How to fit a Kitchen Mixer Tap

Fitting Kitchen Mixers and Baths taps have a different process so here's how to do it:

The Kitchen mixer monobloc (single hole) type fits into a single 35mm mounting hole and has 10mm screw connection for the water supply connections - the taps come with 2
flexible hoses, 15mm at one end for connecting to the water supply pipes and 10mm screw connectors at the other end for screwing into the body of the tap.

Before connecting the flexible hoses into the body of the tap place the 'O' ring into the base of the tap. Then screw in the flexible hoses, tighten each hose into the body of the tap using a spanner - the washers will slightly compress to form the seal, be careful not to over tighten them as this will damage the rings and cause leaks.

Place the 'horse shoe' washer and mounting plate and then screw in the screw connection to secure.

Carefully feed the flexible hoses through the hole in the mounting surface and locate the tap in the mounting hole. Typically a 'horse shoe' fixing plate is used against the underside of the mounting surface to stop the tap body from rotating. The plate being secured to the tap by a nut and washer on a fixing stud screwed into the base of the tap. Before finally tightening the nut to secure the plate, make sure that the body of the tap is lined up as required.

After the tap body has been secured to the surface, the water feed pipes need to be connected - but first the hot and cold water pipe runs need to be worked out.

Any mixer taps can have the hot and cold pipes connected to either input, there is no standard for whether the cold tap is on the left or right, however, keep it consistent within a property.

Now connect the bottom of the connecting pipes to the rest of the plumbing using compression fittings.

Finally, and if necessary, swap over the 'hot' and 'cold' handle indicators to reflect the actually supply connections made.

How to Fit a Tap

Fitting new

If you wish to replace only the taps of an installation, you will need to disconnect the existing ones where they join the supply. First, switch off the supply to both hot and cold, then drain the excess water by opening the taps.

Disconnecting old taps

This can sometimes be easier said than done. As you have probably discovered, the connections for these (as with many other plumbing connections) are a little awkward to get to. Not only that, but the fact the taps have been fitted for several years often means the connections have ‘welded’ themselves together. This is actually caused by corrosion. There are a couple of ways round this. Try applying a release-oil supplied in spray dispensers. The oil is very fine and when allowed to act for a period of time can sometimes penetrate sufficiently to break the corrosive bond. The second option is to play a little heat on the connection with a blow torch. Do not use a hot air stripper in the vacinity of water. Heat causes expansion of metal and this will almost invariably assist in releasing the bond between components. However, be cautious as heat will damage plastic waste pipes nearby and can crack ceramic basins relatively quickly.

If possible, try to disconnect the taps from the final connection between them and the supply pipe. That way, you will be left with the maximum amount of pipework onto which to connect the new taps.