This is an awesome video. Watched it, watched it again, got the tools out, fixed my leaky faucet (that had really been driving me nuts). And I’m a 65 year old woman! Thanks so much!!!!
2024 and this 6 year old video is still helping people. These generous TH-camrs have helped this single, old girl maintain her independence, save money and gain so many new skills. Thanks so much Al ❤
Thank you very much for this video - it helped me carry out the task successfully: 3 factors helped: 1. The excellent video, even with a US faucet/tap with a couple of differences. The cartridge had the 2 little plugs on the bottom to align and the hot/cold rotator thingee that goes on the cartridge also had 2 plugs to align on the cartridge itself. Also, there was no o-ring or washer inside like in the video, but after taking everything out, cleaning all the parts and putting them back in, the leaking stopped. 2. The tip from other commenters to use a rubber jar opener to loosen the ring. 3. Serendipity; I had some to squirt some WD40 in order to loosen the nut holding the handle in place, as I could not turn the Allen key at first. Also, I did not put back the top ring and screw in the handle nut immediately, just as well as I had not aligned the cartridge, rotator thingee correctly at first, so I adjusted, tried again and all was well. Then I screwed everything back in place.
Very good video on disassembling a tap. Correct me if I'm wrong, but to me the white nylon washer looks like a sort of bearing ring that facilitates the tap rotating. I don't think it seals the tap. If the blue layer of the cartridge makes good contact no water should ever get as far as the white ring.
thanks , dereton33 , i was struggling for 30mins to find out how to dismantle the unit until I see your vid showing me the secret tiny allen key hidden behind the plastic cover . Thanks Chief .
Thanks this helped me. I could not get the handle off. But I could just unscrew the whole thing to reveal the gasket and cartridge. I cleaned that up and screwed it all back down. Worked a treat.
Excellent! I'm having trouble sealing my mixer tap, after fitting a new cartridge. Your video takes me on to the next stage of disassembly with more confidence! Thanks!
Thank you for your help with this problem. We have the same tap and hubby was averting the job because he thought you had to tackle the problem from under the sink. Now I know better and will probably do the job myself.
Thanks again for a well explained video. Just fixed my parents tap with your help. Wasn't sure how those taps came apart. Thanks again, your videos have helped me out alot in the past. Merry Xmas and a leaky free new year.
Thank you for an excellent video which shows the insides of these sink mixer taps and how to take them apart. However, I must pull you up on one thing regarding the cause of the leak: It's not failure of the white washers/spacers that cause these types of leaks (some taps don't even have them). Instead, it's failure of the black o-rings which are at top and bottom of the swing tap section. If they fail to seal properly, water will come out from either the top or bottom of the swing section (depending on which seal has failed). As you point out, dirt is often the culprit and a clean out can fix such leaks.
Thank you for your excellent video! I was able to repair our faucet (tap) by using a bit of plumbers tape to increase the seal between the plastic o-ring and the faucet, where it swivels at the base. Again many thanks, as it saved my engaging a plumber for what is truly a minor job that even I could repair in under 15 minutes.
Thanks for your hint! I did the same thing here for the rubber seals at the base of my Price Pfister kitchen sink tap: I found that covering them with a few wraps of teflon tape also helped the overall faucet move more freely and also stopped some slight drips getting out. For me that was happening due to the interior of the cylindrical part of the faucet having become slightly corroded (with the chrome plating wearing off to reveal a copper surface underneath, so the rubber ring was probably no longer making nice even contact, allowing a few drips to squeeze out at the base of the tap when it was turned on). With the teflon tape added over the rubber seals, that slight drip when the tap was turned on stopped completely for me. As a plus, the faucet is also no longer stiff to move from left to right! So it seems like this simple fix is working great, thanks for the hint! Perhaps using teflon tape also makes the rubber seal last longer? There would be less friction within the cylindrical part when moving the faucet from left to right, so less risk of the seals getting "shredded". I wonder why more plumbing channels don't recommend using teflon tape over these rubber seals? Perhaps it helps increase the sales of the replacement rubber seals?
For the rubber seal at the base, I found that covering it with a few wraps of teflon tape helps the overall faucet move more freely and also stops any slight drips getting out (sometimes that can happen due to the interior of the cylindrical part of the faucet having become slightly corroded with the chrome plating wearing off to reveal a copper surface underneath, so the rubber ring is probably no longer making nice even contact, allowing a few drips to squeeze out at the base of the tap when it is turned on). With the teflon tape added over the rubber seal, that slight drip when the tap was turned on stopped completely for me, and also the faucet is no longer stiff to move from left to right, so it seems like this simple fix is working. Perhaps using teflon tape also makes the rubber seal last longer, as there would be less friction within the cylindrical part when moving the faucet from left to right. I wonder why plumbers don't use teflon tape over the rubber seal?
