How is this tap connected?

[peternd]

Hey folks!

I've some really old taps in our kitchen that I would like to replace.

I'm sure a super basic question, but could someone please tell me how these are connected? I don't want to jump in cutting or turning and not have what I need to finish the job... or make it more complicated than it needs to be!

I've attached a picture of one of the taps

Would the tap screw off ?

Or is it soldered? The elbow piece of pipe looks completely smooth. The tap itself has a hex pattern to get a good grip on, but the pipe itself doesn't.




Thanks in advance!

 

[oldbuffer]

1. Yes, it unscrews.
2. They are likely to be really tight, so when unscrewing:
2.1 Make sure you hold the wall mounted elbows really securely with grips, or better still an "F" type adjustable spanner, to prevent the elbow pulling off the wall and damaging the pipe.
2.2 Pour very hot water over the joint before unscrewing to try and expand / loosen the grip of the thread.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

1. Yes, it unscrews.

If you fit a new tap, using the same method, then you will need to adjust the number of sealing washers, so as to get the tap to both seal and be upright.

 

[peternd]

Grand, thank you!

I presume using a small kitchen torch to heat it up before unscrewing could help? (Using a candle as a 'canary' to avoid overheating)

Also, this may sound a bit bonkers, but I presume there is no issue swapping these out for garden taps? ... What I called a kitchen is really more of a utility space (house doesn't actually have a kitchen yet ;-p )... there's a window by the sink out to the back, so for connecting a hose outside this would be ideal for both cold and hot when it comes to cleaning jobs and scrubbing down outside..

 

[Madrab]

Also, this may sound a bit bonkers, but I presume there is no issue swapping these out for garden taps? ...

Heating the fitting could help them release yes, as suggested use a pair of grips/vice grips to hold the fitting while use a pair of adjustable on the tap itself.

No reason not to use outside taps - they are old bib taps already, though you will get a pair of chrome bib taps quite cheaply anyway and they are obviously marked for hot n cold etc.

 

[Jackrae]

If it's not a dumb question - why are you wanting to change the tap - if it ain't broken, why fix it.

 

[peternd]

If it's not a dumb question - why are you wanting to change the tap - if it ain't broken, why fix it.

I've already tried reseating the taps, a lot better but still the cold water tap has a tendency to drip without herculean efforts to turn the tap off.

Also, being able to more readily attach a hose would be handy, I have a bit of an awkward internal bit of the garden and my only external tap is on the other side of the building necessitating long hose runs, so two birds, one stone was the thought.

 

[Madrab]

I've already tried reseating the taps, a lot better but still the cold water tap has a tendency to drip without herculean efforts to turn the tap off.

Also, being able to more readily attach a hose would be handy, I have a bit of an awkward internal bit of the garden and my only external tap is on the other side of the building necessitating long hose runs, so two birds, one stone was the thought.

Makes sense