Why won't tap turn on?

[Benjaminsmummy]

One tap won't turn on (others do have water so haven't been cut off!!). It makes a clicky sound. Could this be that it needs a new washer and how do you deal with this?

DH and I are both very impractical on things like this. Don't really want to have a tap that doesn't turn on so suggestions are welcomed.

maybe the thread has gone and it is just going round and round. Where do you live?

Is this in the bathroom or kitchen?

BR

It's in the bathroom. And we live in North Herts. When you turn the tap it does go round and round....and round..

yep, sounds like the thread has gone.
Buy a new one and get the local plumber to fit it

Thank you CD. Um, where do you get a thread from? Are they always the same size? And how do I find a good plumber?

You don't really have to answer those by the way!

Is the water still flowing?
Can you see the pipes at the back? ok there is usually a slot headed screw on the pipes which if you turn it just 45 degrees will stop the water to the tap

BR

You can get new 'innards' from most diy stores, B7Q etc, but it's best to takt he old one with.... so you really need to turn off the water first. Do not mess with it when water is till coming through!!!

BR

Sorry that didn't make much sense did it?

What I mean is, turn off the water just to the tap in question. Then when you take it apart it won't splurt everywhere. Don't whatever you do mess with it if the water is turneed off at the mains, as when you turn the mains back on you'll get very wet!!

BR

Thanks BR - I might wait until DH gets back and we'll try.....don't really want to do it on my own and also if it goes wrong due to our incompetence I can blame DH!

Thanks BR - I might wait until DH gets back and we'll try.....don't really want to do it on my own and also if it goes wrong due to our incompetence I can blame DH!

Bother - didn't mean to post that twice.....

Plumbers tend to carry lots of innards, and even if they don't have the right one will usually happily bugger off to a bits place and get it, so if neither of you is sure what to do just get one in. (Plumber that is.)

Do you have any personal recommendations for plumbers though? Do NOT get the first one in the yellow pages (colleague of DH's did - AAAAA plumbers or something - and got charged a joke amount of money).

It's the getting charged a lot of money bit I don't want. Might ask some friends tomorrow if they can recommend one (or even discover that their DH's can do such useful things!)

Anyone know any good plumbers in North Herts.

Might start a new thread on that theme