patches, god damn it.Now I have no cold basin tap. Have tried to tighten up but there's no room for my big clumsy hands and the wrenches( assortment of- including the adjustable gripper type just for plumbing) wont go in the gap behind pedastal, never mind anything else..... Now to make matters worse, the stopcock in my house is very very old, so old infact that there is no handle and it turns with the use of pliers, but, its been turned that much that the pliers cant grip the metal. So cant turn stopcock off. Its not looking good is it. How much for a man that knows what he's doing? How much should I be looking to fork out.... boohoo.
Thanks for help, as always.

plumb1_2

You just need a new fibre washer on the tap connector.

Rhino666

I would replace the stopcock tape as well. Need to find your external mains stopcock, which is probably under a small metal cover on the pavement at the front of your house. When turning off make sure that none of the neighbours are affected as some share the same mains stopcock.

Decent plumber/DIYer will sort your tap and stopcock cheaply - they sound like straightforward jobs.

Good luck

singlehouseholder

Thanks very much, these are very helpful points I can raise when I'm getting estimates, might make me sound like I kind of know what i'm on about, which helps. Many thanks...

plumb1_2

Rhino666 wrote:

I would replace the stopcock tape as well. Need to find your external mains stopcock, which is probably under a small metal cover on the pavement at the front of your house.

Decent plumber/DIYer will sort your tap and stopcock cheaply - they sound like straightforward jobs.

Good luck

Soundlike striaght forward jobs??????????

External Stoptap full of rubble,scraping the hairs from your armpits trying to clean out,cant get a complete shut off, end up frezzing the pipe.
Internal stop tap, is it connected to lead, copper, plastic ?????

Cheap job, define cheap? DIYer?

Rhino666

plumb1 wrote:

Soundlike striaght forward jobs??????????

External Stoptap full of rubble,scraping the hairs from your armpits trying to clean out,cant get a complete shut off, end up frezzing the pipe.
Internal stop tap, is it connected to lead, copper, plastic ?????

Cheap job, define cheap? DIYer?

Plumb1 - is your glass always half empty or are you preparing a quote ?

singlehouseholder

Just had plumber number 3 out, he was the cheapest at £85, to replace bathroom taps, I bought some new ones from argos for under £20. I haggled him down to £70 cash. He said the pipes need stop pipes on them??Also he'd replace back plates and replace the pipe with flex hose. He also said that I should get my cold water stop !!!! done as a matter of urgency. Probably getting ripped off but need the job doing. Fortunatley I have a meagre perfomance related bonus, so that will cover the cost. Why is it whenever you get a bit off cash spare to stick in savings something happens to eat it, grrr....
Thanks for all your help...

plumb1_2

singlehouseholder wrote:

Just had plumber number 3 out, he was the cheapest at £85, to replace bathroom taps, I bought some new ones from argos for under £20. I haggled him down to £70 cash. He said the pipes need stop pipes on them??Also he'd replace back plates and replace the pipe with flex hose. He also said that I should get my cold water stop !!!! done as a matter of urgency. Probably getting ripped off but need the job doing. Fortunatley I have a meagre perfomance related bonus, so that will cover the cost. Why is it whenever you get a bit off cash spare to stick in savings something happens to eat it, grrr....
Thanks for all your help...

He shouldn't need to change the pipes to flexible connectors, so ask him not too, and knock the price off them off.
With flexible connectors you have more chance(90%) of your taps coming loose later on, and then you will be in the same boat again, he just needs to fit new fibre washers 5p each.

Just ask him why he is fitting flexible connectors??

BobProperty

plumb1 wrote:

....Just ask him why he is fitting flexible connectors??

The OP did say he was fitting "stop pipes" presumably meaning iso's so if he's doing that then that will be why he's using flexi's too.(speed I suppose). He could combine them in one, or go pushfit, or both. (speed again I suppose )
I'd love to know how you manage to freeze outside stop taps - you missed concrete/cement/silt/water/sewage and a few other things, out of what you find in them.

Edited to say "Fix-a-tap" ? (is it?) That usually solves tap movement.

plumb1_2

BobProperty wrote:

The OP did say he was fitting "stop pipes" presumably meaning iso's so if he's doing that then that will be why he's using flexi's too.(speed I suppose).

So why not just install new new valves, no need for flex's, diy job

BobProperty wrote:

He could combine them in one, or go pushfit, or both. (speed again I suppose )

pushfit??? will he restore the electical bond?
Why use flex's( rubber tube with a braided cover) copper(solid pipe withstand over 20bar of pressure and give you a earth bond.

BobProperty wrote:

I'd love to know how you manage to freeze outside stop taps - you missed concrete/cement/silt/water/sewage and a few other things, out of what you find in them.

Plumbing secret;) not for builders:D , in days of old we used to use a loaf of bread.

BobProperty wrote:

Edited to say "Fix-a-tap" ? (is it?) That usually solves tap movement.

I dought very much he will use Fix-a tap, plus why have a large washer sticking out under the taps, when there is no need too.

moneysavingplumber

plumb1 wrote:

Just ask him why he is fitting flexible connectors??

Because he probably doesn't have a blowlamp or tube bender, they haven't got that far on his evening course yet.

If the tap connector is short because the existing taps are old with the longer tails, then the added length of cutting in the iso valve makes up the difference and as Plumb1 rightly points out, there are no earthing issues, and flexis perish within about 5 years if they are placed under any stress. Unfortunately use of them is now widespread, you only ever used to be able to get them in B & Q, now PTS sell them in 'Tradesave' packs.