Step 2: Clean the area
Once you’ve removed your old taps, be sure to clean the area and get rid of any remaining dirt and adhesive.
Inspect the condition of your joins, pipes, and fixings. If anything needs repairing, now’s the time to do so.
Make sure that your new taps’ fittings work correctly with your old pipes. If not, then you may need an adaptor. If you’re using plastic fittings, then you may need a plumber for the pipework. And you’ll need a reducing coupler for taps with one spout (monobloc taps).
Typically, your new tap will include a 10mm pipe, which will need to increase to the 15mm supply pipe.
Your plumbing will probably already be in place if you’re carrying out this job from scratch. Be sure the tap is placed correctly so that it extends to the sink or bath.
Step 3: Positioning your new taps
Position your taps inside the sink or bath’s holes. The washers should sit in between the sink or bath’s surface and the tap. Then, affix the tap using a back nut.
Step 4: Connect the supply pipes
After you’ve attached the taps, you can then connect the supply pipes. You can either use plush-fit plastic fittings or copper piping for this.
If your taps are in an awkward position, copper piping is more suitable, although you’ll probably need a solder and blowtorch to fix the lengths together.
Step 5: Connect the water supply
Hand tighten each end until you achieve the best position so that the water runs easily. Be sure to keep your plumbing tidy so that there aren’t any turns or twists.
Finally, tighten each end.
Step 6: Detecting leaks
Turn on the water gently, so the taps run. Even the tiniest drop of water can cause long-term damage. So, inspect around the taps and around the connections to make sure that no water is leaking.
If you spot any water escaping, tighten the connections and nuts and try again. If water is still leaking, it might be time to call your local plumber – they may have to take it apart and start again.
How to fit a kitchen tap with flexible hoses
A flexible hose, otherwise known as a flexible tap connector, connects taps to the water supply. It’s useful for connecting taps in cramped areas.
Fitting a tap with flexible hoses is a fairly simple job, but one that requires specialist equipment and expertise. Here’s a quick overview of the typical kitchen tap installation process:
Preparation
Connecting the kitchen tap with flexible hoses
Fitting the tap
Connecting and testing
How to fit a mixer tap in 6 quick steps
Unsure of how to install a shower mixer tap? These tap types combine cold and hot water within the tap’s body. They do this using a single lever that rotates from left to right. Or they use individual cold and hot controls to ascertain the stream of cold and hot water.
Here’s a quick overview of how to fit a mixer tap:
Take away the old tap and remove the connection, then detach the nut (it’s hexagonal) that keeps the tap secure.
Remove your old taps and clean the area. Secure the tap tails so that they sit tightly in the tap’s frame.
Attach the fixing studs to the tap’s base. Place the tap above the countertop or sink’s tap hole. Next, pull the fixing studs and tap tails across them.
Affix a retaining plate and washer over the fixing studs from underneath the tap hole. Place nuts on the fixing studs.
Once the tap’s in the right position, use a spanner to screw in the nuts tightly. Be careful not to harm the sink, though.
Switch on the mains water supply to ensure no water can escape. If any water escapes, inspect the connectors, then adjust if necessary.
How to fit bath taps
Fitting a bathroom tap is fairly similar to fitting a kitchen tap. So, refer to the ‘how to fit a kitchen tap’ guidelines above for detailed instructions.
Before you start this task, take away the bath panel to remove and install the new bath taps.
Acrylic bath panels just slip into place. If not, find push on/off magnetic catches or screws that fasten the panel. It’s possible you might need to take off a section of the supporting structure to allow you to get underneath the bath.
First and foremost, you’ll need to know which bath tap you have. Usually, bath taps come in two types:
Pillar taps – two individual taps for cold and hot water.
Mixer taps – one individual tap that blends both cold and hot water. Typically, these include a shower fixture, too, often known as a bath shower mixer tap.
Other less-known bath tap choices include wall-mounted taps, valve-operated bath fillers, and freestanding taps. If you don’t know which tap type you have, it’s best to speak to a professional plumber.
Tools you’ll need:
New taps
A wrench
A back nut
A blowtorch and a solder (if you’re using copper piping to relink the water supply pipes)
Here’s a quick overview of the steps involved. Please note, the below steps relate to separate hot and cold taps (bath pillar taps), not mixer taps:
Prepare the area.
Turn off your water supply.
Unfasten the tap connectors.
Detach the bath tap.
Clean the area.
Check the condition of your fixings, pipes, and joins.
Put the new bath tap in place.
Install the connectors to your replacement bath tap.
Attach the connectors to your pipes (either using push-fit plastic fittings or copper piping).
Position the back nut.
Hand tighten the nut.
Repeat the previous step.
Install the flexible tap tails.
Switch on the water at the mains.
Make sure there aren’t any leaks.
Discover more about tap fitting costs.
Fitting a monobloc tap
Unless you have experience in fitting monobloc taps, it’s best to speak to a contractor to take care of tap installation. To save time, you can use our useful search bar to connect with plumbers in your local area and compare tap installation costs.