@@dereton33 Thanks. I have an over 20 year old faucet and struggled with that leak, though slow, at the bottom and discovered that large ring was broken. I got a kit but of course the bottom ring was a "mouse hair" smaller but I slipped it on;. No luck.
They make a wrench for car oil filters that instead of using a metal band to grip, they use an adjustable rubber band that fits any size. It's called a Rubber Strap Wrench. About £3 ($6).
AHA! I knew there was something like that on the market! I asked the man in the hardware store and he said he didn't know of anything like that. I was at Harbor Freights and just looked up Rubber Strap Wrench and sure enough they sell them! Whether it works or not who knows. $5 in USA. www.harborfreight.com/rubber-strap-wrench-set-2-pc-69373.html?cid=paid_google|||69373&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-_j1BRDkARIsAJcfmTHQcug1dbQiLq3gVIjOPbp53EMeILtuOXwK9vi2mO4G2qyvuE3a5sIaAij-EALw_wcB
Canadian here, with the exact same problem. I suspected both upper and lower leaks were the result of a build up of lime (scale). Out water in Toronto is very hard, 7 grains, I think, and we require water softeners to prevent the build up of scale inside kettle, clothes irons, water heaters, steam irons and shower and kitchen faucets. The O-rings no longer made a complete seal with the build up of scale on them
Silicon grease is very good for using with 'O' rings instead of plumbers mate, less messy and I found it a 100% perfect solution to seal and does not affect rubber 'o' rings.
I've just bought and fitted a new one it's leaking slightly from the top joint above the one yours was ... hopefully I'll have a look today and it'll just need that top nut tightening a bit Thanks for the excellent video Mark in Poole:)
I'm back here again, my leaky tap is a bit different, it has a two 1/4 turn taps and I'm going to change the cartridges in those to see if that solves the problem. I can see the the cold one leaking quite a lot, and I have not got a "Round2it" till now its causing a puddle in that mess under the sink. I'm just hoping that a pair of new cartridges solves the problem as I dont want to have to replace the tap. Its a nightmare under there ... the kitchen was fitted by a pair of bodgers and one of them thought he was a plumber. So its a complete hideous mess of Polypipe and right angled joiners. But great to see your videos again.
@@dereton33 Yesterday was not a good day .. everything I touched came back to bite me. I ordered a couple of cartridges from screwfix but they were not the right ones when I picked them up. I was studying the original valve in my van, when I dropped it from my hand down the back of the seat in my brand new Transit. Ollocks! I could not reach it, I was in Stevenage and I was nowhere near home. I had to source one of those flexible grabby things .. I ordered one from Tool Station ... Got there ... no they didnt have one in stock. But! There was a very helpful plumbing supply next door ... So I bought another couple of cartridges that looked right. (from photo) + a complete new tap with flexi hoses and olives etc just in case. I managed to get a grabby think from Letchworth Tool Station and rescued the original valve in a jiff. Back home .. They still were the wrong valves :( My luck changed this morning when I went down the road to my local plumb shop (I don't know why I didn't go there first) And they sorted me out, not exactly the same ones, but good enough. Went home and changed both cartridges in 5 minutes. Thanks for your video and I would underline that there are only about 50,000 different cartridges out there to choose from.
Thanks for the help! After watching your video, I fixed the issue! The problem was the plastic nut that holds the cartridge in place...it was pretty loose. I tightened it up and it seems to be behaving now! :)
You can definitely get the seals and cartridges. Local plumbing suppliers have them even some general hardware store's. Helps to know the model number but most are standardized.
Thanks for the friendly help there! I really wish we had some form of shut off valve for our hot water, it looks like I’m going to need to empty the whole cylinder before I can get in to check out these o-rings. How common is it these days to install shut off valves on each faucet in a home? I feel like that would save a lot of sanity being able to just isolate before a tap haha
It might be, but some ' professional ' tradespersons are inevitably either still just as incompetent or sadly still as lazy as ever. Though it is both logical and common sense, they don't botherto fit isolation valves. Needless to say, finding GOOD tradespersons to undertake work is almost impossible ...
I had the same problem with a similar tap. I used a strap wrench to avoid scratching the chrome with a spanner. As you say Al the top parts only need to be hand tight and the strap wrench worked a treat.
Hi Great video BUT I have removed the cover and then I cant find a hole to insert the Allen Key. Used a torch to look but there appears to be nowhere to insert the Allen Key into. I have rotated the handle so the hole is looking at different parts of the inside but luck in finding a slot for the key. Surely there must be something holding the handle in place?
It may be just a push fit one, try pulling upwards. If no luck try tapping it upwards with a light hammer. Make sure the hole is not covered by a chrome cap, or hot or cold dot.
Great video. It showed me that the base of the tap can be unscrewed so that the sealing rings can be reached and renewed. This is my problem. And I will fix.
