How do I stop one of these from dripping (badly)?

My kitchen mixer taps, just like this one:

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dripping really badly (actually running rather than dripping). It's the cold side that won't turn off properly. If it were an old fasioned tap, I'd be in there replacing the washer, but these mixer taps are like alien technology to me; I don't know where to start. Anyone advise?

TIA

Al

Reply to
Al Ackero
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Well for a start is it lots of turns or a quarter turn from off to on? If it's lots of turns then it's just like two separate (old fashioned) taps in one. Get in there and replace the washer.

If it's quarter turn then it's a bit different but not much harder. Prise off the cover, remove center screw. Take off handle. Spanner off the "module". Sit and play with it until you can see why it's not closing (dirt blocking it - problem will have started quickly, work ceramic surfaces - problem will have started gradually etc). New modules can be got easily off the internet, one company I've used has a very helpful site which gives very detailed drawings so you can even get the right thing first time!

Reply to
Calvin Sambrook

That should come apart like a conventional tap. If you unscrew the chrome bezel, you'll find a brass tap innards (barrel) underneath with a hexagon at the top, allowing you to unscrew it with a spanner. If the bezel doesn't move up far enough to get a spanner on the hexagon, you may have to remove the + shaped handle from the top of the stem. There's likely to be a plastic cover which you need to prise off in order to get at the screw which holds it on.

Assuming it's a multi-turn tap, you can then get at the washer and replace it.

If it's a quarter-turn ceramic jobbie (and it doesn't look like it is) you may have to replace barrel (possibly called a cartridge in this case).

Reply to
Roger Mills

If needed:

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Reply to
John

Or any half decent plumbing merchant. Be aware that they come in lefthand and right hand (clock/counter clock) versions so that "top away" has the same effect on the water flow on each side of the mixer.

It might be worth taking the old one with you to a merchants and making sure you get one that opens in the same direction.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

Thus spake Calvin Sambrook ( snipped-for-privacy@bigfoot.com) unto the assembled multitudes:

Would be even more helpful if you could give the web address for that very helpful site...

Reply to
A.Clews

While that's true every one I've come across has been convertible between LH and RH by dismantling and reassembling with the ceramic disc rotated by 90 degrees. It's really very simple.

Reply to
Calvin Sambrook

Yes it would have been but I couldn't remember it. Frankly if I needed to replace a cartridge myself I'd simply Google rather than digging through my email. After all that's how I found it in the first place.

Reply to
Calvin Sambrook

Thank you - I had been looking for a site like that for a few weeks but my google fu was not finding thr right keywords.

Reply to
Malcolm Gray

The size of the splines & the screw thread holding the tap top also vary.

Take the tap top as well.

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

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