I really must take one of my taps to the plumbers merchants to get what I
really need! Whenever I am in one of the sheds I see some tap washers and
think - they are what I need - then when I come to fit one I find it isn't.
(Always on a Sunday evening)
It used to be so easy 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch.

If anyone wants to offer advice my taps are "Tiber" about 20 years old. the
washer needs to press over a mushroomed stud.

--


--
John

"john" wrote in message
...
I really must take one of my taps to the plumbers merchants to get what I
really need! Whenever I am in one of the sheds I see some tap washers and
think - they are what I need - then when I come to fit one I find it isn't.
(Always on a Sunday evening)
It used to be so easy 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch.

If anyone wants to offer advice my taps are "Tiber" about 20 years old.
the washer needs to press over a mushroomed stud.

1 Turn off water supply
2 Remove tap top
3 Arrange transport of you and tap to plumbers
4 At plumbers say to man " Oi mate.....gissa tap washer for this"
5 Add please to the end of 4
6 Pay man
7 Return home
8 Fit tap back together
9 Turn on water
10 Fill kettle, boil and have a cuppa.

On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 16:45:52 +0000, R obbo wrote:


"john" wrote in message
...
I really must take one of my taps to the plumbers merchants to get what I
really need! Whenever I am in one of the sheds I see some tap washers and
think - they are what I need - then when I come to fit one I find it isn't.
(Always on a Sunday evening)
It used to be so easy 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch.

If anyone wants to offer advice my taps are "Tiber" about 20 years old.
the washer needs to press over a mushroomed stud.

1 Turn off water supply
2 Remove tap top
3 Arrange transport of you and tap to plumbers
4 At plumbers say to man " Oi mate.....gissa tap washer for this"
5 Add please to the end of 4
6 Pay man
7 Return home
8 Fit tap back together
9 Turn on water
10 Fill kettle, boil and have a cuppa.

Order tap washer selection kit from Screwfix (about a dozen different
types in there) Avoid 3-7 entirely.
Remember Supataps? - you see them from time to time in older peoples
houses. Why did they fall out of favour?



--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html
Choosing a Boiler FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/BoilerChoice.html

"Ed Sirett" wrote in message
news
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 16:45:52 +0000, R obbo wrote:


"john" wrote in message
...
I really must take one of my taps to the plumbers merchants to get what
I
really need! Whenever I am in one of the sheds I see some tap washers
and
think - they are what I need - then when I come to fit one I find it
isn't.
(Always on a Sunday evening)
It used to be so easy 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch.

If anyone wants to offer advice my taps are "Tiber" about 20 years old.
the washer needs to press over a mushroomed stud.

1 Turn off water supply
2 Remove tap top
3 Arrange transport of you and tap to plumbers
4 At plumbers say to man " Oi mate.....gissa tap washer for this"
5 Add please to the end of 4
6 Pay man
7 Return home
8 Fit tap back together
9 Turn on water
10 Fill kettle, boil and have a cuppa.

Order tap washer selection kit from Screwfix (about a dozen different
types in there) Avoid 3-7 entirely.
Remember Supataps? - you see them from time to time in older peoples
houses. Why did they fall out of favour?

Were they the downwards-pointing silver ones with four ears, that didn't
need the water supply turned off to change the washer?

"PM" wrote in message
...

"Ed Sirett" wrote in message
news
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 16:45:52 +0000, R obbo wrote:


"john" wrote in message
...
I really must take one of my taps to the plumbers merchants to get what
I
really need! Whenever I am in one of the sheds I see some tap washers
and
think - they are what I need - then when I come to fit one I find it
isn't.
(Always on a Sunday evening)
It used to be so easy 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch.

If anyone wants to offer advice my taps are "Tiber" about 20 years
old.
the washer needs to press over a mushroomed stud.

1 Turn off water supply
2 Remove tap top
3 Arrange transport of you and tap to plumbers
4 At plumbers say to man " Oi mate.....gissa tap washer for this"
5 Add please to the end of 4
6 Pay man
7 Return home
8 Fit tap back together
9 Turn on water
10 Fill kettle, boil and have a cuppa.

Order tap washer selection kit from Screwfix (about a dozen different
types in there) Avoid 3-7 entirely.
Remember Supataps? - you see them from time to time in older peoples
houses. Why did they fall out of favour?

Were they the downwards-pointing silver ones with four ears, that didn't
need the water supply turned off to change the washer?


