Kitchen Sink Taps - Very Old Plumbing

[justausername]

The problem is that all the youTube videos and guides I can find refer to flexible connectors from the bottom of the tap under the sink, but this plumbing is so old that once you get under the sink, the pipes that lead from the bottom of the taps are straight and not at all flexible. I have little to no plumbing knowledge so bear with me while I try to describe them. If I look under the sink, at the top of pipe that leads up to the bottom of the tap there is a plastic washer type thing that doesn't seem to do much apart from go around and around - doesn't get tighter or looser - just goes around and around water is definitely leaking there.

On that same pipe are two nuts, one pretty close to the plastic washer, one much lower down. I've tried loosening both of those thinking it would allow the pipe to break and so perhaps I could replace a washer but it seems not... the nuts just moved up and down the pipes. Can't figure out the reason for those at all.

Do I have to remove the tap? If so, how will that help me to get access to the pipe and fix the leak?

Any/all advice gratefully received - thanks.

 

[TCCHeating]

I think the plastic nut you describe is the nut that secures the tap to the sink ( if it keeps going around as you tighten it then its broken) the nuts beneath this are the actual water pipe connection.

A picture would help

 

[buck51]

A picture paints a thousand words.

 

[justausername]

that was so fast. I'm impressed.. especially as I only managed to post half the message! oh the shame. Let me try again


Hello,

I have a very slow leak/drip (barely a cup's worth over 24 hours that I'm hoping I'm going to be able to fix myself) from under the kitchen sink.

The problem is that all the youTube videos and guides I can find refer to flexible connectors from the bottom of the tap under the sink, but this plumbing is so old that once you get under the sink, the pipes that lead from the bottom of the taps are straight and not at all flexible. I have little to no plumbing knowledge so bear with me while I try to describe them. If I look under the sink, at the top of pipe that leads up to the bottom of the tap there is a plastic washer type thing that doesn't seem to do much apart from go around and around - doesn't get tighter or looser - just goes around and around water is definitely leaking there.

On that same pipe are two nuts, one pretty close to the plastic washer, one much lower down. I've tried loosening both of those thinking it would allow the pipe to break and so perhaps I could replace a washer but it seems not... the nuts just moved up and down the pipes. Can't figure out the reason for those at all.

Do I have to remove the tap? If so, how will that help me to get access to the pipe and fix the leak?

Any/all advice gratefully received - thanks.

 

[justausername]

ok, a picture... yes, I can see how that would be a great help. Time to contort myself under the sink and see what I can achieve then.

I must say that my appreciation for plumbers has rocketed since I started trying to fix this, I had no idea how cramped everything is, it's like someone decided to put pipes in the most inaccessible places possible. Must drive you mad day after day.

 

[Madrab]

Are these separate pillar taps? The plastic washer type thing may be the plastic securing nut and the threads have gone, is the actual tap loose? If so the water will be leeching down from the sink side as the tap won't be sealed against the sink.

 

[Burnerman]

Those plastic back nuts are the invention of the devil....but happily brass ones are available from B&Q or Toolstation -- who also do a box spanner to tighten them, if the water supply pipe is disconnected.
John

 

[justausername]

thanks for the replies - yes they are standard, separate pillar taps.

Off to B&Q it is then for that brass nut thingy.

Hopefully this is now my final question, when it comes to actually removing the tap - I'll turn off the water at the mains, remove the flange to expose the tap bonnet and spindle (is that right?)

but what's actually holding the tap onto the pipe? the plastic washer is just going around and around so is the tap actually screwed into the pipe somehow?

thanks

 

[Blagard]

A sink mixer tap with rigid pipework.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONytcwuGLac
Basin tap with rigid pipework
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLR6HQUhArY

All these "pillar" taps fit the same way

There is no difference between a flexible connector and rigid pipe connector at the actual tap connection. The flexible one is simply easier to pull away. The sealing washers inside the connectors are the only real difference but you won't see it until it is disconnected.

To disconnect a tap all you do is take off the pipe to the tap tail. So you only remove one connection shown in the video. The "plumber" has to do both because it is a mixer tap on top. If your pipework has no "give" in it, it can be difficult to pull a connector/pipe off the tap tail. A very old connection may sometime need a good tug to release the connector from the tap especially if the plumber didn't use a tap washer and jointed it with boss white and hemp!

It is also possible that you have a compression tap connector fitting. With one of those the top nut fits onto the end of the tap's threaded tail (the one you want to undo) the lower nut would be against a pipe olive. - undoing that one the nut will slide all the way down the copper pipe - If you have that put it back! - that nut secures the connector to the pipe.

The very top nut on the tap threaded section holds the tap to the sink it is call the backnut. The next nut down at the bottom of the threaded section is the tap connector nut and that is all that holds the pipe to the tap.

http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/connectingtaps.htm shows different types of connectors, but they all do the same job.

 

[mogget]

thanks for the replies - yes they are standard, separate pillar taps.

Off to B&Q it is then for that brass nut thingy.

Hopefully this is now my final question, when it comes to actually removing the tap - I'll turn off the water at the mains, remove the flange to expose the tap bonnet and spindle (is that right?)

but what's actually holding the tap onto the pipe? the plastic washer is just going around and around so is the tap actually screwed into the pipe somehow?

thanks

Is it at all possible that you could post a photo of the problem?

 

[Charnwood]

Nobody has mentioned that at the top of the thread, adjacent to the sink there will probably be a top hat washer.

 

[Madrab]

On that same pipe are two nuts, one pretty close to the plastic washer, one much lower down. I've tried loosening both of those thinking it would allow the pipe to break and so perhaps I could replace a washer but it seems not... the nuts just moved up and down the pipes. Can't figure out the reason for those at all.

This is the bit that's confusing and why a pic would allow us to advise properly. What Charnwood has posted is how it should look - minus the feed pipe and tap connector but your description doesn't seem to fit that.

 

[Blagard]

On that same pipe are two nuts, one pretty close to the plastic washer, one much lower down. I've tried loosening both of those thinking it would allow the pipe to break and so perhaps I could replace a washer but it seems not... the nuts just moved up and down the pipes. Can't figure out the reason for those at all.

This is the bit that's confusing and why a pic would allow us to advise properly. What Charnwood has posted is how it should look - minus the feed pipe and tap connecrot but your description doesn't seem to fit that.

That's the bit that made me think he has a compression tap connector and his pipes don't have enough give to separate the connector from the tap, or perhaps they just need a good tug!