Thanks for that… I’ve a similar leak to check out, and bought two cartridges of different sizes yesterday. The kit had the Allen key and other o-rings etc included. BTW, I’ve heard your footprints wrench called multi-grips or a Stilson wrench in Australia (mistakenly) thanks for the vocab boost. Not sure what Boss white is? Lithium grease?
I need help with my kitchen taps? I want to change my 2 kitchen taps, for, 2 leaver taps I have looked for a tutorial on you tube, but, can only find kitchen mixer tap demonstration. ???
This is wonderful...I appreciate the detailed explanation for a layman (or woman) such as myself. I have a question though please since I do sometimes have bad luck when I'm full of good intentions and have the confidence to attempt repairs myself ..You said that it would be very unlikely to find a washer "that size"..so in that case what should I do ? I think that that may well be my problem. The tap is about 2 years old and leaking from the base constantly. Hope to hear back Thank you and Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦. 🙂
You can try local plumbing stores in Canada, or just good old Amazon. There are so many different types of washers you may end up with ones that do not fit.
Brilliant thanks a lot, now I can do mine leaking at the top, and my girlfriends, leaking at the bottom. Lets hope that just cleaning up those threads works like yours did.
There is a simple tool called a strap wrench you can use to loosen/tighten the chrome bits without marring them. It's one of the oldest and most useful tools out there.
Very useful. Ours seems to leak from the same place, but the base ring of the tap becomes loose as there are not enough threads on it to hold it together through use. Very annoying!
Mine is slightly leaking only at the base, where it meets the sink top. No water dripping down from higher up. What might cause that please? P.s. under the sink everything is bone dry with the lines nice and tight.
Thank you for this excellent video ... just noticed that our sink mixer seem to have a similar issue and now I know how to take it apart and what to look for.
Like you, if this was on my own tap I would have a go at repairing it because I'm a tight arse. But as a jobbing plumber if I tried this for a tenanted property and it failed again within twelve months I would be expected to go back free of charge to resolve it so I don't bother and would replace it.
Hi under my kitchen sink there is ony 1 flexi hose its a combi boiler do you know what kind of tap i need to buy I bought second hand kitchen but on that sink it has 2 connections on the tap
Hi Al. I have a single lever valve tap for the hot & cold on the bath. It's leaking from the underside of lever part of the tap that moves up & down, left & right. Could that be a seal as well or could it be the cartridge? No brand name on the tap itself so I presume it'll be impossible to get the replacement parts.
@@dereton33 replacement cartridges are available but they come in a variety of sizes. Take your old one for comparison. or if you buy on-line, compare sizes
I have a single center, kitchen tap that you lift a lever to turn tap on, left for hot, right for cold. It leaks from the inside of the ball that tap handle moves on. There is a tiny hole at front of tap that I am unsure if that unscrews tap handle. It's rusty af, so I have no clue. Does that part have a washer that I can replace, or do I have to get a whole new tap? ANYONE.??
That tiny hole hides an allen key screw, which once loosened off allows you to take the top off. Unlikely you will be able to fix that leak though so I would recommend new taps.
@@dereton33 Actually, the 2 O-rings at the base were all stretched out and cracked. I went to the hardware store and got replacement ones. I cleaned the tap parts of the mineral deposits, put it back together and it seems to be working fine now. No leaks. Fingers crossed that it stays fixed, at least til after winter. lol - Thanks so much for responding to me. Videos work wonders. I'm a half assed handywoman. 😂
I can't get the base piece on the faucet neck to turn. I sprayed w-40 and let it sit. I have the perfect curve jaw wrench that locks and I can't get it to budge to loosen the thread. Any advice?
Hi - excellent video - I have exactly the same leak and the same dirty parts - what did you use to clean the black marks around the washer and thread ?
atleast his leaks back into the sink lol mine is on the counter basically. Found the water first underneat the sink, dripping right from faucet area , but then noticed its the actual faucet leaking at the base and water running down from the counter top basically through to bottom. Luckily it wasn't that much water and have it contained, watching this video though because it seems no plumbers around here want to work a small job so now i'm scared i'll have to try my unskilled self to fix it. I always scared to make things worse! lol
Hey, Al! Just out of interest. What hat is your most hated tap design, repair/service? I had a problem with a glass bowled, mono, lever, waterfall bath tap. Could not for the life of me get the chrome top screw plate off to get to the cartridge. The blessed thing was seized tight and the angle of the glass bowl frustrated me no end. It dripped for ages, but that was the start of the problem. The flexis supplied in the box were about 500mm long and were tightly bent over in the packaging and strapped tight with an elastic band. I reckon the rubber inner was stressed/fatigued being held in a kinked position during transit (probably all the way from China) Eventually perished, fine misting spray through the metal braided outer sheath. Even worse. The tap was located 1/2 way along the back, long length of the bath and both ends were butted against end walls. Had to cut plasterboard off bedroom wall on other side to get to the darn thing to swap it.
