Seized Tap On Tiled In Bathroom Basin

[WaterTight]

Hi,

A problem with supplementary questions for some pulsating plumber brains...

Problem 1:

Cold tap in bathroom basin has seized up completely. Won't turn. It is on a basin which is heplfully totally tiled in so no idea whether it's a rigid copper connection or flexi-connection to tap. So questions would be:
1. What are likely causes of seized tap?
2. What are the solutions to these problems?
3. Since it isn't leaking/dripping am I right to presume it won't be anything to do with washers or need for a reseating tool?
4. How would you proceed in investigating and treating problem, especially given the fact there could be zero give in the connections below?
5. Can you unscrew a tap from it's pipe connection with no access to anything but the tap? And would this be insane given the fact that it could be a flexi-hose which might then drop down and never be seen again?
6. If you couldn't fix the tap and decided to change them, can you do this on a tiled in basin?

Unrelated question: If you buy a single hole mixer tap for a kitchen sink from B+Q, Screwfix etc will it always come with nut for securing it under sink?


Thanks in advance plumbchums...

 

[migoplumber]

do you mean its fixed into a tiled worktop, with a tiled base surround?
i assume so.
one of the panels below the basin will bw removable. some are fixed just with silicone. some have some screws in underneath the tiles, so tiles would have to be removed and broken to gain access to them.
you cant fix the tap from above, without checking the joints underneath! what would happen if the trap blocked?
open panel, have a look. explain to client its the only way to ensure a perfect fix, or leave alone.
all new taps come with fixing nuts and flexis

shaun

 

[WaterTight]

Thanks for the advice Migo.

I'll have a look and see if there's a way into the tiling and if not, it sounds like a no-go then. Would you not do anything at all to a tap that you couldn't see underneath of? Not even change a washer? Also, what do you mean by the trap blocking? I understand the mechanism of the trap, but what would cause it to block?

Here's another couple of little things...

If you were to replace a toilet, does it just go like this...?...

Isolate incoming supply, flush, remove cistern, remove bowl keeping it tipped so remaining water doesn't come out, bring in new one, put together, re-connect, un-isolate, fill up?

Or is there more to it? Do you have to find one with the same capacity cistern? Is there anything to consider to do with the speed of flusing? Would it be necessary to cap off the waste if you were hoping to get it down quickly? Are there any common problems people don't see coming or things that might drastically go wrong?

And finally, one toilet seat cover missing. She's replaced it several times and they all break off. She's not got young children or anything, Presumably they just weren't fixed very well or were very cheap, but is there any sort of extra reliable fixing you can use? I mean once it's on you've not really a need to take it off so maybe even superglue? Or is that irresponsible?

By the way this isn't a customer and I'm not galavanting around pretending to be pro, I'm a friend of the family offering to help out with some jobs if I can determine that I'm confident enough to do them

Cheers again

 

[Bernie2]

　
Sounds odd that there is no access. How did they install it?
I can imagine a situation where somebody has installed a basin and then tiled over everywhere not knowing the water regs about access.

So lets assume that is the situation.


Is there access to the basin in the room behind the basin by the way? That is of course if its on an inside wall?

What kind of taps are they?

Ceramic disc? rising spindles? none rising spindles? 1/4 turns?

The taps with the none rising spindle have two parts in them, which sometimes drop if the top outside circlip comes off, they can also come apart inside and seize the tap up all together, giving the impression the tap is broken

You may also find the spindle "O" rings need replacing, or the tap may need reseating, as well.

But these problems are usually easily fixed if you can get the head assembly off.

You can usually get the heads off most taps if your patient and careful, without taking it out of the basin.

I'd Google rewashering a tap to get some ideas, then come back on here and ask about the things your not sure of. I say this because it can take quite a bit of explaining and somebody has probably already written a good piece on it.

As to replacing a WC?

Well its easy enough if everything is right on site. What you want to check is the height of the soil pipe connection at the back of the pan. The modern one's are a different height than the old. That can be a problem, but once again there are things you can do.

If your fitting a close coupled suite check how far off the wall it projects, you may have to shorten the soil connection or lengthen it.

The capacities of the cistern and the flushing speed's are already usually preset anyway, if you follow the manufacturers instructions and fill the cistern to the water level mark inside the cistern.

Hope this is of help?
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　

 

[bobpape]

You also mentioned an issue with the toilet seat,
If it is in fact breaking at the mounting point, the reason is because the seat buffers
(which are small pads located under the seat and prevent the seat contacting the rim of the bowl) are wrongly matched to the shape of the bowl, the consiquence being that when the seat is used the users weight pushes the seat to one side and stresses the hinge mounts that are not designed to take such sideways force and eventually
break,

The answer usualy is to file away some of the front two buffers so that when the
seat is used the buffers serve also to locate the seat and prevent it exerting any forces on the hinge mounts,

 

[migoplumber]

i agree with bernie and bob, however i personally would never play with a basin tap if i couldnt be sure there would be no leaks beneath, ie the tap connector or flex
w.c. ...... as above

shaun

 

[WaterTight]

Hi Bernie, BobPape and Shaun,

Bernie, thanks for the info. There's no access from behind and no hidden panels. Just solid tiling. Someone was either being stupid or negligent. The taps look like this kind:

So, non-rising spindles yeah?

　
The taps with the none rising spindle have two parts in them, which sometimes drop if the top outside circlip comes off, they can also come apart inside and seize the tap up all together, giving the impression the tap is broken

So that would be a case of taking the top bit off, and having a poke around to see if anything has fallen off and jammed things up right? For it to be jammed solid I guess it has to be something like that. It happened over night apparently so it's not like it's scaled up over time. But it's properly solidly stuck.

So when you say you can check this out and sort if out from above by being careful.. what do you mean? Is there a risk that if I clobber it too much something might drop or loosen in a place I can't get to?

　You may also find the spindle "O" rings need replacing, or the tap may need reseating, as well.

Wouldn't that just be for leaking or can those things cause taps to jam too?

Cheers for the info on the W.C. So it sounds like the soil pipe is your main risk of headaches. I'll be sure to pay close attention. Cheers.

Bobpape, you said:

The answer usualy is to file away some of the front two buffers so that when the seat is used the buffers serve also to locate the seat and prevent it exerting any forces on the hinge mounts,

Yeah I get that, sounds about on the money. Thank you. Does that account for 99% of seats repeatedly coming off then? I guess replacement toilet seats come in a one-size-fits-all-but-most-don't-quite-fit sort of size yeah?

Cheers guys..