Leaking Kitchen Swivel Tap

[blackbird2]

My swivel kitchen tap leaks. I have removed it to replace the two 'O' rings which have deteriorated. My problem is I can't seem to find the correct 'O' rings. I have bought several from different plumbing stores and DIY stores. While they will fit in the grooves they are usually too thick to allow the tap to reseat or they are too thin and do not stop the leak. Can anyone help?
Thanks.
BB

 

[chrishutt]

Common problem. I have a collection of maybe 50 different sizes of O ring, but still sometimes don't have one to fit swivel spouts. You need to know manufacturer and model of tap, to ask for spares (if available). Otherwise you might as well resign yourself to replacing whole mixer.

 

[blackbird2]

Thanks Chris. I was afraid that might be the only solution. We will bury ourselves under taps that can't be used for want of a proper 'O' ring. Wonder if that's what the manufacturers' have in mind. Make a tap that is only as good as the 'O' ring lasts.

 

[chrishutt]

Yeh, it ****es me off too. If we lived in an environmentally concerned culture, manufacturers would be required to use washers, O rings, etc. of a limited number of standard sizes, so that spares could be easily available. But we live in throw-away culture...

 

[blackbird2]

Think I have solved my leaking tap problem. I put two O-rings in the appropriate grooves and as they were too thick to allow the reseating of the swivel section, I took a sharp blade and trimmed off a sliver all the way around. Even then, it took a bit of jiggling to get the thing reseated but so far not a trace of a leak. Mind you, it is tight to swivel right now but perhaps it will last long enough for me to somehow get more tap-friendly O-rings. So, let the kitchen tap retailers wait a while longer before I have to invest in a new tap.