Seized Taps throughout the house

[mazz]

I have chrome victorian style mixer taps throughout the house. All were working fine, but over the past few months most of them have been seizing up. The problem is affecting both hot and cold taps, but it is usually one or the other that seizes on each set of taps. i.e. the hot tap is seized on the bath mixer, but the cold tap is ok.

I have replaced on set of taps with new, but I can't afford to replace them all. Can anyone advise me on a cheaper way of dealing with this problem and how to do it??

I have tried WD40 which sorted the problem on a couple of them for about a day or two and then they seized again.

Many thanks

Mazz

 

[ChrisR]

Dismantle, bathe in descaler (lime lite sort of stuff or kettle descaler, warm), grease with silicone grease, make sure washers haven't squashed to the point where they foul the sides, reassemble.

 

[mazz]

Many thanks for the prompt reply Chris. I guess I will have to turn off the mains and hot water supplies to do this?

Also, could there be some underlying problem here, or would you say it is just all a coincidence that they all have been affected in the past few months?

Mazz

 

[Bahco]

I've tried that Cillit Bang spray on limescale and it really is very good and worth recommending.

No I don't have any shares in it.

 

[ChrisR]

I guess I will have to turn off the mains and hot water supplies to do this?

I bet that Cillit Bang stuff wouldn't work if you just sprayed the outside of the tap

Yes, all water off then all apart. Possibly the taps are the same type/age.

It's one of those jobs which doesn't take long but really makes you feel good because the effect keeps surprising you!
Probably worth having a few washers handy in case any of them are finished.

 

[mazz]

Thank you for your help. Will let you know how i get on.

Regards

 

[brumylad]

good luck,
don't be tempted to use brick cleaner (HCl) like I once did, It works fantastically fast but tends to destroy cheap chrome as well as limescale

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

Where do you get this clit bang from then

 

[Bahco]

Where do you get this Cillit
bang from then

Its a spray bottle, costs about £3, and I've seen it in Sainsburys.

 

[ChrisR]

I usually use some sort of WC cleaner which "attacks llimescale", reasonably quick and safe. Yep I have tried HCl, and also found it bugers posh chrome!