Replacing a bathtub tap

 

If your bath tap is old or broken, you can easily replace it with a new one yourself. The process is the same whether you have a tap with one handle or one with multiple controls. If you want to replace the handles on your tap, you need to remove them along with the stems that are connected to the pipes. To replace your spout, all you have to do is unscrew the old one and insert the new one.

Removing the old tap handles and stems

Turn off the water supply in your home.

 Since most bathtubs do not have a separate shut-off valve, you will need to turn off the entire water supply in your home. Locate the supply pipe in your home and turn the supply valve perpendicular to the pipes. This will prevent water from flowing into the bath while you are working on it.

The water supply pipe may be located in the basement or outside the house.

If you do not know how to turn off the water supply, contact a plumber to help you.

While the water supply is turned off, other fixtures in your home will not be able to use water.

Open the tap to drain excess water. Turn on one of the handles in the bathtub so that the water flows out of the spout. A small amount of water will remain in the pipes and will flow out. When no more water comes out of the spout, turn the tap off again.

Use the end of a screwdriver to loosen the index from the stem. The index is located in the centre of the handle and is usually a coin-sized plastic cover. Slide the end of a flat-blade screwdriver under the edge of the index and lever it out.

The size of the index will depend on the handles you have.

Loosen the screw inside the handle to remove it.

After you have lifted off the index cover, you should see a screw in the opening. Use a screwdriver to turn the screw anti-clockwise to release the handle from the tap stem.

Keep the drain closed so that the screws cannot fall in.

Set the screws aside so that you can easily find them again later.

Use a socket spanner to unscrew the stem from your tap.

 The stem is the thin tube that sticks out of the wall and controls the tap. Insert a hollow socket spanner over the stem and slide it over the hex nut. Grasp the spanner with pliers and turn it anti-clockwise to remove it. Once the socket is loose, pull it out of the wall.

You can buy a socket spanner for pipes and valves at your local DIY store.

If the nut protrudes beyond the wall, you can simply loosen it with pliers.

If your bathtub has several handles, repeat the process for each one.

Call the Emergency Plumber in Somerset. We are 24 hours available. Call us now, 01823475156.