I want to replace the horrible twee gold-effect mixer tap on my kitchen sink with something less offensive, and have a couple of questions:
- The sink has a single tap hole. Are all such tap holes created equal, i.e. if I buy a replacement from (say) screwfix, will it fit? The sink is a generic cheap plastic thing.
- At the moment the pipes look like they go straight into the tap. I'd like to install isolating valves, so do I need to go: original pipe ->
valve -> a bit more pipe -> tap hose? Or is there an easier way?
I would imagine that monobloc taps all fit the hole in all sinks but I can't be sure .Best to measure the hole and check the specs of one you intend buying if there is any doubt ..or maybe take a cutout of the sink hole and check the tap against it if you are buying it in person .
From what you say "At the moment the pipes look like they go straight into the tap" that suggests that they have been fitted with copper tails which are in turn fitted to 15mm copper . You would be better fitting flexible tails such as this
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is a pushfit to the supply but you can also get ordinary compression fittings . This Screwfix tap comes complete with tails
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you buy the tap and tails seperately make sure you buy the correct size to fit in to the tap as some are 10mm and some other sizes. You can also get tails with valves but I'm not sure if the monobloc ones have valves as the hose has to be rotated to remove it from the tap so the valve would prevent that . You would need to put the valve lower down in the copper section so ,as you suggest you would have ...from below .....supply in copper or plastic /valve/piece of copper or plastic / then the tail / then the tap.
You say your sink is plastic? I take it it's not bog standard plastic.
Some people have problems with sinks flexing when flexible tails are fitted as these do not have the rigidity of copper and iirc some have made suggestions to sort that but no doubt someone will be along to say what . Stuart
AFAIK it should be fine - I've never come across different sized holes.
Pretty much, yes. You can certainly buy flexible hoses (comprerssion or speedfit) which have built-in valves on the non-tap end, but am not sure whether they are available for monobloc hoses (as opposed to 0.5" tap connectors). Have a shufti on Screwfix.com at the link the other guy gave you.
Fit the flexi tails to the pipe before you fit it to the sink; it's a lot easier if you do this before fitting the sink to the worktop - can be very awkward to gain access to the below-sink tap clamp.
Neither have I and monoblock changing is a popular job.
They are available to screw straight into the tap, but there are several sizes. Might be best to pay a little more at a plumbers merchant & get the right size.
Indeed! If the sink is staying in place though, its well worth buying a cheap set of the special box spanners - the clamp can be a bugger to do up without them.
How old is the old tap unit? Does it use rubber/plastic washers? What temp is your hot water feed?
Most of the newer tap units have an everlasting ceramic washer thingy that "never" needs changing. I have to change mine three times before discovering that very hot water distroys the ever lasting washer. This is of course totally undocumented.
Isolating valves are an extremely good idea. Everywhere.
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