I had the same tap in the same position on my bath, the flexis also leaked on mine luckily, I was able to get under the void underneath the bath and replace them. By the way I think they are the worse taps to repair. Never again.
Thanks for the lesson , I at least got an understanding as to the method required , no to put it into practise , I'm sure it'll work for me , cheers mate .
I would have used one of those rubber band type wrenches on the chrome bits like you remove the car oil filter cartridge to shift it without damaging it😉.
Essentially what you have discovered is that the whole caboodle is utterly badly designed. These seals dont work, and tightening it all up will either just jam the turning spout ..or at best give you a few more weeks till it leaks again. I can only think that they are made this way. Trotting back to BnQ this morning for another mixer..hopeful better designed ! Thanks anyway mate. It was reassuring that Im not the only one! Best regards
@@dereton33 such a waste of time and effort... BnQ have no washer sets or capsules! Thanks again for your advice and instruction. I really appreciate that. And also that Im not the only one.
is not easy to find a original washer for any tap the you end up buying a new tap why the manufactures they dont supply extra washer or o ring enjoyed the video.
This is an awesome video. Watched it, watched it again, got the tools out, fixed my leaky faucet (that had really been driving me nuts). And I’m a 65 year old woman! Thanks so much!!!!
Great to hear!
65! Wow well done!
2024 and this 6 year old video is still helping people.
These generous TH-camrs have helped this single, old girl maintain her independence, save money and gain so many new skills.
Thanks so much Al ❤
No problem June.
Thank you very much for this video - it helped me carry out the task successfully: 3 factors helped:
1. The excellent video, even with a US faucet/tap with a couple of differences. The cartridge had the 2 little plugs on the bottom to align and the hot/cold rotator thingee that goes on the cartridge also had 2 plugs to align on the cartridge itself. Also, there was no o-ring or washer inside like in the video, but after taking everything out, cleaning all the parts and putting them back in, the leaking stopped.
2. The tip from other commenters to use a rubber jar opener to loosen the ring.
3. Serendipity; I had some to squirt some WD40 in order to loosen the nut holding the handle in place, as I could not turn the Allen key at first. Also, I did not put back the top ring and screw in the handle nut immediately, just as well as I had not aligned the cartridge, rotator thingee correctly at first, so I adjusted, tried again and all was well. Then I screwed everything back in place.
Pleased you sorted it ok Micheal.
Very good video on disassembling a tap. Correct me if I'm wrong, but to me the white nylon washer looks like a sort of bearing ring that facilitates the tap rotating. I don't think it seals the tap. If the blue layer of the cartridge makes good contact no water should ever get as far as the white ring.
Thanks for the info!. You could be right.
thanks , dereton33 , i was struggling for 30mins to find out how to dismantle the unit until I see your vid showing me the secret tiny allen key hidden behind the plastic cover . Thanks Chief .
Glad I could help
I'm just getting used to being on my own so this video was a real boost for me. Thank you.
No problem Vicki.
Thanks this helped me. I could not get the handle off. But I could just unscrew the whole thing to reveal the gasket and cartridge. I cleaned that up and screwed it all back down. Worked a treat.
Great.
Excellent! I'm having trouble sealing my mixer tap, after fitting a new cartridge. Your video takes me on to the next stage of disassembly with more confidence! Thanks!
No problem.
Thank you for your help with this problem. We have the same tap and hubby was averting the job because he thought you had to tackle the problem from under the sink. Now I know better and will probably do the job myself.
No problem
Thanks again for a well explained video. Just fixed my parents tap with your help. Wasn't sure how those taps came apart. Thanks again, your videos have helped me out alot in the past. Merry Xmas and a leaky free new year.
Have a nice Christmas Stephen.
Thank you for an excellent video which shows the insides of these sink mixer taps and how to take them apart.
However, I must pull you up on one thing regarding the cause of the leak:
It's not failure of the white washers/spacers that cause these types of leaks (some taps don't even have them). Instead, it's failure of the black o-rings which are at top and bottom of the swing tap section. If they fail to seal properly, water will come out from either the top or bottom of the swing section (depending on which seal has failed).
As you point out, dirt is often the culprit and a clean out can fix such leaks.
Thanks
Thank you for your excellent video! I was able to repair our faucet (tap) by using a bit of plumbers tape to increase the seal between the plastic o-ring and the faucet, where it swivels at the base. Again many thanks, as it saved my engaging a plumber for what is truly a minor job that even I could repair in under 15 minutes.
Glad it helped!
Thanks for your hint!
