Is there a plumber in the building?

[Mincey]

Ok, to start with, the thought of plumbing scares the bejesus out of me. The tap going to the washing machine is leaking from the spindle. On a non plastic tap, I'd expect there to be a nut above the nut which tightens the tap to the pipe, and a gentle half turn on that would solve the issue. This plastic tap body doesn't have one of those, it's just a circular disc (arrowed). 

Can I swap the plastic spindle arrangement for a nice brass one, or do I need to change the whole shebang please?

[steveledzep]

I'm a competent diy plumber.  I don't recognise that fitting, a picture of it in its surroundings might put it into context better.

[Mincey]

Thanks Steve - here's the setting:

 

The plumbing in this house is very odd. I'm not sure who did some of it, but they probably sat around campfires eating beans and farting a lot.

[steveledzep]

It will need a new tap assembly.   They're compression fittings so easy to fit.  Your offending blue one looks to be an elbow.  You'll need a fresh washer at the end of the blue flexi-pipe where it attaches to the tap.  Something like this needed:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WASHING-MACHINE-DISHWASHER-VALVE-HOT-COLD-WATER-C-P-VALVE-TAP/303624443056?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item46b16d54b0:g:ZrwAAOSwWo9fDy9F&amdata=enc%3AAQAFAAACcBaobrjLl8XobRIiIML1V4Imu%2Fn%2BzU5L90Z278x5ickkpFtSR0CGv%2Bh98r8Yb9quS3aCrqFThO78AeHom%2FJMxpAEBC3yNhlhvl7jTJRuVgo4UKITaY%2B6kGUSRu2Vx1dszvbkP3Rek3iUsJLp%2B2N6usHkAw%2BH5EGmTpdBl%2BtsuETchUDgsQhY4ZKMmi0O2zboveYdtWeURFSlm0eF8JrSRxLT%2F0%2FnRGr6VNZnO6HsRmrkmjEPDU9MRlNoZkk%2Fy6i%2FQ2ImSjvFXC81x%2BvcUWAYEq%2B6Oct%2FFDel0uRTeqwmMuUNqTyarFXNZr7VkwP%2FIpDl1doKkaFlzb2xvP6onvyVJrTevgkpbGUanC8a1n8F3NgDJtrMTTUL3oPVmgVsBQh%2FhvDa5eBJI6l%2BtS0enOFdTagzHEvc1GyQ5kbWQCwr3A%2FlA2uluVnhlRwNjxF3q2PoUDpCmO0YUJFjtVWXKHBOWdzh3m3oEIOH96SJlt2GCINvIgNSPg8%2BVn6DMnLhx49zUA0UfcREP5SuRyNBdDfe7z6ez9hatMlbmZzYwiQoeyDyjsEA1I%2Fv03GrfFTcHg4sRQ2BurVhyRbg5sGFREWnHgiig3GWtqk5Hi9ZK8sYGwrzGWelorSsf0Hg5MBROXDYv94%2BgQshBAKpHJgcl0pj8eHk3E5ZYYFPArAOfQe%2BdouTtw1nILppn9wE0a2RQrCg6JktapDdogaIZ39sKvt%2BRJUf04%2FqS5JXSHNA8euvXhDLxUrp8KHVuV3dloo7cGsvqfez6Td6ZBdk4B%2F7YRjjLbdNV6Z64ulD6wUFGUkgiC5GW5jG0HGEycZTIloLGfDcag%3D%3D|cksum%3A303624443056c83d29bd3a89444d9f3cb109ec33ab58|ampid%3APL_CLK|clp%3A2334524

[Boosh.]

My plumbing skills are questionable at best, but, isn't there likely to be an 'O' ring inside that plastic assembly that could be replaced (if you could get one)?

I appreciate that a new brass assembly is the best option. 

Cambridgeshire is a big ol' place, if you were near the Gamlingay corner, then I live a few miles from there.  I've got a reasonably good selection of 'O' rings, but then, looking out the window, maybe that's not such a good idea after all.

