Mixer tap not shutting off straight away

Discussion in 'Plumbers' Talk' started by Finetunemoon, Mar 17, 2018.

  1. Finetunemoon

    Finetunemoon New Member

    hi all, I’ve been having a go at some DIY again today to try and fix my kitchen mixer tap out

    The issue is that the taps when closed don’t shut off straight away but there is a trickle and a drip,

    When you shake the mixer spout it does stop the dripping after the tap Has been shut off

    I’ve had the spout off replace the O rings on it and had the tap handles off to have a look at the valves I managed to get the cold valve off although it was very tight and took a while to shift, looked fine (although it was a valve for a hot tap, red circle on bottom)
    I could not shift the hot tap valve it was stuck solid tried wd40 but no luck :(
    So clean up what I could and put it all back together, it still has the issue

    But when the spout is off there doesn’t seem to be any leakage from the tap so surely the valves are doing there job?

    Also would having the hot and cold valves round the wrong Way matter?

    I can post pics tomorrow if needed :)

    Thanks

    FTM
     
  2. WillyEckerslike

    WillyEckerslike Screwfix Select

    Some people deliberately swap or duplicate the valves because they are handed. It is quite disconcerting and/or confusing where one head turns one way and the other is different.
    Try pouring boiling water over the tap body when you attempt to remove the hot valve.
     
  3. WillyEckerslike

    WillyEckerslike Screwfix Select

    If there is absolutely no water getting past the valves with the spout removed then I suspect what is happening is that you fill the spout with water when the valves are open. When you turn the tap off, the water in the curved part of the spout comes out via gravity but some is held back by surface tension which then let's go, partially at least. When you shake the spout you are dislodging the remaining water.

    Could be completely wrong of course.
     
    teabreak likes this.
  4. candoabitofmoststuff

    candoabitofmoststuff Screwfix Select

    Mine does that sometimes...
    When it does the cure is to tighten up the collar where the spout comes out of the body...
    It works it's way loose after a while with the rotating backwards and forwards of the spout. I think waht happens is that when it's loose it allows air in and there is some kind of siphoning going on.
    Maybe, just maybe, yours is doing the same?

    Regards,

    Cando
     
    WillyEckerslike likes this.
  5. DIYDave.

    DIYDave. Screwfix Select

    Is it a swan neck tap by any chance ?

    Think that this trickle of water once tap turned off is an inherent design ‘flaw’

    Once tap turned off, the water that’s in the neck continues to flow and can drip for several seconds. Not necessarily faulty tap valves, just basic ‘fluid mechanics’
     
  6. Pollowick

    Pollowick Screwfix Select

    Can also be caused by a flow restrictor at the end of the spout. Water is held back at full pressure by the restrictor and when the taps are turned off that still forces water through and you will get a few seconds of trickle.

    I recently added a restrictor to my bathroom basin taps which could deliver near 20 lpm and it is now down to around a much better 6 lpm however there is a three or four second trickle after ward.
     

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