I did the same thing here for the rubber seals at the base of my Price Pfister kitchen sink tap: I found that covering them with a few wraps of teflon tape also helped the overall faucet move more freely and also stopped some slight drips getting out. For me that was happening due to the interior of the cylindrical part of the faucet having become slightly corroded (with the chrome plating wearing off to reveal a copper surface underneath, so the rubber ring was probably no longer making nice even contact, allowing a few drips to squeeze out at the base of the tap when it was turned on). With the teflon tape added over the rubber seals, that slight drip when the tap was turned on stopped completely for me. As a plus, the faucet is also no longer stiff to move from left to right! So it seems like this simple fix is working great, thanks for the hint! Perhaps using teflon tape also makes the rubber seal last longer? There would be less friction within the cylindrical part when moving the faucet from left to right, so less risk of the seals getting "shredded". I wonder why more plumbing channels don't recommend using teflon tape over these rubber seals? Perhaps it helps increase the sales of the replacement rubber seals?
Great video! You could try using one of those rubber jar openers. The ones that look like an oil filter wrench. It'll help with the marring
Great tip
Funny u mentioned that - i was doing that, too. Messed it up sadly lol. Still didn't work
Never even thought of that thanks worked great 👍
For the rubber seal at the base, I found that covering it with a few wraps of teflon tape helps the overall faucet move more freely and also stops any slight drips getting out (sometimes that can happen due to the interior of the cylindrical part of the faucet having become slightly corroded with the chrome plating wearing off to reveal a copper surface underneath, so the rubber ring is probably no longer making nice even contact, allowing a few drips to squeeze out at the base of the tap when it is turned on). With the teflon tape added over the rubber seal, that slight drip when the tap was turned on stopped completely for me, and also the faucet is no longer stiff to move from left to right, so it seems like this simple fix is working. Perhaps using teflon tape also makes the rubber seal last longer, as there would be less friction within the cylindrical part when moving the faucet from left to right. I wonder why plumbers don't use teflon tape over the rubber seal?
That stuff will not last long, we plumbers hate having to go back to jobs
@@dereton33 Thanks. I have an over 20 year old faucet and struggled with that leak, though slow, at the bottom and discovered that large ring was broken. I got a kit but of course the bottom ring was a "mouse hair" smaller but I slipped it on;. No luck.
They make a wrench for car oil filters that instead of using a metal band to grip, they use an adjustable rubber band that fits any size. It's called a Rubber Strap Wrench. About £3 ($6).
AHA! I knew there was something like that on the market! I asked the man in the hardware store and he said he didn't know of anything like that. I was at Harbor Freights and just looked up Rubber Strap Wrench and sure enough they sell them! Whether it works or not who knows. $5 in USA.
www.harborfreight.com/rubber-strap-wrench-set-2-pc-69373.html?cid=paid_google|||69373&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-_j1BRDkARIsAJcfmTHQcug1dbQiLq3gVIjOPbp53EMeILtuOXwK9vi2mO4G2qyvuE3a5sIaAij-EALw_wcB
Canadian here, with the exact same problem. I suspected both upper and lower leaks were the result of a build up of lime (scale). Out water in Toronto is very hard, 7 grains, I think, and we require water softeners to prevent the build up of scale inside kettle, clothes irons, water heaters, steam irons and shower and kitchen faucets. The O-rings no longer made a complete seal with the build up of scale on them
Limescale is a tap destroyer. We have hard water in London and the south east.
Thank you so very much 😊❤
Thanks for your kind donation.
@@dereton33 I would've given more considering you possibly saved me hundreds of $ on hiring a plumber 😅
No problem. You still showed your thanks. All the best Al.
Thanks for this - couldn't for the life of me work out how to do it! And your an old Mod like myself - keep on keeping the faith!
Thanks, you too!
Brilliant, thanks a lot, i wasnt sure if i should undo the chrome ring or whether it was part of the lower body. Right, wheres them grips
Glad it helped
Thank you for this video.
I needed this to fix my elderly mothers kitchen faucet!
❤️🙏🏻❤️
You are so welcome!
Silicon grease is very good for using with 'O' rings instead of plumbers mate, less messy and I found it a 100% perfect solution to seal and does not affect rubber 'o' rings.
Thanks for sharing
I've just bought and fitted a new one it's leaking slightly from the top joint above the one yours was ... hopefully I'll have a look today and it'll just need that top nut tightening a bit
Thanks for the excellent video
Mark in Poole:)
Good luck with it Mark.
I'm back here again, my leaky tap is a bit different, it has a two 1/4 turn taps and I'm going to change the cartridges in those to see if that solves the problem. I can see the the cold one leaking quite a lot, and I have not got a "Round2it" till now its causing a puddle in that mess under the sink. I'm just hoping that a pair of new cartridges solves the problem as I dont want to have to replace the tap. Its a nightmare under there ... the kitchen was fitted by a pair of bodgers and one of them thought he was a plumber. So its a complete hideous mess of Polypipe and right angled joiners.
But great to see your videos again.
Good luck with it Tony.
@@dereton33 Yesterday was not a good day .. everything I touched came back to bite me.
I ordered a couple of cartridges from screwfix but they were not the right ones when I picked them up.
I was studying the original valve in my van, when I dropped it from my hand down the back of the seat in my brand new Transit.
