No water from washbasin taps

[3eggomlette]

Sometimes there is no water flow from the washbasin taps, hot and cold. But the bath taps work fine as do all other taps in the house. After a few days they magically start working again. I have a combination boiler (no tank in the loft) and the taps are not that old. I tried connecting up a hose to the taps to blow out an airlock (though I may not have done a very good job). Any ideas please?

 

[tamz]

Its a problem with the taps. What type taps are they? Do they have check valves fitted to them?

I tried connecting up a hose to the taps to blow out an airlock

You have a combi and no loft tank so mains pressure to all taps, No air locks.

 

[jay1]

sounds like faulty taps

 

[doitall]

I'll 3rd that, faulty taps.

It would also be worth looking at the flexible hoses and any check valves.

 

[3eggomlette]

The taps are Ideal Standard "Kingston" pillar for basins. What are flexible hoses and check valves? How would I recognise them? I have downloaded a diagram of a tap and can't see these mentioned?
Thanks

 

[kevplumb]

View media item 14435
check (non return valve)

View media item 14434
isolating valve

View media item 14433
flexible pipe with valve

 

[tamz]

I doubt if these taps have check valves fitted (to the pipes) but they may well be connected to the pipes with flexi connectors which may be kinked or collapsing.
They are pretty much a std tap with nothing much to go wrong with them. Washer or if they have been closed too tight they can't open up again properly (easily fixed). How many turns to full open?

 

[3eggomlette]

Thanks Tamz. There is no flexible hose so no kink. They do need lots of turns to open. I managed to get the capstan head off. Underneath was full of green gluey stuff. But I couldn't get the metal shroud off. How do you do this? I tried with a cloth covered wrench and loads of WD40. Should say at this point I am a female pensioner and the wrists aren't too strong but I would love to be able to do this job myself.

 

[tamz]

green gluey stuff

Soap and cleaning agents reacting with the brass.

The metal shroud either unscrews or just pulls off. Underneath that is where the tap unscrews from the body.

female pensioner and the wrists aren't too strong

You may need someone to help slacken them for you. Some taps take a fair bit of force to move and hold them in position.
I'm 6'2 and 15 stone and i've seen me struggle to get some of them apart.

 

[3eggomlette]

I doubt if these taps have check valves fitted (to the pipes) but they may well be connected to the pipes with flexi connectors which may be kinked or collapsing.
They are pretty much a std tap with nothing much to go wrong with them. Washer or if they have been closed too tight they can't open up again properly (easily fixed). How many turns to full open?

I have my son visiting am am going to get him to try to unscrew the taps. If they turn too much, how do I fix that ?
Thanks
Sue

 

[kevplumb]

if you mean the full tap

hold the spout while undoing it

if it turns you need to tighten the backnut underneath