Leaking Ceramic disc bath tap

[agh100]

Hi

I have a leaking bath hold and cold mixer tap, that I'm having some difficulty getting someone to fix or work out how to do it myself.

The tap is probably 7/8 years old and I'm told it is Ideal Standard although it does not actually say on it.
I had 2 plumbers look who basically said its going to be a right pain to get the part, so will mean replacing the tap.

My questions are?
If I take the inside part of the tap out, and look on somewhere like here http://www.lunns.net/tapspares/ for a spare part, will I have to turn the water off at the mains stopcock until I have found and replaced the part, or is there someway to stop the water locally just at that tap, but still have a supply to the rest of the property?

The plumber said the job is a pain because the tap is right in the corner of the bath, next to a wall so makes access underneath difficult. But when I look underneath the bath the pipes just go straight through a whole in the bath, there are no visable fittings or parts that are accessable from underneath. So why would I even need to access the underneath?

Do you think it actually worth a me trying to find a spare part or I should just try and replace the whole tap straight away? Is either of these a particularly difficult job?

 

[seco services]

if you take the tap a part yes you'll have to isolate the water.
and by the sounds of it you have no isolation valves on the pipework to the tap under bath.
if you email ideal standard or lunns a pic of the tap/valve they can useally id the part and sent to you, so you can use the tap till the part comes.
i would rather repair than change taps is it right in the corner of the bath as you will need access to fit the new taps.

 

[agh100]

ok, i might try sending a photo, do you think they would still be able to do this on a tap that old? I guess no harm in trying..

Considering that it looks like I will have to turn the water off at the mains to disconnect the tap - If I have to do this to remove the part to ID it and order a replacement, will it be an easy job to reconnect the old part whilst I am waiting for the new one?
I am worried that I will take the old part out and not be able to reconnect it, so will be without any water at all until me or someone can fit the new part!

How come I would need access underneath the bath to fit a new tap? but not to fit a new part?

thanks

 

[seco services]

yes you'll be able to remove and replace until new part comes providing you can strip the tap ok

you can always place a pic of tap on here so we can see what tap you have

if you change the tap for new you need access under bath to undo the nuts that secure tap to bath and disconnect the pipes.

 

[agh100]

ok thanks, I may post up a photo over the weekend.

The thing I dont understand from looking at the underneath of the tap is that I cannot see any nuts securing the tap, all I see is a hole in the bath and the two pipes disappearing into that.

But anyway, if I dont need access underneath to replace the cartridge then thats a big plus as I can give it a go removing and ID'ing it myself.

 

[agh100]

Hi

I have taken a few more bits off the tap, but cannot work out how to get to the ceramic disk cartridge out, can anyone suggest how to do it?
There doesnt seem to be anything else to unscrew, only the slot on the underside but this won't budge.

Also, can anyone ID what part I would need just by looking at the tap?

If I have to get a plumber in I would really like to have the new part ready for him to fit straight away..

This one is on the basin tap, but may help to ID it as its exactly the same just a bit smaller..