North Leeds Plumbing & Heating – Home Improvement and DIY Advice

Archive for the ‘Bathroom Fittings’ Category

It is not uncommon for bathroom taps to need replacing after years of use. Whether the tap is leaking or the homeowners simply want a new and polished look, this do it yourself project is pretty easy and affordable. The first thing to do when replacing the tap is to turn off the water beneath the sink. There should be water valves under the sink, but if not, turn off the main water supply.

Next, remove the handles of the existing tap. This is done by removing the cover at the top of the handle and removing the screws located in the handles. There should be a nut at the base of the tap stem, holding the entire unit in place. This will also need to be removed. Now, the entire tap can be removed.

Clean the surface before installing the new tap. The new unit should have springs included. Install the spring with the smaller side facing up and push the new unit on top of the spring. This may take a few tries to get it lined up evenly. Once it is in place, replace the stem and the bonnet nut and tighten. The original handles can be used again, or new ones installed for a completely different look. Updating the handles alone will provide for a nice and clean look.

Once the new springs are installed, the tap should not leak and the handles should work appropriately. When the repair is finished, turn the water supply back on and test for any leaks. If there are leaks around the handles, the spring may not have been positioned correctly and this will require removing the hardware and installing again. For leak prevention, use plumber’s tape around the threads of all nuts and bolts in the fixtures.

Bathroom taps come in a number of different styles.  Below are a few of the most popular.

Pillar Taps

Pillar taps are suitable for two-hole basins and baths.  Pillar taps consist of a pair of taps, one for hot water and the other for cold.  Simple to fit and inexpensive, they come with lever handles or traditional cross head handles.

Mixer Taps

A mixer tap is a single body tap that mixes cold and hot water together in the body of the tap.  There are two handles – one located on each side of the tap – which control the water flow, making temperature regulation simple.  Before installing a mixer tap, it is important to check the household water pressure, as relatively high pressure is required for them to perform well.

Dual Flow

A dual flow tap is the ideal solution when a mixer tap is desired but there is unequal pressure between the hot and cold water supplies.  This type of tap produces a single flow of water like a mixer tap, but separates the hot and cold within the body of the tap, avoiding problems caused by unequal pressure.

Monobloc

Monobloc taps are very neat as there is only a single lever which operates the hot and cold water flow through one mixer tap.  Their sleek appearance makes them well-suited to minimalist bathroom suite designs but, like standard mixer taps, they require the water pressure in the hot and cold supplies to be almost equal.

Shower Mixer

Perfect for family bathrooms, the shower mixer tap set comes with a mechanism for diverting the water supply to a showerhead fitting.  You can mount the showerhead over the mixer tap, telephone style, for a period appearance, or hang it on a wall over the bath.

Before taking out an old sink, turn off the water and drain its supply pipes. Then disconnect the waste pipe; if it is going to be replaced simply cut through it and if not, unscrew the trap.

If the tap connectors are difficult to unscrew or cannot be reached, cut through the supply pipes with a hacksaw. If you are taking out an old earthenware sink, it will most likely have bib taps screwed to the wall, with the pipes buried beneath the plaster, so unscrew the taps to expose the pipes.

If you’re removing an old earthenware sink to replace it with a modern one, it will be very heavy. You’ll need to use a cold chisel to chip away at the seal where the sink and wall join, before lifting it from its brackets. Remove the brackets as well.

If you’re replacing a more modern type of sink, lift this from its kitchen unit, or alternatively if the kitchen is being redecorated remove the entire unit.

Tap connectors should be soaked with penetrating oil if they’re difficult to disconnect from their supply pipes.

You have decided to renovate your bathroom, but do not feel you have the skill or the time to complete the work yourself.  Employing a builder or plumber to do the work may sound like the perfect solution, but if you are not careful, it could quickly turn into a nightmare.

Always ask for a referral.  You are almost certain to have friends or family members who have employed builders to carry out work for them on similar projects.  Remember, someone else’s bad experience may save you from a lot of grief and regret. 

Interview potential contractors; have a list of questions prepared in advance and do not let them talk around questions, demand specific answers.  If you find they are not forthcoming during this process, take it as a warning.  Key questions include the length of time the work will take to complete, what access they will need and perhaps most importantly, the cost.  Ask them for a list of references and offer to provide one yourself if the job is completed as promised and to your satisfaction.

Be specific, do not make a laundry list of features and then hand over control; remain involved.  If you want a round bathroom mirror, do not shrug it off if you find a square or oval one hanging over your basin.  Be sure that both you and he are aware of exactly what you want.

Put everything it in writing; you have zero recourse if you do not have an agreement signed by both parties and be specific within this document. 

When updating a bathroom or moving into a new house one of the first DIY jobs you often find yourself doing is replacing a noisy old cistern with a quiet new one.  You can connect the new cistern to the existing toilet pan if it is a flush-panel one.  This fits on the wall behind the pan and projects about 115mm.  If the old cistern was a high-level type, the pan would normally project too far to allow the seat to be raised fully.  Rather than struggling to release the various connectors when removing the old cistern it is often easier to simply cut through the pipes.  It is likely that new pipework will have to be installed in any case.

Shut off the water before you begin, then flush the cistern and cut through the pipes, before removing the lid and lifting the cistern clear of the wall.

Fix new brackets to the wall and then position the replacement cistern before marking, drilling and plugging its fixing holes and screwing it to the wall.  Next, connect overflow pipe to the cistern.  Lead the overflow pipe through an outside wall or to a nearby shower tray or bath.

Leaning above the open cistern, mount the siphon assembly into its base and fit the flush lever, connecting it to the flushing mechanism.  Fit the ball-valve assembly and ensure that the sealing washers are in place before fitting the flush pipe between the pan and cistern and connecting a 15mm supply pipe to the ball-valve inlet.  Finally, reconnect the water supply and give the toilet a good flush.