[Mincey]

Many thanks Mike and Steve. A new O ring sounds the easiest option. I'll take a look at that first then if that doesn't solve the issue, I'll check on my stock of Brave Pills and try to replace the tap. As someone once said, "what could possibly go wrong....."

[The-Acre]

An easy job, don't waste time with trying to repair it, just replace the complete assembly.  As long as you've got a stopcock that turns the water off without letting water by you should have no problem.  Some of the older stopcocks, especially the brass ones have a habit of not turning the water off fully! 

[steveledzep]

As Phil says above, don't try to repair it, the fitting looks ancient anyway.  Cheap enough fittings available not just from eBay, but B&Q, Wickes etc., you'll get the flexi-pipe washer there too.

When you turn the stopcock off, give it a gentle tap with a hammer to get it moving.  Once the water is off, open the cold tap over the kitchen sink to release the pressure.

[Mincey]

Ok - replacement it is then! I will psych myself up for some serious DIY next weekend :-)

[Brechin Slate]

2 hours ago, Mincey said:

Ok - replacement it is then! I will psych myself up for some serious DIY next weekend 🙂

Couple of tips from a C&G trained plumber (I had to do it as part of my Marine Engineering apprenticeship and had my own plumbing business for a few years) - When you take the old one off it's then best to fit a new olive on the compression fitting rather than re-use the old one.  If you have a junior hacksaw, cut across it at an angle until you're nearly through making sure you don't damage the 15mm pipe.  When you're nearly there, insert a screwdriver in the slot you've just cut and twist it, the olive should snap and you can remove it.  When you fit the new olive, use a bit of boss white on the mating faces, if you have to take it apart again in the future it'll make the job easier.  If you don't fancy removing the old olive then wrap a few turns of PTFE tape around it to give the mating faces a better chance of providing a good seal.  It'll have mains pressure on it so you want it to be good.

[Mincey]

2 minutes ago, Brechin Slate said:

Couple of tips from a C&G trained plumber (I had to do it as part of my Marine Engineering apprenticeship and had my own plumbing business for a few years) - When you take the old one off it's then best to fit a new olive on the compression fitting rather than re-use the old one.  If you have a junior hacksaw, cut across it at an angle until you're nearly through making sure you don't damage the 15mm pipe.  When you're nearly there, insert a screwdriver in the slot you've just cut and twist it, the olive should snap and you can remove it.  When you fit the new olive, use a bit of boss white on the mating faces, if you have to take it apart again in the future it'll make the job easier.  If you don't fancy removing the old olive then wrap a few turns of PTFE tape around it to give the mating faces a better chance of providing a good seal.  It'll have mains pressure on it so you want it to be good.

Thanks for that! 👍 Off to amazon for some Boss White now.

[Brechin Slate]

Good man James, a job worth doing etc.. especially when it comes to plumbing, mistakes can be very expensive 😀

[Mincey]

So you've all been on tenterhooks wondering how I got on.... I've just finished. From this:

 

to this:

The eagle eyed among you will notice that the new tap is not entirely vertical. This is because it leaked slightly when I turned the water back on and I had to tighten the nut on the tap (I should have got the stilsons or pipe spanner thing on the tap body - note to self, more haste less speed next time laddie!). I will check again later, and if there are no leaks, depending upon how many Brave Pills I have left (I got through a lot this morning) I may attempt to straighten it. If it works though, I may leave it and let purpose triumph over aesthetics. The tap does turn on and off by the way :-)

Thanks everyone for your advice and as long as there are no puddles in the cupboard later, I shall treat myself to a very large glass of wine tonight!

[steveledzep]

[Brechin Slate]

3 hours ago, Mincey said:

 I may leave it and let purpose triumph over aesthetics

A pipe clip as well, very pro! Looks like a neat job even down to the PTFE tape. No need to turn off the water to re-align it, slacken the compression nut slightly with a cloth underneath, re-align and tighten 🙂