Simple home DIY repairs

[t0y0ta]

29 minutes ago, Victor68 said:

Picture not very clear but most kitchen and basin faucet works the same way. You do need a special tool to tighten it from below. Something like those use for car sparkplugs but bigger diameter. Go to a hardware shop and they will show you.

That special tool you talked about will need to dismantle the flex water line

 

3 hours ago, Vratenza said:

Hi all! 

Need some advice here. 

My place the kitchen faucet base is loose and wobbly. 

Went down on my back to see what is happening. 

I see a horseshoe shaped metal plate that seem to be doing the job of securing the faucet to the kitchen top. It seem to be tighten down by the main water hose. There are no other screws or bolts that i can see. I assume i just need to tighten down the hex shaped pipe connector. 

Question is, what is the best tool to use for this? 

Saw online sink wrenches but the space is really tight... 

Why do you have 3 water lines?

Usually it is just 2 (hot + cold) or 

2 inlets and a long flexi outlet line that will route back via a big hole back to the top of the tap for those with pull-out.

Edited November 10, 2022 by t0y0ta

[Volvobrick]

Looks like you need something like this. One strange thing I notice - you seem to have 3 inlet hoses to the tap! 

Edited November 10, 2022 by Volvobrick

[Vratenza]

28 minutes ago, Arogab said:

You design is so tight. Good luck to struggle on how to get it done, you need to find the right tool to get it done. Maybe even bring a better picture to the hardware shop to buy the right wrench. 

Another way I used to do is to turn both top and bottom to an offset angle just before it is tight and them twist from the top to desired position to tighten while holding the bottom

This is a rental unit I have been staying for the last 2 years... The faucet was already slight wobbly buy seem like over the 2 years it got worse. As I am likely to continue the rental for another 2 years, decided to just get ti sorted.

Thanks for the tip, will keep in mind if I really cannot find a better solution. 

[Vratenza]

30 minutes ago, t0y0ta said:

That special tool you talked about will need to dismantle the flex water line

 

Why do you have 3 water lines?

Usually it is just 2 (hot + cold) or 

2 inlets and a long flexi outlet line that will route back via a big hole back to the top of the tap for those with pull-out.

I found this online.... Which do not seem to need dismantal the water line. But the space required also a concern. 

 

The other line should a separate line leading from a water filter to a a small drinking water tap at the side of the sink...we never use it since we don't believe in drinking filtered water. 

[Vratenza]

30 minutes ago, Volvobrick said:

Looks like you need something like this. One strange thing I notice - you seem to have 3 inlet hoses to the tap! 

I saw this during my research too. Looks like my current faucet setup but with a difference, the place there the long bolt goes into is actually a water flex pipe connecting up to the faucet outflow.... 

The problem now is either dismantling that connector head to see for certain what is the setup or to tighten it to see if it does the job of securing down the faucet...either way i got to have a tool to deal with that connector. 

[Lala81]

my kitchen tap has a slight leak to it. maybe 1 drop every 20s. It was a mixer left over from previous owner, i left as in when i moved in.

Apparently to fix the problem, (provided the mixer tap valve is not spoilt) you'd need to tighten up the mixer valve with an allen key. But not able to do so without removing the tap due to the position.

At first my wife very on about trying to fix the problem.
But i know it's too much trouble to loosen the tap and reattach it back up. 

So when not in use, we keep a bottle with a funnel to catch the water everyday. 😄

[Jman888]

4 hours ago, Vratenza said:

Hi all! 

Need some advice here. 

My place the kitchen faucet base is loose and wobbly. 

Went down on my back to see what is happening. 

I see a horseshoe shaped metal plate that seem to be doing the job of securing the faucet to the kitchen top. It seem to be tighten down by the main water hose. There are no other screws or bolts that i can see. I assume i just need to tighten down the hex shaped pipe connector. 

Question is, what is the best tool to use for this? 

