Bath cold tap very stiff to turn

[colin2945]

Hi,

My bathroom, for sometime now the cold water tap the handle is very stiff and tight to turn and so very little cold water coming through the tap. So the first thing I did last week was to remove the cap from the top and there was a screw on top. I removed the screw but unfortunately the tap won't come off. I tried even with some force the tap will not come off. So there was three questions that I had...

1. The cold tap handle not coming off despite the screw removed, what may be the reason for this? I am wondering whether there could be limescale underneath or maybe I am doing something wrong?

2. For something like this where the cold water tap the handle is very stiff and tight to turn, what might be the cause? I read online but I couldn't quite understand with some suggesting applying some silicone grease between the two metal plates underneath may do the trick. I couldn't find any rubber washer so not sure whether that is the problem but the handle hasn't come off the tap yet. The bit underneath does turn but won't come off until the tap is removed. I have attached some pictures.

3. Can this issue be fixed without removing the side bath panel and needing access underneath the bath tub?

Many thanks.


Colin

 

[JohnD]

You probably need to change the washer. I am assuming this is a conventional tap where the capstan rotates, not a ceramic tap where it only moves a quarter turn.

When the washer is worn out, the internal parts are loose and move too much, which can cause the jumper to come off its screw.

There about a billion instruction videos online called "how to change a tap washer". You need to turn off the water but no need to get under the bath, it is all done from above with spanners.

Some taps have a replaceable cartridge instead of a washer. Ceramic taps always do.

Put the plug in before you start and lie a towel in the bath to catch tools and small parts that you drop.

 

[colin2945]

Hi, thanks for the reply. The main issue at the moment is removing the handle from the tap. I tried it with the hot water tap as well, cap off and screw removed but the handle will just not come off even with a lot of force.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

1. The cold tap handle not coming off despite the screw removed, what may be the reason for this? I am wondering whether there could be limescale underneath or maybe I am doing something wrong?

Try pouring boiling water on the handle, to cause it to expand. Try tapping it with a piece of timber, to free it. It will just be limescale.

Once that's off, you can remove the cover, then unscrew the tap itself with a suitable spanner.

 

[JohnD]

Tap it upwards with something fairly light, like a spoon. Rotate it and tap each arm in turn. You can use a bathroom limescale remover.

Not a hammer or you will break it

You can protect chrome from scratches by tools, by wrapping in elastoplast fabric strapping, which is sticky.

 

[colin2945]

Many thanks for the replies. So just an update, I put white vinegar on top of the handle it didn't work and I then used Viakal limescale remover spray, left it on for 30 mins and the handle came off, no force required. I guess thats why they say they are number 1 limescale remover. However depsite removing the handle, I found that there was no rubber washer. Picture enclosed. I put everything back together and the issue still remains in that the cold tap handle is very stiff to turn. I did put a tad of white lithum grease on those vertical brass ribs on the tap but no joy. Does anyone know what the cause of the problem is here or whether any part needs replacing or whole tap needs changing?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Does anyone know what the cause of the problem is here or whether any part needs replacing or whole tap needs changing?

The rubber washer, is inside, below that part you have removed the handle from. You need to use a spanner now, on the hexagon section you can now see, which was previously hidden by that cap, but first you need to turn the water supply off, to avoid a flood.

You can alternatively, buy tap refurb kits, which will replace that entire part you need to remove, to access the washer. A bit of lub of the moving parts, may help too.

 

[colin2945]

Thanks. I will give this a try over the weekend and then update. Would I need access bottom of the bath in order to do this job and to remove any of the 22mm copper pipes going into the tap handles?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Thanks. I will give this a try over the weekend and then update. Would I need access bottom of the bath in order to do this job and to remove any of the 22mm copper pipes going into the tap handles?

No, you can do it all from above the bath, but turn the water off, and ensure it is off, by turning the tap on first, until the water stops flowing out.

 

[JohnD]

Here is one of the billions of vids I mentioned. The tap done here is designed to look old-fadhioned and does not have the bell-like easy clean cover.