What's going on under my sink? (Sorted!)

EssexExile

Another thing to know while you're under there is that those little blue handles on the valves to the washing machine and dishwasher can be a bit of a nuisance. If they haven't been used for a while the valve can stiffen up and the soft blue plastic handle will just turn without actually doing anything! You have to unscrew the plastic handle and use a spanner on the valve itself, it's off when the flats on the valve are across the pipe rather than along it.

Jemma01

WIAWSNB said:

Jemma01 said:

Venturing into the underworld of my sink, there's lots going on and I don't know what's what. Would be very nice to understand that part before a disaster strikes.
For background to the pictures
* To the right of the sink, there is a dishwasher (I THINK that's the yellow) Almost certainly, yes.
* to the left of the sink, there is a washing machine (I THINK that's the lilac) Almost certainly, yes.
* behind the sink there is an outside tap (I THINK that's the red!?) Almost certainly, yes.

The internal stopcock is the green, and the hot and cold pipes are marked. Yes, yes, and ditto.

By looking at this, is it fair to say that
* The two blue handles are to isolate the dishwasher and washing machine? Yes.
* there is no isolation for the outside tap except the internal stopcock? What?! You were doing so well, and now you've gorn all bonkers. You've already said that the 'red' is the outside tap valve, so there.

I'm looking to replace the outside tap, the handle is broken, but can't figure out if there is an isolation valve to disconnect it. Like, duh. It's like, circled in red, like.

How do I know for sure which one is for the oustide? Red. It's RED. RED!!!, dammit. I wish I could turn it on, the handle is broken, I'd be able to sense the vibration on the pipe

Thanks


this is the part above that picture.

And the below pic shows the same type of screwdriver-operated isolating valves for the sink tap - all good to have. See how the slots are in line with the pipes? That's 'on'.

Nice post - lots of detail :-)

Bits in BOLD above.

Are you hoping, wishing, to replace the outside tap yourself? If so, could you post a piccie of it, please, and we can guide you.

Meanwhile, check that the 'green' mains stopcock is operating smoothly - try turning it closed, and check that the cold kitchen tap has stopped. If it works, then that's your go-to in an emergency...

Now reopen it all the way until it stops, and then close it one turn - that'll help prevent it seizing in the open position.

🤣🤣🤣 bear with me, this is the first time I ever look at pipes!! I've done pretty well making a single mistake 🤣🙈

I appreciate the detailed response, thanks a lot. I am planning to replace it myself, I watched few videos and think that I can do it. The only thing I can't find online is what happens when the handle itself is broken, and how to go about testing (or letting any water run out) before physically taking the whole pipe off. I'll probably use a wrench to try to open and close it.

Excuse the spider web 😅 these were meant for my personal use to search online for a suitable replacement

Jemma01

EssexExile said:

Another thing to know while you're under there is that those little blue handles on the valves to the washing machine and dishwasher can be a bit of a nuisance. If they haven't been used for a while the valve can stiffen up and the soft blue plastic handle will just turn without actually doing anything! You have to unscrew the plastic handle and use a spanner on the valve itself, it's off when the flats on the valve are across the pipe rather than along it.

Right, they could well be, they're as old as the house built in 2009, so not sure I have much faith in them.
They misled me to believe everything needed a handle 😅, but now I know. I'll test the dishwasher since I don't use it at all.
Thank you so much

Jemma01

@Section62 thanks again, you just got me searching and found this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK63YcAwJU8 that shows how to take off the handle itself, I could really just do that instead of replacing the whole thing. I wonder if that would be enough given how old it is.

Section62

Jemma01 said:

Section62 thanks again, you just got me searching and found this ... that shows how to take off the handle itself, I could really just do that instead of replacing the whole thing. I wonder if that would be enough given how old it is.

He's doing a more involved job of replacing the tap washer - if you are lucky your job is even easier.  The handle part which is missing is just held on with a little screw which goes in top of the 'stem' - circled red.  If the replacement tap you buy has the same pattern of handle then in theory you could unscrew the handle from the new tap and screw it onto the stem of the old one.  That said, it looks like someone has been chewing the top of the stem (possibly using pliers to turn the tap on and off?) so it may have been damaged too much to get away with just swapping the handle.

The method of getting to the washer in the video could allow you to swap the valve assembly of the new tap onto the old body - but you would be very lucky if the dimensions were exactly the same.