Ollocks! I could not reach it, I was in Stevenage and I was nowhere near home.
I had to source one of those flexible grabby things .. I ordered one from Tool Station ...
Got there ... no they didnt have one in stock.
But! There was a very helpful plumbing supply next door ...
So I bought another couple of cartridges that looked right. (from photo) + a complete new tap with flexi hoses and olives etc just in case.
I managed to get a grabby think from Letchworth Tool Station and rescued the original valve in a jiff.
Back home .. They still were the wrong valves :(
My luck changed this morning when I went down the road to my local plumb shop (I don't know why I didn't go there first)
And they sorted me out, not exactly the same ones, but good enough.
Went home and changed both cartridges in 5 minutes.
Thanks for your video and I would underline that there are only about 50,000 different cartridges out there to choose from.
Thanks very Good video👍👍opened it up and saw the inner element was cracked and has to be replaced
You're welcome!
Thanks for the help! After watching your video, I fixed the issue! The problem was the plastic nut that holds the cartridge in place...it was pretty loose. I tightened it up and it seems to be behaving now! :)
That`s great pleased you fixed it.
You can definitely get the seals and cartridges. Local plumbing suppliers have them even some general hardware store's.
Helps to know the model number but most are standardized.
Thanks.
Thanks for the video. We used a rubber stubby holder to avoid scratching, worked a treat.
That`s a good idea Susan.
Thanks for the friendly help there! I really wish we had some form of shut off valve for our hot water, it looks like I’m going to need to empty the whole cylinder before I can get in to check out these o-rings.
How common is it these days to install shut off valves on each faucet in a home? I feel like that would save a lot of sanity being able to just isolate before a tap haha
It is a common thing these days.
It might be, but some ' professional ' tradespersons are inevitably either still just as incompetent or sadly still as lazy as ever.
Though it is both logical and common sense, they don't botherto fit isolation valves.
Needless to say, finding GOOD tradespersons to undertake work is almost impossible ...
I had the same problem with a similar tap. I used a strap wrench to avoid scratching the chrome with a spanner. As you say Al the top parts only need to be hand tight and the strap wrench worked a treat.
Thanks for the extra info Cliff. Hope you are keeping well.
No worries Al. Hope the two of you are also keeping well.
Amazing to realise I’m repairing EXACTLY the same tap as you while watching your video. Same problem abs same solution. Thanks :)
You're welcome!
Hi Great video BUT I have removed the cover and then I cant find a hole to insert the Allen Key. Used a torch to look but there appears to be nowhere to insert the Allen Key into. I have rotated the handle so the hole is looking at different parts of the inside but luck in finding a slot for the key. Surely there must be something holding the handle in place?
It may be just a push fit one, try pulling upwards. If no luck try tapping it upwards with a light hammer. Make sure the hole is not covered by a chrome cap, or hot or cold dot.
Unbelievably helpful. My parents tap has this issue and now I know how to fix it. Thanks so much. Will like and subscribe.
Thanks for the sub!
Thanks for posting. Been looking at the leak and wondering. Appreciate your help.
No problem 👍
Great video. It showed me that the base of the tap can be unscrewed so that the sealing rings can be reached and renewed. This is my problem. And I will fix.
Glad it helped
where'd you buy seal rings please?
I , being a window cleaner, use old squeegie rubbers when gripping any chrome with spanners etc. protects the chrome and actually grips better too.
Thanks for the tip.
Thanks for that… I’ve a similar leak to check out, and bought two cartridges of different sizes yesterday. The kit had the Allen key and other o-rings etc included.
BTW, I’ve heard your footprints wrench called multi-grips or a Stilson wrench in Australia (mistakenly) thanks for the vocab boost.
Not sure what Boss white is? Lithium grease?
Kind of, it just works well on belt and braces type leaks.
What if the water is coming out from the top other than the base? Still the cartridge problem? Thank you in advance!
Yes.
I need help with my kitchen taps? I want to change my 2 kitchen taps, for, 2 leaver taps I have looked for a tutorial on you tube, but, can only find kitchen mixer tap demonstration. ???
Same job for them as single taps.
Very helpful thanks. As you say good luck with trying to find the exact size of O ring & seals.
No problem 👍
I've got the seal kit, I've got the cartridge out - but I cannot get that chrome plated part to budge. And I don't want to scratch it !
Try some WD40
@@dereton33 Unfortunately the water from the hwc is slowly seeping in so i can't get it dry
Brilliant video. Well done. Makes me believe i can now do mine. Only thing is, i dont have those tools 🤣
O well never mind.
After seeing the video, this will give myself some idea how to fix our leaking kitchen mixer faucet.
Glad it was helpful!
