Mixer taps, no water, hot or cold

UncleZen

Update. There were/are isolating valves in both the hot and cold pipes. I vaguely remember asking for them when the tap was fitted yonks ago. These are the type where you use a screwdriver and turn the screw a quarter turn and they weep a bit.
Took out both cartridges, dismantled them, clean them up, re greased them where there was already grease, refitted and boom i have taps that turn and water flowing. 
I have no idea why they both stopped working with exactly the same symptoms.
As a precaution I have left the bath panel off to observe if there any drips over the next few days.
Thanks for everybody's help and suggestions.

danrv

UncleZen said:

Update. There were/are isolating valves in both the hot and cold pipes. I vaguely remember asking for them when the tap was fitted yonks ago. These are the type where you use a screwdriver and turn the screw a quarter turn and they weep a bit.
Took out both cartridges, dismantled them, clean them up, re greased them where there was already grease, refitted and boom i have taps that turn and water flowing. 
I have no idea why they both stopped working with exactly the same symptoms.
As a precaution I have left the bath panel off to observe if there any drips over the next few days.
Thanks for everybody's help and suggestions.

That's a job well done. I guess the lack of use caused the cartridges to stick.

WIAWSNB

Blimey! Nice job!
Worth swapping the washers too? Were they ridged or grooved where they seated?
Yup, isolating valves are horribly unreliable. Always worth having decent makes.

danrv

I fitted these for my bath. Pegler also do a Tee ball type but I have enough space for the lever ones:
https://www.toolstation.com/pegler-pb300-lever-ball-valve-blue/p38783

UncleZen

WIAWSNB said:

Blimey! Nice job!
Worth swapping the washers too? Were they ridged or grooved where they seated?
Yup, isolating valves are horribly unreliable. Always worth having decent makes.

Thank-you. 
 Now I know how, I can take the cartridge out anytime and change the washers.
I have no idea if anything was ridged or grooved as i didnt really look.
I do have another tap in the house that won't stop dripping, I'll tackle that next. I think I have washers somewhere.

WIAWSNB

UncleZen said:

Thank-you. 
 Now I know how, I can take the cartridge out anytime and change the washers.
I have no idea if anything was ridged or grooved as i didnt really look.
I do have another tap in the house that won't stop dripping, I'll tackle that next. I think I have washers somewhere.

Don't forget to ask your neighbours if they have dripping taps... :-)

The 'deck mixer' is a very good tap to cut your plumbing teeth on, as it is solidly fixed to a surface, and cannot turn when you apply pressure on the nut. Individual taps are a different beast, and that's why I hate doing them; it's almost impossible to undo the cartridge without also loosening the whole tap body - which will then remain 'loose' unless you sort it - grrrr.

I did see a brilliant tool for this - a tube slots over the tap nozzle, and another part clamps over the cartridge nut - you then tighten a thread screw to pull the two together, so it undoes the cartridge by pulling against the tap nozzle - the tap body has no force applied to it. Fab. Must find it... :-)