Saw online sink wrenches but the space is really tight... 

you need one of this for faucet tap.

https://shopee.sg/Sink-Wrench-Spanner-Faucet-Tap-Installer-Water-Pipe-Tightening-Plumbing-Tool-Zinc-Alloy-Plastic-handle-Non-slip-i.44824129.6311267253?gclid=CjwKCAiAvK2bBhB8EiwAZUbP1Lmch1-bAXRvB002l8uZRMWO8bIG_epvim89dLKYSAfHFjPVPGudxxoCO3QQAvD_BwE

** just saw your later post on the same tool.

[Volvobrick]

5 minutes ago, Lala81 said:

my kitchen tap has a slight leak to it. maybe 1 drop every 20s. It was a mixer left over from previous owner, i left as in when i moved in.

Apparently to fix the problem, (provided the mixer tap valve is not spoilt) you'd need to tighten up the mixer valve with an allen key. But not able to do so without removing the tap due to the position.

At first my wife very on about trying to fix the problem.
But i know it's too much trouble to loosen the tap and reattach it back up. 

So when not in use, we keep a bottle with a funnel to catch the water everyday. 😄

I think the issue is likely the cartridge. Very cheap and easy to replace but you need to take it out to measure the exact size. 

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mMCUJHS

 

[Lala81]

2 minutes ago, Volvobrick said:

I think the issue is likely the cartridge. Very cheap and easy to replace but you need to take it out to measure the exact size. 

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mMCUJHS

 

crawling under sink etc. don't want lah. Haha i would rather let it leak.

 

[Arogab]

59 minutes ago, Vratenza said:

This is a rental unit I have been staying for the last 2 years... The faucet was already slight wobbly buy seem like over the 2 years it got worse. As I am likely to continue the rental for another 2 years, decided to just get ti sorted.

Thanks for the tip, will keep in mind if I really cannot find a better solution. 

Better solution is ask a guy to come and change a new one, easiest. Haha.

[Arogab]

38 minutes ago, Lala81 said:

crawling under sink etc. don't want lah. Haha i would rather let it leak.

 

Leaking in long term will definitely grow into a big issue someday. It's better to get it fixed bro

[mersaylee]

52 minutes ago, Lala81 said:

crawling under sink etc. don't want lah. Haha i would rather let it leak.

 

When the space is tight, it's time to call the handyman...take a break, don't break the back...

save the movement for more important back and forth motion...😁

[Volvobrick]

1 hour ago, Lala81 said:

crawling under sink etc. don't want lah. Haha i would rather let it leak.

 

Replace from the top. You can see it after removing the handle. 

[Victor68]

If the faucet is old, it may not be worth while to replace the cartridge unless it is a very expensive faucet or high sentimental value one.

Replacement of the whole faucet is always easier and much more cost effective. 

[Freeder]

1 hour ago, Vratenza said:

This is a rental unit I have been staying for the last 2 years... The faucet was already slight wobbly buy seem like over the 2 years it got worse. As I am likely to continue the rental for another 2 years, decided to just get ti sorted.

Thanks for the tip, will keep in mind if I really cannot find a better solution. 

Got ask landlord permission to change?

For @RadX, he will just change house😅

[Fcw75]

Anyone know where to find this type of wood screw with a Phillip head? I went to those chap pa lang shop don’t have. Must go hardware shop?

[Volvobrick]

26 minutes ago, Fcw75 said:

Anyone know where to find this type of wood screw with a Phillip head? I went to those chap pa lang shop don’t have. Must go hardware shop?

buy online or try Gin Huat at Toh Guan Centre. if for outdoor then ask for stainless steel ones. 

should be called Phillips hex head self tapping screw.

Edited December 4, 2022 by Volvobrick

[Lala81]

30 minutes ago, Fcw75 said:

Anyone know where to find this type of wood screw with a Phillip head? I went to those chap pa lang shop don’t have. Must go hardware shop?

Can go Horme since u are an eastie?
The one i went to in woodlands have small transparent packets with labeled screw sizes and lengths. U can compare. 

 

Edited December 4, 2022 by Lala81