| Plumbing is an aspect of home improvement that | | | | and cold taps feed off pipes from a cistern you |
| often comes about without choice. It is important to | | | | should have a gate valve/mini stopcock available to |
| take care of the plumbing of your property in order | | | | turn off. The stop valve can be found alongside the |
| to avoid emergency situations and to ensure that | | | | cold water tank. |
| you are getting the best from your plumbing system. | | | | You should then use a wrench (crowsfoot spanner) |
| When it comes to replacing taps it can often be | | | | or a tap tool to undo the nut, which connects the |
| more complex than you may realise at first. Replacing | | | | supply pipes to the taps. You will probably experience |
| taps can either be required as part of the installation | | | | some water coming from the pipes at this point so |
| of a new bath/basin or because your old taps have | | | | ensure that you have a cloth ready then loosen the |
| worn down. You may, however, just wish to replace | | | | nut that is holding the taps in place and remove them |
| your taps simply on a more cosmetic basis. | | | | from the sink. You then need to clean the area the |
| It is important to understand how many 'holes' your | | | | taps fit into as well as replace any old sealing |
| sink has when it comes to changing your taps. The | | | | compound. |
| amount of holes will determine whether you can | | | | Before you go ahead and fit your new taps you |
| install two separate taps or whether you will have | | | | need to compare the pipe connections on the old |
| just the one serving both your hot and cold needs. If | | | | taps to the new taps. If they are longer then you will |
| there is one hole you are restricted to the one tap | | | | need a shank adapter in order to make them fit. |
| and you will require a mono-bloc mixer when it comes | | | | When it comes to actually fitting your new taps you |
| to replacing your taps. With one hole you will have | | | | have to check to see if the tails of the new taps are |
| two diameter pipes coming out of the hole, one for | | | | plastic. If not a connector is required to prevent |
| hot and one for cold. It there are, however, two | | | | damage. One end of the connector fits onto the tail |
| holes you are able to fit two separate taps to your | | | | and the other provides a connection to existing pipes. |
| sink, giving you a tap for hot water and a tap for | | | | To fit the taps you should position the tap in the |
| cold water. | | | | mounting hole in the basin, ensuring that the washers |
| Ok now you have some basics about what to look | | | | are in place between the tap and the sink and when |
| for in your pipe work we can move onto the | | | | the tap is securely in place the supply pipes can be |
| removal of your old taps. The first thing you need to | | | | connected. |
| ensure you do is to disconnect the water supply and | | | | When your taps are firmly in place and have been |
| then turn your taps on fully to drain any water left in | | | | securely connected to the pipes you can then turn |
| your system. The way in which you cut off your | | | | your water supply back on. Once your water is on |
| water supply depends on what sort of water supply | | | | you should check for any leaks; if any appear they |
| you are dealing with. If connected to the mains you | | | | can normally be resolved by tightening your joins. |
| should turn off your indoor stop valve. If your hot | | | | |