If your tap isn't behaving itself, you obviously need to turn the water off before diving in. Assuming the tap doesn't have its own isolator valves, you'll have to drain the system down (ordinary gravity fed system with loft header tank) or turn the cold supply off at the stopcock (combi boiler). Either way, turning the stopcock off and opening the other hot taps will eventually drain the system, if yours is gravity fed. Then, prise the tap top off, unscrew the tap body (one screw) to reveal a large hexagon nut underneath. This will release the tap insert from the tap unit itself, and allow you to replace the washer which has probably come off and caused the tap to jam shut.
John April 2009 |