Guide to fit a new tap

10 July 2022

Fitting a new tap may sound like a nightmare but it is definitely a job you can do yourself.

The task of fitting a new tap isn’t difficult or expensive. Fitting a new kitchen tap or a bathroom tap is simple, as long as you take care and not rush.

It’s important to be careful when fitting a new tap as water is involved and things can go badly! Below is a guide on how you can fit a new tap quickly.

Mixer taps and pillar taps

The most popular taps in the UK are mixer taps or pillar taps. The difference between the both is that mixer tap only use a single taphole for both hot and cold water, compared to pillar taps which use two taps (one for cold and one for hot water only).

How to remove an old tap

Firstly, turn off your water supply and test that the water is off. You’d be shocked to know many people forget to turn off their water supply before fitting a new tap… Once you’ve turned the water supply off, run the taps until they run the water system dry.

Secondly, for this step you will need a wrench to undo the nut which connects the water supply pipe.

Finally, undo the nut which attaches the tap to the sink, bath or basin.

Clean entire area and check fittings

Once the tap has been removed, it is advised that you clean the entire area as debris can cause fault when installing your new tap. Now, check that the fittings of your new tap will be able to fit your old pipework

How to fit the new tap

Place your tap carefully into the holes of your sink, bath or basin with the washers between the surface, normally a backnut will be provided to tighten the tap.

Once the tap has been attached, the supply pipes can now be connected using either plastic fittings or copper pipes. Plastic is normally easier than the copper method and it’s more useful for awkward positions.

Hand tighten each end until the positioning is correct and the water will run without any problems.

Check for water leaks

You can now turn on the water supply and run the taps, make sure there aren’t any leaks as even minor small leaks can cause huge problems in the future! It’s clear fitting a new tap doesn’t require a plumber and even you can fit a new tap yourself quickly and easily.

We stock a huge range of taps, see below to see our most popular taps…