Cold tap on bath noticeably less flow

[MM]

The other morning, in the bath, I thought, oh, the cold seems to be flowing less liberally than usual. Anglian Water must have reduced the pressure again. This happens from time to time. Once, the cold almost stopped and I rang the help line to be told that they had a leak in a switching station somewhere. Within four hours, though, the pressure was back up.

So, in the bath, I thought probably nothing serious, just the pressure. But then the next day it was the same. And the day after. I was getting worried, so I went round the house turning each cold tap on in turn (one at a time), and the pressure was normal!

So, back upstairs to the bathroom and turned on the bath cold tap once more. Still, apparently, low pressure. And then I opened the tap a bit more. It was REALLY stiff. I had to use quite a lot of effort to open it, but lo! The water really started flowing then! So I turned it open more and more and was pleased that it ain't low pressure after all, it's the friggin' tap!

So what's happened to the tap? This is the only tap it happens on. It seems to have got really tight, except for the first half-turn to whole turn when opening. Normally, I never open it more than about one full turn anyway.

Is it just because I *haven't* been fully opening the tap for years? (House was built in 2004.)

I don't want to strip the threads or something! What's the best thing to do? Replace the tap (which would mean both taps, since I'm unlikely to find a matching single tap to match the hot)?

Or ease it open a bit more each day for a week?

MM

[harryagain]

The screw thread has got bunged up with lime or other crap so it's not opening fully. You will have to dismantle it and clean it up. (Wire brush is the thing).

Doesn't happen much with the hot tap as the lime has been precipitated out by the heating process.

[The Medway Handyman]

Very common problem, sorted one yesterday AAMOF.

Its the tap valve;

Whats happened is that either; the circlip at the top has broken/come adrift, or the bottom (LH threaded) bit holding the washer has come adrift, or one of the O rings has failed & bits are jammed in the assembly.

Just replace it, cost about a £5. Wilkinsons & B&Q stock them, all pretty much standard. Very simple to change.

[DerbyBorn]

You are assuming the OP has a non-rising spindle tap. I have some of the type you refer to and had a problem due to the hexagonalsectioned plunger part (made that way to stop it rotating) had worn a section of the hexhagonal hole.

[The Medway Handyman]

I am. Because of his description. Quarter turn ceramics don't fail like that.

Never seen that, but often see them fallen off due to the circlip failing.

[MM]

Finally got round to fixing the tap, so I removed the old valve and took it to four heating/plumbing/hardware stores locally, none of which had the item WITH THE CORRECT SPLINES for the tap head.

There seem to be various models of this type of valve. The splines on mine measure 7.55mm outside dia and 7.13mm measured across base of spines.

Two shops wanted to sell me an "adaptor kit". This was £15 in the one shop and £18.99 in the other, albeit for both hot and cold taps. Needless to say, I didn't pursue that 'solution'.

So I came back home, cleaned up the old valve and put it back. Works fine now!

MM