Existing pipe runs can become strained when you perform repair work or alterations to the plumbing system, which can break the water seals on some of the joints.  Joints may also start leaking soon after installation, because they were not installed correctly.

It is quite a simple procedure to repair leaking joints, especially in the case of compression fittings.  All you need do with these is tighten the cap-nut; you do not even need to turn off the water supply or drain any of the pipework.  In the case of soldered capillary fittings, however, pipes will have to be drained and the area around the joint dried before re- soldering repairs it.

Compression joints use stainless steel sleeves that are inserted into the pipe ends to prevent them from collapsing when the joint is tightened up.  They also often use acorn push-fit elements.  When working on this type of joint, use a wrench to firmly grip the pipe at the point of entry to the joint and then take a spanner and tighten the cap-nut until it is firm, but not too tight.  You must be careful or you will damage the joint.  If this has no effect, you will have to drain down the affected circuit and remake the joint using new olives, because it is likely they have become defective.

You can stop leaks around threaded fittings by winding PTFE tape around the thread and remaking the joint.  A leaking capillary joint will involve draining the circuit before brushing on flux and then heating the joint and applying additional solder.

The shower is a modern necessity – every home should have one and in many modern homes they are overtaking the bath as the most popular place for everyday ablutions.  So when designing a bathroom it is important to incorporate an adequate shower element into the design plan.

However, for the design conscious homeowner the classic cubicle does not always cut the mustard.  So what are some exciting alternatives to shower enclosures?

One popular choice in modern shower designs is the wet room.  The wet room removes the need for shower enclosures entirely since the whole bathroom is designed to be used as an open plan shower space.  Partial enclosures in a wet room can be created using partitions, or even innovative beaded curtains to create an element of privacy in this open area.

For those who prefer to keep their shower corralled, there are a range of alternative shower enclosures.  Why not consider building a cubicle from glass brick – allowing for the free passage of light while at the same time denoting the permanence of the unit in a way that prefabricated cubicles simply cannot achieve.

If you like the idea of an industrial inspired space then the ultra modern finish of a steel shower enclosure could be the right choice for you.

Whatever your taste, it is possible to create a unique shower space that suits your style.

Once upon a time, accessories for the shower were practically nonexistent, with the term generally meaning – if it was ever used at all – nothing fancier than the absolute essentials such as the tap and the showerhead, and perhaps a particular kind of shower door.  Nowadays, however, the term shower accessories is associated with a much greater range of products, with shower enclosures now having maximum comfort as well as overall convenience as important design factors.

Today, the term shower accessories means much more than the bare necessities.  Shower accessories also encompass a range of items including everything from hanging bars (which can be attached to either the shower curtain rod or even shower doors), to shower caddies and shower mirrors.  Shower caddies are tiny shelves, usually fitted near the showerhead, which are both easy to fit and ideal for keeping items which are often used by people while they are taking a shower, such as shampoo and conditioners, soap and possibly even a razor and blades for shaving.  Most people would have trouble shaving without a bathroom mirror, and the shower mirror has become one of the newest innovations in shower accessories.  These mirrors can be easily attached to the inside of the electric shower enclosure with suction cups and, very importantly, do not steam up around hot water.

In addition to shower mirrors, the latest “must have” item for the more ecologically minded is the shower meter, which actually lets people keep a check of how much water they are using when they shower.

We all dream about them. The luxury items in a bathroom that help create a relaxing and rejuvenating experience closer to that of a spa than a simple bathroom.  If you have a large enough space and are fortunate enough to have the means to design it just the way you want it, then you have the opportunity to own a part of that dream.

In large bathrooms it’s important to create a focal point for the room.  Basing your design off of this focal point will create a more cohesive design overall, and by using the bath as the focal point you can create a sense of luxury.  Large rooms can accommodate the more extravagant fixtures and bathroom furniture that smaller rooms are not able to handle.

Free-standing baths can create a simple and yet stylish focal point to any bathroom.  Placing a bath next to a window with a beautiful view can create a natural sense of relaxation.  Claw-footed baths can give a room a retro or an elegant feel, especially if the rest of the room is in sync with that design.  Those looking for their own personal spa can opt for a hydrotherapy or whirlpool bath, which are large and luxurious.

Dual bathroom basins for the bathroom cabinet or sink are also to be considered.  These are especially convenient for couples who need to get ready in the morning at the same time.  Two sinks and two bathroom mirrors can create an intimate, spacious and convenient bathroom environment for couples.

White is a colour that is often related to purity and cleanliness, so creating a solid white bathroom suite will offer the same visual experience to its users.  It is easy enough to create a white bathroom and then to think of it as a blank canvas on which to splash some colour.

White is a very modern colour that results in a contemporary look.  It creates a sense of airiness, and calmness.  If you want a completely new experience for your bathroom, consider one of the many shades of white to create your version. 

If you currently have an all white bathroom suite, you’re well on your way to creating your white haven.  If not, purchasing a new bathroom suit in an all white version should be the first step.  While you are at it, you may want to consider changing the floors.  Adding white bathroom tiles to the floors accompanied by a coat of fresh white paint on the walls will give your room the appearance of purity.

Experimenting with both colour and texture is a way to ensure the all white room does not become boring.  Once you have everything white, you can begin to introduce coloured bathroom accessories and bathroom furniture.  White will make anything visually pop out, so start small.  Adding large framed mirrors; small ceramic lamps, a seating area and throw pillows, if you have the space, will pull the room together.

One of the greatest things about an all white bathroom is when you grow tired of the current colour scheme, it takes very little effort to replace the current colour with a different one by changing throw pillows and candles to create a whole new bathroom.