Done just that today - bought 6 whilst I was there - the Plumbers Merchant
thought it was his lucky day! He was glad he put his Combi Boiler customer
on hold whilst he dealt with me.
They are a better fit over the mushroom spigot and are the exact diameter of
the jumper.
As I suggested - I have bought them from a shed previously and 'thought' I
must be getting what I really needed - wrong! Took the opportunity to use
silicone grease on the threads.

Now checking to see if the gland on the stop tap has started to drip again.
The packing nut comes loose when the tap is opened - must get it replaced
sometime - I don't fancy putting my arm down the hole in the pavement to
isolate the house. Will stop a passing plumber! Any thoughts on those switch
type stop valves?

I wonder if anyone still has Supataps? Weren't they made to capitalise on
people's fear of changing washers?

On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 16:00:39 GMT, "john"
wrote:

The packing nut comes loose when the tap is opened - must get it replaced
sometime - I don't fancy putting my arm down the hole in the pavement to
Now checking to see if the gland on the stop tap has started to drip again.
isolate the house. Will stop a passing plumber! Any thoughts on those switch
type stop valves?

Hi,

Sounds like it needs repacking, eg:

http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:X0qm4_ulKo4J:www.readersdigest.co.u k/diy/webpages/309_310.htm+repack++gland+&hl=en

Your PM might have the right stuff, or maybe make some packing
yourself.

cheers,
Pete.

On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 13:57:25 +0000, PM wrote:


"Ed Sirett" wrote in message
news
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 16:45:52 +0000, R obbo wrote:


"john" wrote in message
...
I really must take one of my taps to the plumbers merchants to get what
I
really need! Whenever I am in one of the sheds I see some tap washers
and
think - they are what I need - then when I come to fit one I find it
isn't.
(Always on a Sunday evening)
It used to be so easy 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch.

If anyone wants to offer advice my taps are "Tiber" about 20 years old.
the washer needs to press over a mushroomed stud.

1 Turn off water supply
2 Remove tap top
3 Arrange transport of you and tap to plumbers
4 At plumbers say to man " Oi mate.....gissa tap washer for this"
5 Add please to the end of 4
6 Pay man
7 Return home
8 Fit tap back together
9 Turn on water
10 Fill kettle, boil and have a cuppa.

Order tap washer selection kit from Screwfix (about a dozen different
types in there) Avoid 3-7 entirely.
Remember Supataps? - you see them from time to time in older peoples
houses. Why did they fall out of favour?

Were they the downwards-pointing silver ones with four ears, that didn't
need the water supply turned off to change the washer?

Yep, those are them.


--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html
Choosing a Boiler FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/BoilerChoice.html

"Pete C" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 16:00:39 GMT, "john"
wrote:

The packing nut comes loose when the tap is opened - must get it replaced
sometime - I don't fancy putting my arm down the hole in the pavement to
Now checking to see if the gland on the stop tap has started to drip
again.
isolate the house. Will stop a passing plumber! Any thoughts on those
switch
type stop valves?

Hi,

Sounds like it needs repacking, eg:

http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:X0qm4_ulKo4J:www.readersdigest.co.u k/diy/webpages/309_310.htm+repack++gland+&hl=en

Your PM might have the right stuff, or maybe make some packing
yourself.

cheers,
Pete.


I have made some packing with PTFE tape. I think the problem is that the
mechanism is a bit squeaky and the spindle is rough. The packing nut
unscrews when I turn the tap back on - However - it stops leaking when I
re-tighten it. The nut does seem very loose. (The guys who built my house
used a sand pit as a store for everything! - fortunately I cleaned up the
garage door mechanism and most of the lock and taps before they suffered too
much)

On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 13:57:25 +0000, PM wrote:


"Ed Sirett" wrote in message
news

Remember Supataps? - you see them from time to time in older peoples
houses. Why did they fall out of favour?

Were they the downwards-pointing silver ones with four ears, that didn't
need the water supply turned off to change the washer?

I think so. I nearly got round to changing one a while back, but the owner
was even more tempermental than the tap :-)

I presume they fell out of favour because they looked naff: can't see
that any technical issues would cloud public judgement on such
matters.

However the idea of having, effectively, a tap within the tap to
turn off the water while you change the tap washer does beg a certain
question.

On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 23:31:42 +0000, Ed Sirett wrote:


Order tap washer selection kit from Screwfix (about a dozen different
types in there)

ISTR BES are significantly cheaper than Screwfix for these.

john wrote:

I have made some packing with PTFE tape. I think the problem is that
the mechanism is a bit squeaky and the spindle is rough. The packing
nut unscrews when I turn the tap back on - However - it stops leaking
when I re-tighten it. The nut does seem very loose.

If that is the case just replace the buggers. Not expensive, end of
problem.

Dave