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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Plumbing Questions >> Dripping Bath/Shower Mixer tap https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1306767426 Message started by rusty_brown on May 30^th, 2011, 3:57pm

Title: Dripping Bath/Shower Mixer tap
Post by rusty_brown on May 30^th, 2011, 3:57pm

Hi,
I've got a shower/bath mixer tap that's leaking and has been getting worse over the last 6 months or so.

Could someone please help me out with a couple of Q's before I attempt to fix it. I live in a block of flats and turning the water off involves turning the whole blocks supply off... so I want to get all my materials together before I start the job.

Here's the tap:
[gallery]rusty_brown/1306766913.jpg[/gallery]

It's the top level that controls the bath or shower on/off that's the problem I think.

1. What kind of seating can I expect to find in there? i.e ceramic or plastic?

2. What kind of washers I am likely to need? O-ring ones...?

3. If I end up having to replace the whole valve seating (it leaks quite badly now) what sort of price am I looking at?

Any help and tips would be greatly appreciated thanks!

Title: Re: Dripping Bath/Shower Mixer tap
Post by CWatters on May 30^th, 2011, 6:40pm

First thing I'd do is add a valve so that only your flat has to be isolated and the others can be turned back on while you continue to work on the shower.

Then I would add another pair of valves so you can just isolate the shower.

That way you can strip the shower down, take it with you to the plumbers, have him order any parts you need etc. Then if they take 6 weeks to be delivered you can still live in your flat.

Title: Re: Dripping Bath/Shower Mixer tap
Post by rusty_brown on May 31^st, 2011, 2:22pm

Update...

Does anyone know what kind of valve will be in this tap?
It's the top one that turns the bath on (if turned to the left) or the shower on (if turned to the right)?
The bottom tap is temperature.

Will the ceramic disk/valve be different to a normal valve on a standard tap... like some sort of diverter valve?

Title: Re: Dripping Bath/Shower Mixer tap
Post by thescruff on May 31^st, 2011, 6:39pm

I would be very surprised if you don't have a stopcock to turn your flat off, or at the very least local isolating valves.

Title: Re: Dripping Bath/Shower Mixer tap
Post by rusty_brown on May 31^st, 2011, 10:27pm

I've lived here 8 years.
None on the flats have individual stopcocks.

Title: Re: Dripping Bath/Shower Mixer tap
Post by CWatters on Jun 1^st, 2011, 12:18am

I discovered that not all ceramic cartridges are the same size. Some makes are slightly different to others. Hence I suggest removing it and taking it to the plumbers to compare with what they have.

I've never taken a diverter apart.