Hi all, all the taps were changed in my Housing Association flat from the normal screw open type to lever type, which are easier to use.
But the tap I use most, the cold water one in the kitchen is constantly dripping, they have fitted new tops to it several times now.
Is this normal these days with water meters ? Mick.
Quarter turn taps have ceramic cartridges (instead of rubber washers) which are prone to wear & limescale. Classic example of design over practicality.
I've got one here in the kitchen. Many years old and never had a problem with it. Hard water area too.
I have one out of 6 1/4 turn taps that weepy - it lets by perhaps an egg cup full of water in a day. We get a lot of broken pipes in the village with resultant crud coming out the taps and I think it got some grit in it once and scratched the ceramic.
Once I have better access behind it (it's the bath one) I'll take it off and fix it (cartridge was installed by Geoff Capes, I am not risking taking a pole to it until I can get behind it in case it twists and causes the main tape connector to leak).
However, if you've change the cartridge (I assume you meant that) it should not be leaking.
True - but I do like them - you can see at a glance they are properly off and you don't get people trying to screw them down hard.
Thank you everybody for your help.
I have not tried to do anything with them as when they were put in, I was told there were no washers to change, and to call the Housing Ass repairman with any problems. This one is dripping a pint an hour. So I will call them again.
I did not want to call them if dripping was the norm! Thanks, Mick.
A pint an hour is unacceptable in anyone's books - they need to change the cartridge or the whole tap.
My 1/4 turn taps use rubber washers.
Mick IOW wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
People are jumping to conclusions about it being a ceramic cartridge. Pehaps we should ask for confimation. Some quarter turn taps have a coarse thread and a conventional rubber washer. Some people use too much pressure when turning them off and ruin the washer.
And maybe the threads have been stripped and need regrinding. My plumber did that after I had changed the washer 3 times...
Probably. However, when conventional innards are replace by a ceramic cartridge, the rubber washer at the bottom of the cartridge has to seal on the original tap seat when the cartridge is screwed in. The thought occurs to me that if the seat is worn, the cartridge's rubber washer may not seal properly - so the tap will drip even if the cartridge itself is perfectly ok. Re-cutting the seat may fix this.
This is maybe something to consider.
I had not considered conversions...
I change loads of cartridges for people.
Tap drips; Old technology; replace washer or head gear. Minimal cost, minimal labour. New technology; Leave customer without water while I drive to plumbers merchant, pay up to £30 for set of cartridges, drive back, fit cartridges.
Well, it's a bit of a swings and roundabout thing really I think.
On the whole I think I prefer ceramic ones, - taps in the old bathroom Ideal Standard ceramic ones - at least 20 years old and were till working fine when we decommissioned it very hard water area)
But yes the downside is the more expensive repair if necessary, but then taps with washers seem to need more regular maintenance
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