The pressure on my kitchen tap has slowed to a dribble

[MistaG79]

Sorry, Im sure this has been asked & answered before but Im new to this.

I live in a 1st floor flat & the pressure in my hot kitchen tap has gone from a majestic waterfall to a measly dribble in the space of just 3 years. all of the other taps in the flat are working fine. the boiler is a combi boiler. theres also a washing machine & dishwasher connected, but these seem fine. any help would be nice. thanks in advance.....

 

[seco services]

scale build up in the pipe or flexi pipe
or the flexi is kinked or collapsed inside
or the tap washer etc faulty

 

[MistaG79]

thanks very much. any idea on how i go about finding out which is the correct answer, and then how to fix it? or am i best off calling a plumber? and if so, how much should i be charged?

 

[seco services]

have a look first in kitchen cupboard at base of tap does it have to braided flexi hoses going to the tap from the copper pipe ?

are they straight or kinked ?

 

[MistaG79]

have had a quick look & there doesnt seem to be any sort of flexi hose. but im not really sure what a flexi hose is. its a hot & cold tap (not 2 seperate taps) & it looks like theres just copper pipes....they are straight....

 

[seco services]

and you say its slowed down over time ?

 

[MistaG79]

..well, its only just become noticable, maybe over the last couple of weeks...

 

[seco services]

has the hot tap became stiffer to turn on etc ?
is the hot supplied from a combi boiler or a cylinder in the airing cupboard ?

 

[MistaG79]

im not sure if its stiffer, but its doesnt seem to turn as far as it used to (though this could be paranoia), especially when i compare it to the cold tap. its all supplied by the combi...

 

[seco services]

the tap insert may need cleaning up etc.

if you can isolate the hot feed under the to that tap only or shut your main stopcock then you can remove the tap insert and clean it up or renew it.

 

[MistaG79]

had another look. have looked at the insert, but cant take it out, so i'v cleaned the outside of it. iv noticed that its not really the tap thats stiffer, as it turns the same amount as the cold tap, but the water doesnt even start coming out until i've turned it more or less all the way, whereas i only have to turn the cold tap a tiny amount & the water gushes. we did get new neighbours in the flat downstairs a couple of weeks ago. could it be that they have installed some sort of pressure sucker? im really grasping at straws now, lol.

 

[seco services]

if you remove the tap handle on the spindle is a circlip is that still on there ?

 

[MistaG79]

under the H, theres a screw. if i unto the screw, i can take the tap off & i think its the tap insert that the screw goes into. underneath the insert, there is a clip. i can move the clip with a flat screwdirver as it has some pokey out bits that i can puch against. sorry, very limited knowledge here. im gonna go to bed now, but thanks for your attention & advice. if its still on offer, i'll be online tomorrow to see if i can unravel the mystery. thanks again.

 

[seco services]

you just proved the clip is there.
so leave the clip and tomorrow remove the complete insert and check the rest of it.

 

[MistaG79]

now im really going to sound stupid...how tdo i get the insert out? it locks in very tight...will it snap if i put too much pressure on it?