Hot bath tap making a slight whistling sound when running

[awm]

Hot bath tap making a slight whistling sound when running.

The sound is so slight I couldn't record it for you, but it's a sound it wasn't making before.

It only happens with that tap.

I wonder if it's something to do with the pipes. I just wondered if there's anything I should do?

It started about 6 weeks ago.

Any help appreciated.

I've attached a photo of the tap if that helps.

Thanks.

 

[cross thread]

Replace the tap washer

 

[awm]

Replace the tap washer

Okay thanks, just the hot one, or both hot and cold?

These should do it right?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/FUBESK-Reviver-Threaded-Washer-Handle/dp/B0D944VTQ1?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=ABI9O9GI96MVL

 

[cross thread]

No they are 1/2 inch
You’re tats look like older ones go to b and a and by 3/4 inch tap washers about a pound

 

[opps]

Those are ceramic cartridges. You might just need a washer. Do you need to turn the tap multiple times? If yes, you just need a washer. The ceramic ones are often a quarter turn to make the water come out.

 

[awm]

Okay thanks. Turns out I already have one (it had a blue ring on it, so I just changed it to the red one). I just replaced the whole hot tap following the instructions on this video.

The tap works better, but now the whistling sound is actually louder.

I've noticed the whistling sound completely goes when I turn on the hot tap on my bathroom sink at the same time as the bath tap.

Here is a video to demonstrate (you can hear the sound now, it's much louder with the new tap)...

Any ideas?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Makeitgo]

Hi Alex, I looked at your other thread and it seems you’ve already done a swap check with another tap to no avail. Not sure if the other tap was a known good one (a non-whistler) but if it was, it seems the issue may be elsewhere. Does this tap have an isolating valve just before the tap, or elsewhere in the system? Is it this that’s whistling? Is the sound you hear seem to come from this tap or elsewhere? How did you turn off the water to swap the tap out? Is it the thing you turned off to isolate it that’s whistling?

 

[awm]

Hi Alex, I looked at your other thread and it seems you’ve already done a swap check with another tap to no avail. Not sure if the other tap was a known good one (a non-whistler) but if it was, it seems the issue may be elsewhere. Does this tap have an isolating valve just before the tap, or elsewhere in the system? Is it this that’s whistling? Is the sound you hear seem to come from this tap or elsewhere? How did you turn off the water to swap the tap out? Is it the thing you turned off to isolate it that’s whistling?

Hi, the other tap was also whistling - actually quieter than the new one. I'm not sure about an isolating valve, as I cannot get easy access under the bath unfortunately.

It sounds like it's coming from the walls of the bathroom itself, so perhaps from the pipes.

The stop cock is in my airing cupboard, I turned that off before replacing the tap, and there was no whistling noise by the stop cock.

 

[opps]

Those are ceramic cartridges. You might just need a washer. Do you need to turn the tap multiple times? If yes, you just need a washer. The ceramic ones are often a quarter turn to make the water come out.

Sorry, I am not sure why I posted that. I meant to ask if they were ceramic or not- in your case, they aren't.

 

[Makeitgo]

Hi, the other tap was also whistling - actually quieter than the new one. I'm not sure about an isolating valve, as I cannot get easy access under the bath unfortunately.

It sounds like it's coming from the walls of the bathroom itself, so perhaps from the pipes.

The stop cock is in my airing cupboard, I turned that off before replacing the tap, and there was no whistling noise by the stop cock.

“the other tap was also whistling” – OK so it’s possible that both taps might be susceptible to whistling for reasons unknown. Putting that aside for a minute, it seems from the video that the flow rate isn’t that rapid. I’m guessing the hot water is from a hot water cylinder and not a combi boiler. Given this, you might be able to try something out as it’s probably not a lot of pressure and a it’s washer tap and not a ceramic type…



You might be able to take the headgear out (the bit with the washer on it) and expose the valve seat. The valve seat is around the hole the water comes up through. IN normal operation, the washer goes down and blocks the flow when the tap is turned off to the right. I have in the past been able to put my finger down the tap body and block the water instead of the washer.

Just thinking, if you try doing this and you get no whistling, then it would looks like the issue is with this tap. If you do have a go at this you might want to turn the “stop cock” in the airing cupboard off, then get an assistant to open it bit by bit to do the test. Otherwise, just thinking you might get a bit of water spray all over the show if you’re not methodical.

 

[awm]

“the other tap was also whistling” – OK so it’s possible that both taps might be susceptible to whistling for reasons unknown. Putting that aside for a minute, it seems from the video that the flow rate isn’t that rapid. I’m guessing the hot water is from a hot water cylinder and not a combi boiler. Given this, you might be able to try something out as it’s probably not a lot of pressure and a it’s washer tap and not a ceramic type…



You might be able to take the headgear out (the bit with the washer on it) and expose the valve seat. The valve seat is around the hole the water comes up through. IN normal operation, the washer goes down and blocks the flow when the tap is turned off to the right. I have in the past been able to put my finger down the tap body and block the water instead of the washer.

Just thinking, if you try doing this and you get no whistling, then it would looks like the issue is with this tap. If you do have a go at this you might want to turn the “stop cock” in the airing cupboard off, then get an assistant to open it bit by bit to do the test. Otherwise, just thinking you might get a bit of water spray all over the show if you’re not methodical.

Hi, thanks, it is a combi boiler. I'm going to try and clean the limescale this weekend and see if that makes a difference, then if not, I'll come back to this, thanks.

 

[awm]

So I used some pipe cleaners and cleared some hairs out of the drain underneath the tap, and cleaned the tap itself. Now the whistling sound has gone but the tap is running with really low pressure, barely any water comes out at times. Opening the hot tap on the sink affects it, sometimes makes it better, sometimes worse.

Any thoughts?

 

[polesapart]

You’re tats look like older ones

They last a lifetime!

 

[Makeitgo]

You’re tats look like older ones

Sounds like a Rab C. Nesbit line True though, give me washer taps any day. I've lost count of the ceramic ones that have worn out on me. But back to the topic, I'm presuming the cleaning you've done has stopped the bath tap whistling, so good news! Re the hot tap on the sink, I would have thought the only effect of opening the hot tap on the sink would be to rob the pressure of the bath hot tap (on the basis that they have the same pipe supplying both). Could the sink hot tap have a loose/flappy washer maybe? Either way, it would be good to ascertain what actual pressure is available from the combi, regardless of what stop valves/cocks iso valves and pipework etc there is en route. Do you have a kitchen sink hot tap nearer to the boiler than the bathroom, that has good pressure?