This is wonderful...I appreciate the detailed explanation for a layman (or woman) such as myself. I have a question though please since I do sometimes have bad luck when I'm full of good intentions and have the confidence to attempt repairs myself ..You said that it would be very unlikely to find a washer "that size"..so in that case what should I do ? I think that that may well be my problem. The tap is about 2 years old and leaking from the base constantly. Hope to hear back Thank you and Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦. 🙂
You can try local plumbing stores in Canada, or just good old Amazon. There are so many different types of washers you may end up with ones that do not fit.
Thanks. I hope to save my parents the cost of a plumber by doing this for them.
You can do it!
Brilliant thanks a lot, now I can do mine leaking at the top, and my girlfriends, leaking at the bottom.
Lets hope that just cleaning up those threads works like yours did.
Good luck!
There is a simple tool called a strap wrench you can use to loosen/tighten the chrome bits without marring them. It's one of the oldest and most useful tools out there.
Thanks bruce.
Very useful.
Ours seems to leak from the same place, but the base ring of the tap becomes loose as there are not enough threads on it to hold it together through use.
Very annoying!
Terrible bad quality of taps these days.
Great vid mate and good simple instructions that anyone can follow
Thanks 👍
The best clip I found. Thank you!
No problem.
Mine is slightly leaking only at the base, where it meets the sink top. No water dripping down from higher up. What might cause that please?
P.s. under the sink everything is bone dry with the lines nice and tight.
Cartridge bottom washer leaking
You could try wrapping the white washer with ptfe tape
No it doesn't work.
Thank you for this excellent video ... just noticed that our sink mixer seem to have a similar issue and now I know how to take it apart and what to look for.
That's great
Great video same problem thought it was the pipes but same problem
Glad it helped
Like you, if this was on my own tap I would have a go at repairing it because I'm a tight arse. But as a jobbing plumber if I tried this for a tenanted property and it failed again within twelve months I would be expected to go back free of charge to resolve it so I don't bother and would replace it.
Best bet.
Hi under my kitchen sink there is ony 1 flexi hose its a combi boiler do you know what kind of tap i need to buy
I bought second hand kitchen but on that sink it has 2 connections on the tap
If you just have cold then just plug off the hot side.
Thanks! Missing the gasket but fixed our leak 💧
No problem 👍
Hi, I have a similar leak but is not going into the cupboards underneath the sink also from the tap. , Do you think this process will help?
Worth a go.
Silicone grease which is waterproof is great for lubricating and sealing joints like this.
Thanks for the tip.
I thought you had a low cut top on for a minute, wouldn't put it past you.
Ha ha.
A little cleavage would of made for a sportier video
Same!!
Hi Al. I have a single lever valve tap for the hot & cold on the bath. It's leaking from the underside of lever part of the tap that moves up & down, left & right. Could that be a seal as well or could it be the cartridge?
No brand name on the tap itself so I presume it'll be impossible to get the replacement parts.
It will be a washer seal on the cartridge. As you say it will be impossible to get a replacement.
@@dereton33 replacement cartridges are available but they come in a variety of sizes. Take your old one for comparison. or if you buy on-line, compare sizes
I have a single center, kitchen tap that you lift a lever to turn tap on, left for hot, right for cold. It leaks from the inside of the ball that tap handle moves on. There is a tiny hole at front of tap that I am unsure if that unscrews tap handle. It's rusty af, so I have no clue. Does that part have a washer that I can replace, or do I have to get a whole new tap? ANYONE.??
That tiny hole hides an allen key screw, which once loosened off allows you to take the top off. Unlikely you will be able to fix that leak though so I would recommend new taps.
@@dereton33 Actually, the 2 O-rings at the base were all stretched out and cracked. I went to the hardware store and got replacement ones. I cleaned the tap parts of the mineral deposits, put it back together and it seems to be working fine now. No leaks. Fingers crossed that it stays fixed, at least til after winter. lol - Thanks so much for responding to me. Videos work wonders. I'm a half assed handywoman. 😂
Mine's a brand new tap. Could it just be that loose bolt on the top?
Unlikely.
@dereton33 that isn't very helpful!
I can't get the base piece on the faucet neck to turn. I sprayed w-40 and let it sit. I have the perfect curve jaw wrench that locks and I can't get it to budge to loosen the thread. Any advice?
Some models do not split and if yours is one of those, new taps is the only answer.
Life saver this guy
No problem.
Hi - excellent video - I have exactly the same leak and the same dirty parts - what did you use to clean the black marks around the washer and thread ?
WE 40
Oops WD 40.
atleast his leaks back into the sink lol mine is on the counter basically. Found the water first underneat the sink, dripping right from faucet area , but then noticed its the actual faucet leaking at the base and water running down from the counter top basically through to bottom. Luckily it wasn't that much water and have it contained, watching this video though because it seems no plumbers around here want to work a small job so now i'm scared i'll have to try my unskilled self to fix it. I always scared to make things worse! lol
Very clear step by step instruction. Thankyou
No problem Jason.
