Help with tap not working!! :-(

willing2learn_3

Hi everyone

I'm single, female and live alone, but still willing to have a go at DIY.

Problem is i have a kitchen tap that has stopped working. I've watched vids on you tube on how to change the washer, etc, but the problem is that i can't get as far as checking the washer.....because the levers under the taps that are supposed to stop the flow of water don't stop it (and of course i can't check one of them because there is no flow anyway).............I've found the stopcock but it won't budge.

the taps are the style where they are tap handles, both connected to a common tap spout. One works, the other doesn't.

there appears to be quite a bit of leakage (and hence limescale forming) around the base of the main tap spout too - so thinking i need to get something to seal in the water passage there.....i wouldn't know where to begin.

It might be that i have to get a plumber out but wonder if anyone can advise.

thanks!!

mart.vader

Can you post a pic of the taps and the valves on the pipework?

macman

Neither your gender nor your marital status impact upon your ability to tackle DIY jobs.
I'd sort the stop c*ck out as a priority, if you need to shut down the water supply suddenly for any reason at all then you need that to be working. Tried applying some WD40 or penetrating oil to it?
Is this the hot supply or the cold supply(the kitchen cold tap is straight off the rising main)?

willing2learn_3

Thanks mart.vadar and macman. I probably can't get pics up easily today unfortunately. macman i totally agree about the gender thing - it's just a lot of people think differently, which i don't agree with, hence i mentioned it. I'm going out for WD40 today and will give this a go, it's the cold kitchen tap by the way.

southcoastrgi

i very much doubt wd40 will do anything it's prob the threads inside that are gummed up, check the outside stop c0ck if you can't see it (as it's full of debis) give your local water co a ring & they will come out & clean it out foc, then you can turn off the water to the house & repair or replace the internal stop tap

macman

willing2learn wrote: »

Thanks mart.vadar and macman. I probably can't get pics up easily today unfortunately. macman i totally agree about the gender thing - it's just a lot of people think differently, which i don't agree with, hence i mentioned it. I'm going out for WD40 today and will give this a go, it's the cold kitchen tap by the way.

The reason I mentioned it was that you chose to highlight it-otherwise no one on a forum has a clue about your gender.

southcoastrgi

macman wrote: »

The reason I mentioned it was that you chose to highlight it-otherwise no one on a forum has a clue about your gender.

of course apart from you macman

macman

Usernames aren't gender checked...

rxbren

you could always turn it off in the street
as for wd40 its a terrible thing to use sure its ok for a few days but then it will rust better using something like gt85 as its teflon coated and more durable
plus as said above more than likely gummed up so a high chance of failing

societys_child

WD40 on a stop thingy? - yeah ok . . .