If you have to change the whole tap then you'll need to turn the nut marked with the green arrow - but it is really important to have a second spanner on the nut marked with the blue arrow so the pipework and the part known as a 'wallplate elbow' (the bit screwed onto the wall) don't get damaged.  They aren't designed to take the force of undoing/doing up the tap, hence the blue arrowed nut which allows you to stop the fixed part trying to turn with the tap.

Replacing an outside tap can be fiddly, because you need the tap turned enough times to get it to tighten into the wallplate elbow, but you also want the tap to finish in the vertical position with the handle at the top.  There are varius tricks to getting it right - one of which is to put fibre washers in the joint so the tap is fully tightened in a different position to where it would be if there were no washers.  You might be lucky and it works first time - but you may want to buy washers at the same time as the tap so you have some if you need them.  Wrapping lots of PTFE tape around the thread is another method people use, and you'll probably find others on youtube.

WIAWSNB

Jemma01 said:

🤣🤣🤣 bear with me, this is the first time I ever look at pipes!! I've done pretty well making a single mistake 🤣🙈

The funny thing is, you actually got everything right - and then confused yourself later on :-)

WIAWSNB

Jemma01 said:

I appreciate the detailed response, thanks a lot. I am planning to replace it myself, I watched few videos and think that I can do it. The only thing I can't find online is what happens when the handle itself is broken, and how to go about testing (or letting any water run out) before physically taking the whole pipe off. I'll probably use a wrench to try to open and close it.

Excuse the spider web 😅 these were meant for my personal use to search online for a suitable replacement

Good pictures.

As Section 62 said, if you wished to just replace the 'internals', it would have to be a physically idential tap. 

Almost certainly a better solution is to replace the tap itself by unscrewing it from the wallplate. This will require two adjustable spanners/wrenches - one to hold the wallplate steady against the unscrewing force, and the other to unscrew the tap. 

So, what tools do you have?!

Do you have a 'mole' type clamping wrench? If so, that should fit on the tap spindle and allow you to operate it to confirm that the water is off. 

This is a nice DIY task, but the main issues are that the fixings can be tight, and need a firm force to undo, and that can lead to damage to other parts if they are not restrained properly - ie that wallplate.

First, though, check your mains stopcock, that it works and is easy to turn. Check that it shuts off fully (kitchen cold tap), and then fully open it until it stops - and then give it one turn closed again - leave it there.

Get a mole grip or similar on that spindle, and turn it anti-clockwise to open the tap - does any water come out? If water continues to trickle, then check the isolating valve under your sink - yes, the red one :-) Make sure it's at right angles to the pipe direction.

Before you start on the tap itself, please let us know what tools you have for the job - adjustable spanners and wrenches.

MeteredOut

For the OP,  I've just replaced an outside tap last weekend that had sprung leak from the tap handle.

£8 odd from Screwfix for the tap, and another 36p for some PTFE tape to wrap around the thread before fitting, just for extra water tightness.

I'd just go for that over trying to replace the internals.

Albermarle

silvercar said:

Looks to me that the tap circled in red does have an isolator. You can see the slot that will fit a standard screwdriver. Turning it so the line is in line with the pipe should allow the water to flow. Currently it looks to be off.

Maybe a stupid question but here goes.

I have one of these isolators on a radiator feed pipe. You can turn it with a screwdriver right round 360 degrees and many times ( like if you were screwing it in or out) .
Is this normal, or should it just turn 90 degrees from on to off and vice versa ?

MeteredOut

Albermarle said:

silvercar said:

Looks to me that the tap circled in red does have an isolator. You can see the slot that will fit a standard screwdriver. Turning it so the line is in line with the pipe should allow the water to flow. Currently it looks to be off.

Maybe a stupid question but here goes.

I have one of these isolators on a radiator feed pipe. You can turn it with a screwdriver right round 360 degrees and many times ( like if you were screwing it in or out) .
Is this normal, or should it just turn 90 degrees from on to off and vice versa ?

It's not a binary thing. The "slot" alignment with the the direction of the pipe is the level of on-ness (if that makes sense). So, in-line is fully on, 90 degrees is off, 45 degree is half on. You can use it to control the flow as well as turn it on or off.

So being able to turn it isn't necessarily wrong, but I'd not recommend it just in case...