4:08 for the life of me, I can’t unscrew this part of my faucet. Any tips for loosening it?
Try WD 40 and a light tap with a hammer.
Can you let me know how to take the dot off on the tap the bit before you need am Allen key
Hi Katie, it has to be prised out with a sharp pointed small screwdriver.
@@dereton33 thanks so much. Having looked under sink water is dripping down a pipe. Any advice on how I can fix this would be great.
Hi Katie, it is probably one of the small washers that seal the flexi pipes to the tap. Without proper tools this is one for a plumber.
Ok thank you so much
Just did this it worked thanks great videos over the years thanks
You're welcome!
What size Orings for these size taps?
No idea, best to get an o ring kit with a range of different sizes.
Thank you for this wonderful video, its exactly what I was looking for!
You're very welcome!
Thank you for the video. That was really gross at the base. Is that mold or bacteria or what?
Probably both.
I’ve took the grub screw out but it won’t lift off no matter what I try? Any help please
WD 40 and a tap upwards with a hammer.
dereton33 thanks got there in the end was well stuck
what do I do when the alan key screw won't move?
Spray with WD 40 leave over night. If no joy, then drill it out. Use a larger self tapping screw to fit back.
Snapped the very top plastic part trying to pry it apart after removing the grub screw!
O dear.
Thanks for the video got the job done now I’m in the good books 🙏🏼
No problem 👍
I put an o rubber under the nylon washer
Always worth a go.
Thank you very much, i have the same problem on my mixer tap.
You're welcome!
@@dereton33 i subscribe to your channel 🙂
THANK YOU❤❤❤
You're welcome 😊
Hey, Al! Just out of interest. What hat is your most hated tap design, repair/service?
I had a problem with a glass bowled, mono, lever, waterfall bath tap.
Could not for the life of me get the chrome top screw plate off to get to the cartridge.
The blessed thing was seized tight and the angle of the glass bowl frustrated me no end.
It dripped for ages, but that was the start of the problem.
The flexis supplied in the box were about 500mm long and were tightly bent over in the packaging and strapped tight with an elastic band. I reckon the rubber inner was stressed/fatigued being held in a kinked position during transit (probably all the way from China) Eventually perished, fine misting spray through the metal braided outer sheath.
Even worse. The tap was located 1/2 way along the back, long length of the bath and both ends were butted against end walls. Had to cut plasterboard off bedroom wall on other side to get to the darn thing to swap it.
I had the same tap in the same position on my bath, the flexis also leaked on mine luckily, I was able to get under the void underneath the bath and replace them. By the way I think they are the worse taps to repair. Never again.
Very helpful, thanks very much 👍
No problem 👍
Rubber band instead of the dish cloth. Grips better and the sharp bits of the 'spanner' don't cut through.
Good tip!
Thanks for the lesson , I at least got an understanding as to the method required , no to put it into practise , I'm sure it'll work for me , cheers mate .
Good luck Kim.
Thank you so much for your video....I just fixed my tap 🙂👍
You're welcome!
Great video, thanks.
You are welcome!
Great vid with heaps of information, thank you
No problem 👍
Mine leaking at base. But when I put o ring back on plastic piece it pops off when put base back on
It will need a new washer kit. Try Amazon.
Thanks so much for this. really helpful.
You're very welcome!
excellent video it really helped me out
Glad it helped
Im in Home Depot, what's the name of the tool used? What type of wrench?
I have a link to the right tools, but a basin spanner is the one.
I would have used one of those rubber band type wrenches on the chrome bits like you remove the car oil filter cartridge to shift it without damaging it😉.
They would not have budged it. Tried them a long time ago.
@@dereton33 Yep I guess it depends on how old the tap is eh? as some of the older ones could be quite solid.
Essentially what you have discovered is that the whole caboodle is utterly badly designed. These seals dont work, and tightening it all up will either just jam the turning spout ..or at best give you a few more weeks till it leaks again. I can only think that they are made this way. Trotting back to BnQ this morning for another mixer..hopeful better designed ! Thanks anyway mate. It was reassuring that Im not the only one!
Best regards
Most of the cheap ones are rubbish Andy.
@@dereton33 such a waste of time and effort... BnQ have no washer sets or capsules! Thanks again for your advice and instruction. I really appreciate that. And also that Im not the only one.
I tried this but no screw visible to extract? Are there different types?
Yes some just pull off.
I thought the same but If you look a little closer it could be a very small allen wrench
is not easy to find a original washer for any tap the you end up buying a new tap why the manufactures they dont supply extra washer or o ring enjoyed the video.
Thanks Ratch, you are about right there.
Great video , very practical . Helped me out . Appreciate it
No problem 👍
Thanks 👍
No problem 👍
Great job👍👏👏👏
Thank you! 😃
Spot on help, thank you very much.
You're welcome!
Legend, thank you.
No problem
Excellent 👌👌👍👍
Thank you! Cheers!