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How To Repair A Ceramic-Disc Tap

How To Repair A Ceramic-Disc Tap

Instructions

There is nothing more irritating than a dripping tap; it wastes water, makes those nasty marks on your sink, and that constant drip dripping noise can drive you mad. Luckily it's an easy job to fix. If you have one of these modern, easy-to-turn-on taps, it's likely the ceramic-disc inside will need replacing, we at Homeserve are going to show you how it's done.

Step 1:
Get all the tools you need together before you start. You'll need:

• An adjustable spanner
• A flat head screw driver
• A cross head screw driver
• And a replacement ceramic-disc for your particular tap.

For this reason it's a good idea to get started early in the day so you've got time to take the damaged ceramic-disc to a DIY store to get a match if needed.

Step 2
Don't even think about fixing your tap until you've turned off the water supply. This can be done by turning the valve found under, or near the sink. If not, turn off the mains for the entire house.

Now run the tap to drain off any water left in the system.

TOP TIP
Put the plug in the sink to stop anything from falling down the plug hole while you work.

Step 3:
There are thousands of different styles of ceramic-disc taps, but all will have removable tops, or headgear as we plumbers call it. If the headgear doesn't just pull off, look for the retaining screw, this is normally found under a decorative hot or cold cap; prise it off with a blunt knife or flathead screwdriver, undo the retaining screw below and lift off the headgear.

Step 4:
Use an adjustable wrench to undo the hexagonal nut. Now remove the entire cartridge, this is the bit that'll need replacing. These come left or right handed, so bear it in mind when you get the replacement.

Step 5:
Give all parts, inside and out, a good scrub to remove any built up limescale and debris. Then reassemble the tap with the new ceramic-disc. Don't rush this bit, take your time to make sure all nuts and screws are tightened properly. Job Done.