HELP!! Changing tap washers ...

**peanutter** · February 5th, 2012, 02:28 PM

Ok, I am not really a "handy" person by any means, and nor is my hubby.

So one of our taps started dripping today. Not loads, but clearly dripping, and it didn't stop when we tighten enough. So (for the first time *ever*) we decided we should change the washer.

Again, really not our thing, but it seems ridiculous to pay a plumber to haul their cookies all the way out to our place to change a stinking washer ...

So I looked up a youtube thing to show us how to change washers, we found out where the water mains were, we got cracking ... and we simply cannot for love nor money loosen the main yellow-y part of the tap!

We got the top off, no worries, the screw, and cleaned the area up a little with some steel wool, but using the wrench to loosen the main thing to get to the washer - no bone whatsoever. It's just too tight.

We even had both of us doing it together, one of us holding onto the spout, the other using the wrench, but nada.

Tried straying some WD-40 around, to see if that helped. But still nothing.

And yes, we checked we were trying to unscrew it the right way

Are we missing something?

Any ideas for really stiff taps?

**leckert** · February 5th, 2012, 02:49 PM

Sounds like you're doing everything right.
I have a couple of pipe turner things for shifting the spindles (that the long stick-y out of the wall thing) that I bought from Bunnings that sometimes help - ask someone at your local hardware store about them - can't check the actual name of the turner thing cause DH has stacked stuff in front of the drawers that has all the handyperson stuff in them and I have a vague idea that I threw the packaging out too. It looks like a open pipe (hexagon shaped often - check what shape your spindle thing is near the wall - I have square ones in the kitchen and hexagons in the bathroom) with a slot stick to put in a hole near one end to help give leverage to turn it.

When that all fails I get my dad in to shift it - I know that really helps NOT

(DH is not the handyman around here - I'm the handyperson)

**Sopdet** · February 5th, 2012, 03:33 PM

Did you have the tap running when you turned the water off? You are supposed to, otherwise you can't actually get tap undone.

**Rouge** · February 5th, 2012, 03:43 PM

This reminds me of a state law can't remember which state... but it's "illegal" to change a washer in a certain state

Goodluck!

**leckert** · February 5th, 2012, 03:49 PM

Did you have the tap running when you turned the water off? You are supposed to, otherwise you can't actually get tap undone.

I didn't know that - might help me next time

**peanutter** · February 6th, 2012, 02:10 AM

ugh ...

thanks for the ideas - still nothing.

might just try again today, see what happens.

obviously not at 4am ... but later ...

**peanutter** · March 16th, 2012, 02:03 PM

we still haven't been able to get the taps off!!

any other ideas?

DH has tried with rubber grippy things, hammering, and the suggestions ...

any more thoughts, ladies?

**leckert** · March 16th, 2012, 05:33 PM

Might be time to bite the bullet and get a plumber in

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk so sorry if I'm confusing you

**Rivlas** · March 16th, 2012, 06:08 PM

What area of melbourne are you in eg. North, East.

Sometimes it is cheaper to call a handyman in. Get them to do one then get them to show you how to do it.

A plumber taught me how to change a washer so now I can if need be.

**peanutter** · March 16th, 2012, 06:59 PM

we're east ...

hubby has a plumber friend ... might ask him to make a call ...

**Rivlas** · March 17th, 2012, 01:21 PM

Do that and get him to 'show you what you were doing wrong'

Changing the washers are not hard but they can be a pain sometimes especially if they haven't been done for a while. I know we have had to use two wrenches at times to get them undone.

Also get ceramic washers as they are so much better than the elcheapo ones and last longer