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Original poster

Small black objetcs in the bath. Look like tiny pieces of plastic. Any plumbers who can help?

22 replies

FrazzledFairyFay · 03/02/2009 19:12

We have recentl moved house and have noticed that when we run a bath there are small black things floating in it. We haven't noticed these in any other sinks, etc. They seem to be tiny pieces of black plastic. Does anyone have any idea what they could be? Or how to get rid of them? Do we need to call a plumber? Thank you for any advice

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Original poster

FrazzledFairyFay · 03/02/2009 19:42

anyone?

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lalalonglegs · 03/02/2009 20:20

Do you have rubber bath toys because we find that they produce a dark grey/black scum that builds up inside until one of the children squirts them out. Horrible. (We live in a very hard water area, I don't know if that makes a difference.)

Original poster

FrazzledFairyFay · 03/02/2009 20:26

Thanks lala, but no it's not that - although we do have that as well! It's definitely harder than that scum, and a deeper black colour. It's definitely coming from the taps as I've tried running a bath with no toys in it and they still appear

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nigglewiggle · 03/02/2009 20:33

Plastic/rubber washer in tap deteriorating? Does tap leak slightly? We get this just as washers crumble and taps start to drip.

lalalonglegs · 03/02/2009 20:33

Actually, come to think of it, we had it a bit when we moved into our home, kind of hard pellets? The bathroom was very old and skanky and we had a new one put in and it cleared up so quite possibly the taps had corroded and that was causing it. Just googled it and it suggests manganese in the system might be causing it.

lalalonglegs · 03/02/2009 20:34

x-posts with niggle: taps seem to be culprit.

Original poster

FrazzledFairyFay · 03/02/2009 20:35

The bathroom was put in when the house was renovated 4 or 5 years ago so I'm not sure it can be the taps deteriorating. I will have a google as well. thanks

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LackaDAISYcal · 03/02/2009 20:39

Hi fairy

Might they be bits of plastic from any recent pipe and/or water tank installation?
I can't remember if you had work done on it before moving in or not.

Original poster

FrazzledFairyFay · 03/02/2009 20:45

Hi Daisy. No we didn't do any work on the water system or bathrooms when we moved in so I don't think it;s that. It;s weird because they look like tiny bits of black plastic. They don't crumble when rubbed between fingrs or anything. I think I'm going to have to bite teh bullet and pay a plumber

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nannyL · 03/02/2009 20:47

sounds like the mould that squirts out of squirty bath toys when they get a bit oldd

nigglewiggle · 03/02/2009 20:48

IT'S THE WASHER IN THE TAP. They cost pence to replace and could easily have deteriorated in 5 years. Please don't waste money on a plumber.

SweetestThing · 03/02/2009 20:50

Sounds like rabbit droppings to me - have you checked for water bunnies in the water tank?

Original poster

FrazzledFairyFay · 03/02/2009 20:53

Thanks nigglewiggle, I'll have a look at the washer.

It's definitely not the scum inside the bath-toys. We have that as well, and it looks completely different.

I'll also check for bunnies

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Original poster

FrazzledFairyFay · 03/02/2009 20:54

I should say, I'll have a look at the washer, if I can work out how to - otherwise I'll get my Dad round

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nigglewiggle · 03/02/2009 21:00

I'd like to help, except that my DH always fixes it (only after I've nagged for a while)! We've had a couple of these and I'm sure that's what it is. Sorry for shouting

I'd ask DH, but he's not here. He's on his second attempt to fly to Dublin, it's not looking good and he's losing the will to live!

Original poster

FrazzledFairyFay · 03/02/2009 21:02

That's ok niggle - you've probably saved me a plumber's call-out fee so I'll forgive you for shouting . Hope your Dh makes his flight

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LackaDAISYcal · 03/02/2009 21:15

don't forget to turn the water off before trying to find the washer.....if it is corroded and you start taking the tap to bits there'll be water everywhere!!!

but I'm sure you'd have figured that out already

Original poster

FrazzledFairyFay · 03/02/2009 21:18

Thanks Daisy - I have googled 'how to replace a tap washer', and decided to definitely call my dad in

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LackaDAISYcal · 03/02/2009 21:32

if it's not in the drinking water I suppose there isn't any urgency.

There are some things which DH always insists on calling a grown up for; plumbing is one of them

lljkk · 04/02/2009 11:58

We have had OP's problem, only the black bits ended up clogging up valves in the upstairs shower (cost of £60 each time to replace ).

It turns out there were lots of little black bits in the tank in the loft, came off the tank when it was installed, I guess. The shower sucks water from the tank, and if it sucked the water from tank at same time as we flushed upstairs toilet, the water level in loft tank would go down enough that bits of floating black plastic (quite hard) would get sucked into the general pipe system.

Try replacing the washer if you want, but if your bath is upstairs and the bath tap washer looks ok I'd check a loft tank (if you have one).

lljkk · 04/02/2009 11:58

I strained the black bits out of our loft tank myself, btw, definitely not a plumber type job.

Original poster

FrazzledFairyFay · 04/02/2009 13:03

Thanks lljkk, that does sound similar to the problem we have. I was wondering if all the taps, showers, etc might be getting clogged up - as tehy all have fine mesh over the tap-hole. I think we'll need to have a look in the tank, as well as checking the washer in the bath tap.

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