Changing single hole mixer tap All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[marchend]

:arrow: Modern 4 bed house, built late 1993.

I'm thinking of changing the single hole mixer tap in the Kitchen.
The problem is I cannot find a tap anywhere to turn of the hot water supply. The cold supply is not a problem, I just turn of the main right under the sink.

I have changed the valves on this tap in recent years. On the hot side I have had to change the valve working 'live' and very quickly as I couldn't find a shut of tap anywhere. I searched high and low in the airing cupboard upstairs where the hot water tank is, and turned off all taps that I could find, but it still didn't turn off the hot water.

I guess the only other option is to venture into the loft and shut of the main taps from the main water tank. Not an option I relish. From experience theses taps corrode and will either not shut off or open if they have not been used in years, resulting in more work fitting upgraded tank taps. The other option is too buy rubber bungs for the tank outlets. Not cheap at £18+ a pair!

No I'm not a plumber, just info I've picked up.

Going back to the main question. Any simple ideas about shutting of the hot water and how easy are these taps to change, ie horse shoe clip fixing? Thank you 8)

[Dave From Leeds]

If you don't want to turn off the feed from your cold water tank or indeed to even venture into the loft, turn off your mains cold water supply under the sink as before then open the kitchen sink hot tap. Once the cold water header tank in the loft has emptied the flow from the tap will stop. You can then work on changing the tap. They must be simple enough to change because I fitted mine from scratch when we had a new kitchen fitted a few years ago and I'm no expert! I just followed the instruction leaflet that came with the tap.

[misery]

I'm not a plumber either but I have also just fitted some new taps in my utility.
All I did was turn cold water off at mains opened the hot taps and eventually the hot tank will drain down,mine took about 15 mins in total ,change your taps and simply turn cold mains back on ,the hot tank will eventually fill back up,job done.
Hope this helps.
Misery

[nitro23456]

If there is no gate valve in the airing cupboard next to the cylinder and there is no isolation valves on the run from the CW loft tank into the bottom of the cylinder, you will have to drain the CW tank in the loft.

You don't need bungs or even to venture into the loft...... turn off the mains supply under the sink and open all your taps and just wait for the water to stop. By turning off the mains, you are preventing the CW tank from filling via the rising main..... so all you need to do is empty this tank by running the taps an/or anything that is fed from it until it is empty. When it is empty, there will be no 'head' of water to push the hot out of the cylinder and the water will stop.

Bare in mind the cylinder isnt completely empty (the water just cant be pushed out) but you dont need it to be for what you are talking of.

The only expense is the wasted cold and hot water before the flow stops which won't amount to £18 for bungs!! Whilst you are at it you should really put in isolation valves for your new taps as water regs require this..... you are drained down so its no great hardship to do this now.

Having said dont venture into the loft, personally I would visually check it all refills properly up there afterwards.

Sounds daunting but its easy as pie this way.

[plumbbob]

Just another point, the single mixer taps are fitted with a as you call it a horseshoe and with single or twin nut(s) on a threaded bar. The problem is getting a spanner on these with all the pipes in the way. Maybe it can be done, but it's going to be difficult with an ordinary spanner. Best is to purchase from the plumbers merchant, a special box spanner that will make the job so much easier!

[marchend]

Thanks everyone for your advise.

There is a gate valve next to the hot water cylinder and a shut of tap on the pipe coming out at the bottom of the tank on the side. As I said earlier, I have shut this tap off before without it making any difference.

Looking up under the kitchen tap it would appear that the two feed pipes screw into the tap block with a securing clip to hold the tap in place on the sink unit. These two pipes have then been sleeved and soldered part way down.

I assume I will have to cut both the pipes part way down coming from the tap to be able to release it. This will then be a good opportunity for putting in a shut off tap/valve on the hot feed side.

Which would you recommend, a shut off tap or valve for isolating the hot feed?

Thank you.

[nitro23456]

gate valve is likely sheered off.

Use an isolation valve on the pipe under the tap and you could also put one on the vertical run of pipe before the gat valve NOT the horizontal run unless you drain the cylinder first as it wont be empty.