How to Change a Tap Washer
The How To Series: Tap Washers – The Proper Way!
So many customers think...dripping tap...just change the washers. This is not the case. There are steps that must be taken to carry out the perfect tap service.
Step One
Reseat the tap body. Shut the water off and remove the taps carefully. Don’t scratch the chrome surfaces; use a cloth in between any rough wrench and the chrome surfaces. Use a reseating tool and grind the tap seat till it is perfectly clean and free of any cracks. We do this step with a custom drill attachment to make sure it’s perfect.
Step Two
Turn the water back on briefly and flush out all of the brass filings that were just grinded. If left, they will stick under the washer and cause the taps to leak. Make sure no mess is made. We recommend re-inserting the tap spindle without a washer for this step.
Step Three
Service the spindle. The spindle is in two parts. It must be separated manually by twisting the central section out. Once it is out the black rubber O ring must be removed. Clean the spindle with some paper, then put a new O ring on. Some spindles have 2 O rings. Once this is done you need to apply a generous amount of tap grease to the spindle. This is what makes the tap easy to turn.
Note: This is not a step to skip! If you do, the tap will still be stiff to operate and may even leak out of the centre.
Step Four
Test and clean up! Put the spindle back into the wall, replace the fibre washer on the tap body and turn the water supply back on. When testing we are looking for the tap to shut off instantly when the spout is fitted with a aerator and within thirty seconds if the spout is open. Now clean all of that grease off the clean surfaces. We recommend using toilet paper, don’t wipe it on your shorts, trust us, it won’t come out.
Note: Make sure the hot and cold buttons go on the right tap! The hot should always be on the left, some houses, for some reason were installed the wrong way around...so double check!
Good luck! If this is too hard, or something goes wrong contact us online or call us in on 1300 362 250
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