Stiff kitchen basin tap

snowmen

Hi,
Don't really want to have to ask a plumber for this one but I am not great with DIY stuff also.
Our bathroom basin tap has got very stiff lately. I have read about maybe taking the head off the tap and then descaling and using plumbers grease 
Problem is I cannot work out how to get the top of the tap off. Most posts talk about a grub screw or a cap you need to remove first but I cannot for the life of me see where this is on our tap. Any advice? I will try to attach a photo.

grumbler

I'd be tempted to try unscrewing the handle (pointed forward in the photo)

neilmcl

With this type of tap you may need to unscrew the handle then open the tap upwards and the grub screw will be accessible from behind the hole where the handle screws in.

snowmen

Thanks for the replies!
I gave it a quick go this morning but the handle is very tight to unscrew.
I will give it another go after work tonight.

NSG666

Be careful, if you haven't got isolators for the tap and it goes wrong, e.g. you cannot get the tap to stop gushing after you've had it in bits and reassembled then you'll have to turn the main stop tap off affecting the whole house. As said you'll need to remove the handle then use an allen key to remove the grub screw. Don't snap the plastic mechanism as you try to pull off the tap head.

If you know the make of tap you could buy and fit a new cartridge (sometimes the cartridge has a make and mode written on it and you can buy one online) but if not use it until it goes completely then fit a new tap. The cartridge is not a universal part so without knowing the make a plumber cannot fix it.

grumbler

snowmen said:

I gave it a quick go this morning but the handle is very tight to unscrew.
I will give it another go after work tonight.

Try pouring some descaler into the connection, then, later, WD.

Wrap the handle tightly with several layers of masking or duct tape, they use pliers.