kitchen mixer tap low pressure

[David J Williams]

Hi
I have been getting generally low pressure out of the hot tap on the kitchen sink mixer tap. it has got worse and sometimes just trickles out. All other taps have good pressure. I have taken the tap apart as far as I can but I cannot undo the nut holding the tap internals in the body. Do you think applying heat to it will aid removal? I think the tap is the problem as I found that the tap travel is only around one turn and the cold is 2 full turns. I did manage to get a good flow by turning the tap back and forth and I then got more travel and flow but now it has gone back to its old ways. The the tap has been plumbed behind the cabinet and Belfast sink which means it is going to be a pig of a job to get to the tap if it needs changing. The granite worktop is split both sides of the sink but I am reluctant to remove this to gain access

 

[terryplumb]

Heat will help, sometimes pouring boiling hot water over the valve will cause enough expansion to free up the valve. You need a fairly long spanner to get the leverage too, whilst supporting the tap body.

 

[CBW]

You could try an ring spanner of the same size, open ended spanner or deep socket. Quite often 17mm.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Get the tap changed. Normally the waste will need to be removed then slide out the sink, repace the tap, then refit the sink and waste.

Andy

 

[David J Williams]

Thanks both for the good advice. I think I will see if I can access the tap to replace it the whole thing looks pretty well worn and probably parts will need replacing as it all looks fairly poor condition

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

A tap refurb kit will probably fit that OK.