Leaking tap - through the tap holes

[SkipFeeney]

Hi All,

I have just discovered a leak on the bath shower mixer taps. When you have a shower the water goes through the tap holes onto the floor.

When i removed the bath panel to take a look i noticed that the underside of the bath is not flat, so the washer on top of the plastic back nut has gaps in it.

I am also unable to work out how to seal it from above as the tap body has a sort loose "collar" on it, so in theory it could leak from two locations. How do i seal it all up?

This is the sort of collar i mean

Untitled

• SkipFeeney
• 2 Nov 2013
• 1

Thanks

 

[Burnerman]

The water seal needs to be between the tap and the bath - not on the underside.
Hunt around for a rubber or nylon washer that will fit snugly over the thread diameter, apply a squidge of silicone and replace the tap. its not a bad idea to replace the plastic back nut with a brass one too - so you can tighten it down nicely.
John

 

[footprints]

there should be a seal of some sort under the collar that seals against the bath top the one underneath is just to stop rotation and spread the load.

Trouble is one company makes the bath/basin etc and another makes the tap. You would think that all these things would be standardized but no! The only things in plumbing that ate really standardized are threads and pipe sizes, in fact that does not really apply to plastic plumbing where variations do occur.

You can try silicone under the collar but do not move the tap for 24 hours to let the stuff cure

If you cannot get the tap to seal you could go back to victorian techniques and use plumbers mait it's a form of putty and making up a donut of it around the tap before fitting should get you out of trouble. Clean off surplus that will get everywhere with a cloth dipped in white sprit.

Or you could try a "Fix a Tap kit" do a search on Amazon they are designed to stop rotation but they also make a better seal.

I see Burnerman has replied while I was slowly one finger typing, but as I have typed it I might as well post too

 

[SkipFeeney]

Thanks for all the replies!

The loose collar has a washer in the middle but its flush with the collar - i cant see how that can seal anything. It may have worn away but its only 5 years old. I might try and see if i can get a replacement washer but it looks a funny size to me its very thin but deep if you know what i mean?

Will see if i can get one tomorrow then try sealing it. What would you use to seal it? Will this be ok:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/dow-corni...ml/58308#product_additional_details_container

 

[Madrab]

It's been overtightened Skip, usually the fitted washer in the collar sits proud of the chrome collar by a mil or 2.
If it's been overtightened then over time the washer get compressed and doesn't take up the slack.
Nothing that a little bit of silicone won't cure.