Taps not working as well as they used to

[tom in bangkok]

The taps in the 2nd bathroom of my condo have been reduced almost to a trickle. Turning the tap on to wash your hands results in a very weak flow of water. The main bathroom's tap work exactly as expected, as does the toilet in the 2nd bathroom.

The 2nd bathroom's tap is used a few times a day but used to have a better flow of water. The tap isn't as strong as the main bathroom's tap but after 18+ months it's becoming a dribble ????

 

What can I do? It's not like a drain getting clogged up that you pour some drain-o in.

 

 

Edited August 25, 2019 by tom in bangkok

[chickenslegs]

If the taps have filters, or those 'water saver' 'aerator' type nozzles, you could try unscrewing them and giving them a clean.

[metisdead]

Maybe the flexible hose supplying the water to your tap is about plugged up with sediment. If there is a valve on the wall that your supply hose is attached to, turn off the water, take the hose off and take a look and possibly replace it. 

 

 

A troll post and a reply has been removed.  

 

 

[giddyup]

I have exactly the same problem with the sink in our bathroom, but it's a house not a condo. I initially thought the tap had got blocked with sediment or hard lime, but when I disconnected the flexible hose I found the flow from the valve at the wall was also slow. So can only assume something has blocked the water pipe somewhere. Our water meter doesn't run continuously, so doubt if it's a break in the pipe, in the meantime we tolerate a trickle from the sink, but at least the shower has full flow.

[timendres]

13 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

If the taps have filters, or those 'water saver' 'aerator' type nozzles, you could try unscrewing them and giving them a clean.

I have to do this at least once a year in my place. Easy to do and fixes the problem. Just be very careful when pulling them off, because sometimes they have a number of small parts (washers, screen, spacers) that need to be put back exactly as they were.

[metisdead]

The water pressure on my kitchen sink seemed rather sluggish lately, this topic reminded me about taking a look.  I have now removed the hose and yes, the hose is almost  plugged with sediment:

 

 

 

Off to the shop to get a new hose. 

 

Edited August 26, 2019 by metisdead

[KKr]

13 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

If the taps have filters, or those 'water saver' 'aerator' type nozzles, you could try unscrewing them and giving them a clean.

Vinegar usually does the job.
be slow on the baking soda, vinegar and hot water mixture. One of my syphons got a severe case of deformation after an, as it happens very effective, treatment to get rid of blockages, fat, calcium, goo, soap and hair (not mine as it happens ???? ) all gone.
 

[tom in bangkok]

Thanks guys. I'll see if I can borrow a spanner to unscrew the tap cap and give it a clean along with the hose. I'm assuming it'll be a reasonably simple process, but anything I should look out for specifically? Also, if there's residue in the actual tap part (not the flexible hose) how would I go about giving it a clean?

 

Here are some pics of my tap for some context.

 

 

There's some hard gunk stuff on the tap. I'm guessing it's whatever sediment makes tap water here undrinkable.

[AaronC76]

Remove the tap and pipe (after turning off the water supply) and soak it in vinegar for a few hours to clear the sediment

Edited August 26, 2019 by AaronC76

[bankruatsteve]

If it's not the filter or the hose, check the flow from the stop valve.  It could be one of those "Home" beauties that completely corrode after a few years and fall apart when try to unscrew it.

[Peterw42]

On the topic of blocked taps etc, does anyone know if this is stuff is available in Thailand, or similar.

Used it for years in Australia for all the things mentioned above.

 

[bankruatsteve]

Lime scale remover is available in Thailand.  I think I bought some at Home Pro.  Works good but it can stain stainless steel.

[Andrew Dwyer]

I have exactly the same tap in one of my bathrooms and it’s always that one that collects the dirt.

Just unscrew it , there should be a mesh filter in there that you can invert and run under the tap to clean ( if it’s not limescale .

The limescale collects in my shower head and I have to clean that with a needle, pretty tough stuff, a stiff brush doesn’t clean it .



If you zoom in the photo you can see some blocked already .

[timendres]

6 hours ago, tom in bangkok said:

Thanks guys. I'll see if I can borrow a spanner to unscrew the tap cap and give it a clean along with the hose. I'm assuming it'll be a reasonably simple process, but anything I should look out for specifically? Also, if there's residue in the actual tap part (not the flexible hose) how would I go about giving it a clean?

If it is like my case, you will not need to do anything other than rinse the screen. In my case, sediment - like sand - gets trapped by the screen and blocks the water flow. I simply remove the aerator (the thing screwed into the end of the tap, designed to aerate the water), dump out the sand, rinse it with water, and replace it. Simple as that. I have never needed any lime remover or anything else. Just dump out the sand-like sediment that is trapped by the screen, rinse, replace.

[whaleboneman]

7 hours ago, tom in bangkok said:

Thanks guys. I'll see if I can borrow a spanner to unscrew the tap cap and give it a clean along with the hose. I'm assuming it'll be a reasonably simple process, but anything I should look out for specifically? Also, if there's residue in the actual tap part (not the flexible hose) how would I go about giving it a clean?

 

Here are some pics of my tap for some context.

 

 

There's some hard gunk stuff on the tap. I'm guessing it's whatever sediment makes tap water here undrinkable.

The first photo is a good example of incorrect use of teflon tape.

[whaleboneman]

7 hours ago, metisdead said:

The water pressure on my kitchen sink seemed rather sluggish lately, this topic reminded me about taking a look.  I have now removed the hose and yes, the hose is almost  plugged with sediment:

 

 

 

Off to the shop to get a new hose. 

 

Don't throw that hose out - soak it in some vinegar and baking soda and you're good to go.

[tom in bangkok]

10 minutes ago, whaleboneman said:

The first photo is a good example of incorrect use of teflon tape.

Why's that? I'm no handyman but it looks like it's doing the job.

[xtrnuno41]

1 hour ago, whaleboneman said:

The first photo is a good example of incorrect use of teflon tape.

why? you can use teflon tape anyway you want it, if it works ok.

Saves a new, hard to find rubber ring or even renewing the syphon.

[sometimewoodworker]

8 hours ago, xtrnuno41 said:

 

9 hours ago, whaleboneman said:

The first photo is a good example of incorrect use of teflon tape.

why? you can use teflon tape anyway you want it, if it works ok.

Saves a new, hard to find rubber ring or even renewing the syphon.

 

Teflon tape is designed to prevent leaks. And in the picture it promotes them or is redundant.

 

the top tape on the top nut is redundant and does nothing, on the bottom fitting again it's redundant as the rubber washer is the seal. The bottom tape can't be as smooth as the pipe and so will make it difficult for the rubber seal to function. And no it can't replace the rubber washer as the shape of the washer and hand tighten ring make a compression fitting.

 

 

 

Edited August 27, 2019 by sometimewoodworker

[VocalNeal]

17 hours ago, metisdead said:

The water pressure on my kitchen sink seemed rather sluggish lately, this topic reminded me about taking a look.  I have now removed the hose and yes, the hose is almost  plugged with sediment:

 

 

 

Off to the shop to get a new hose. 

 

 

Drop it in a container full on vinegar. Or pour vinegar through it.

[rwill]

whole house water filter/softener  

 

[brianthainess]

On 8/26/2019 at 2:15 PM, timendres said:

I have to do this at least once a year in my place. Easy to do and fixes the problem. Just be very careful when pulling them off, because sometimes they have a number of small parts (washers, screen, spacers) that need to be put back exactly as they were.

Take them off and bin them,except for the shower.