Dumb ass plumbing question. Help required Please

[Wacky Racer]

Quite a simple one in the grand scheme of things.

We have a free standing bath and this last week or so I have noticed the hot mixer tap has been dripping ever so slightly down the tap stem, and running over the edge of the bath, and dripping through the ceiling, (Picture one)



Now it might just need a new washer, but I'm hoping the connecting nut (For want of a better word) might just need nipping up a bit.

The problem is, which way do I turn it. looking down from the top,




I would imagine right to left as I look down, but it could be the other way.

Thanks in anticipation.

WR.

[trickywoo]

Either way nipping that up isn’t going to help.

If they are quarter turn taps you’ll need a new gland. If they are old fashioned multi turn you might get away with a new washer.

Righty righty lefty loosey applies regardless you just need to know which end is threaded.

[B'stard Child]

Any chance of a picture where the whole tap is shown?

It looks like it has a horizontal bar with a outlet for a shower/shower hose

[Wacky Racer]

trickywoo said:

Either way nipping that up isn t going to help.

If they are quarter turn taps you ll need a new gland. If they are old fashioned multi turn you might get away with a new washer.

Righty righty lefty loosey applies regardless you just need to know which end is threaded.

They are quarter turn lever taps.




Is a gland a posh word for a washer?

Also is the "nut" attached to the chrome fitting, or the pipe coming up from the floor?

I have stuck a bit of sticky tape behind the tap to divert any drips into the bath hopefully until I get it sorted.

[trickywoo]

Wacky Racer said:

They are quarter turn lever taps.

Is a gland a posh word for a washer?

.

They don’t use washers in quarter turn taps. It a brass and ceramic disc assembly.

To be even more difficult they will be tap specific in terms of number of splines and size. If you don’t know the make and model of your tap you’ll probably have to take it out and take it to a plumbers merchant to get a replacement.

On the positive side they are normally quite easy to replace.

[Actual]

Is that tap used? If you can remove the bath side panel and get underneath there may be an isolation valve so that you turn it off to stop the drip.

[Wacky Racer]

I sounds like it might be easier not to mess about and just replace it with a complete new one, as it is about fifteen years old anyway. I think it came from B & Q, I bought the nice bath and taps for £250 as it was ex display and they were closing the store down.

[miniman]

[Wacky Racer]

Actual said:

Is that tap used? If you can remove the bath side panel and get underneath there may be an isolation valve so that you turn it off to stop the drip.

It is a free standing bath, but there is an isolation valve in the plastic piping to the side, so I could turn that off if it I really had to. Hopefully it will drip very very slowly into the bath until I can get it sorted.

[B'stard Child]

Wacky Racer said:

trickywoo said:

Either way nipping that up isn t going to help.

If they are quarter turn taps you ll need a new gland. If they are old fashioned multi turn you might get away with a new washer.

Righty righty lefty loosey applies regardless you just need to know which end is threaded.

They are quarter turn lever taps.




Is a gland a posh word for a washer?

Also is the "nut" attached to the chrome fitting, or the pipe coming up from the floor?

I have stuck a bit of sticky tape behind the tap to divert any drips into the bath hopefully until I get it sorted.

so which joint is actually weeping?

[Wacky Racer]

B'stard Child said:

so which joint is actually weeping?

It's coming from underneath the large nut in the second picture of my original post; and running down the stem, very slowly, nothing to get alarmed about, especially if I can divert it into the bath.

Needs sorting though obviously.

Cheers for all the replies.

[B'stard Child]

Wacky Racer said:

B'stard Child said:

so which joint is actually weeping?

It's coming from underneath the large nut in the second picture of my original post; and running down the stem, very slowly, nothing to get alarmed about, especially if I can divert it into the bath.

Needs sorting though obviously.

Cheers for all the replies.

Right so before the bar

Should be able to isolate the Hot and Cold feeds under the bath and then undo the bar section to see what sealing method it used (probably rubber washers)

Edited to add Google "Assembly Instructions deck-mounted bath shower mixer tap"

Here's one I found but has conventional taps not 1/4 turn cartridges

https://www.showerdoc.com/documents/Tay-Thermostat...

Edited by B'stard Child on Monday 9th February 20:23

[Ted Maul]

trickywoo said:

If they are quarter turn taps you ll need a new gland.

I appreciate I'm a grown man and everything but, you know, chortle.

[Belle427]

There is usually a sealing washer between the upstands and the tap itself. The nuts should turn clockwise to tighten if you were sat in the bath looking at the taps.

[g7jtk]

There is a rubber or fibre washer behind the union nut. It might just tighten up but a replacement washer should sort it out. Turn the water off for both hot and cold before undoing the unions.

[Wacky Racer]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 17 April 2026 at 12:03

[Wacky Racer]

Sorry to be a pain, thanks for all the replies, but I still have not had a definitive answer which way to turn the nut LOOKING FROM THE TOP.


We have a large pedestal bath with chrome one piece hot and cold taps, with integral shower on the side of the bath next to the tiled wall,

There has been. for a few weeks a very slight weep from underneath the large nut shown, which has been dribbling down the front of the tap, and going over the edge of the bath on to the floor, maybe a cupful overnight,

I have temporarily stuck a piece of insulation tape to the front of the tap, so now it drips down the tape and into the bath which is fine, You can see the water on the black tape.

I am hoping it this nut (On the left hand hot tap) just wants "nipping" up a bit, but I am unsure which way to turn it.

I would imagine, (looking from the top. picture2 ) the spanner wants turning very gingerly to the LEFT, that is AWAY from the taps,

Looking from the back righty tighty OK?

I'm a bit nervous and don't want to flood the bathroom out.










Cheers, in anticipation. WR.

[gmaz]

Yes, anti-clockwise if you are facing the taps.

If you can isolate the flow to the tap then do so, as there may be a deteriorated rubber washer between the tap pillar and the body, in which case, tightening it could make it worse.

[Wacky Racer]

gmaz said:

Yes, anti-clockwise if you are facing the taps.

If you can isolate the flow to the tap then do so, as there may be a deteriorated rubber washer between the tap pillar and the body, in which case, tightening it could make it worse.

Thank you, that's what I thought.

I'll isolate the water before I touch the nut, and I'm only going to move it two or three degrees, hoping it will do the job.

I'll keep my inflatable boat handy,

[b14]

Make sure you know where to isolate the tap before you start cranking on it