# Forum Home Renovation Plumbing  Varieties of tap washers

## arose62

I've just replaced the four washers in our bathroom, and was wondering what experiences folks have had with the various fancy/fangled tap washers out there. 
The ones I removed were the Flexispray ones (I think) - the ones with the rubber ball caged in the spring. They lasted nearly a year, but recently had become very hard to turn off, and caused a horrid shuddering part way through turning on or off. 
The balls had distorted incredibly! They looked more like crude models of Saturn, than the spheres they were when installed. 
So, I won't bother to use these again!! 
I've installed Doust washers at my parents, who so far are very pleased at how easy they are to turn off. The hot water in their shower has just started to hammer about 30 seconds after turning on (washer changing size in the hot water???), but other wise the Doust ones seem OK. 
I installed Hydroseal washers today, and have made a note in my diary, so that I can do a comparison on how they last. 
I'd be very interested in other's experiences. Is there a "best" washer to install?? 
Maybe this could even lead to a poll ?? 
Cheers,
Andrew.

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## Sturdee

I bought 2 large packets of the Hydroseal washers when McEwans closed down in Forest hill about 10 years ago. Replaced all the taps including garden taps with these washers and have not had to look at them since. 
Peter.

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## Barry_White

I'm not a plumber but I only have the ordinary old style fibre washers in my taps but they are over 20 years old. The biggest destroyer of tap washers are heavy handed people who screw the hell out of the taps.  
I had to educate my kids on how to turn off taps. As soon as you screw the hell out of the taps it starts to tear the washer material and as you wear the the washer down the backing material starts to tear in to the washer seat hence you then start the viscious cycle of replacing washers. 
You may need to reseat the washer bases in your taps 
If you can't educate the screwers you could always replace all your taps with ones that have ceramic valves built in. (Very expensive exercise.)

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## arose62

Barry, this time I did the whole shebang - reseated, new O-rings, cleaned all the threads, new washers, new jumper valves, even ran new water through the refurbished taps !! 
I did educate our household - it was only when my son started quoting me on "only a quarter turn past where the water stops" when I'd find the taps dripping, did I think there might be a problem.
We did have several visitors over Christmas, but if a few heavy-handed usages on a couple of days is enough to kill a washer, then that's info which should be in large print on the packaging! 
BTW, I've had a couple of very quick email responses from Doust. 
Cheers,
Andrew

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## soundman

I had a saga of the tap washer here some time ago & eventually went with the hydroseal washers with good results. 
but you need to check your seats.
I "had" one of those traditional tap reseaters that you turn by hand & has a toothy cutter. If you have one throw it & buy the hydroseal one.
Its driven with a battery drill & does a nice smooth job even where one of the old type has chattered badly & buggered the seat. 
Until I got the hydroseal reseater I thaugt I was doing something wrong, I was.  
With a good seat most standard washers will give good service.  
cheers

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## macca2

I replaced all my tap washers some 5 years ago with Hydroseal washers and have not had any trouble since. 
I also reseated all the taps at the same time. I believe this is important with new washers of any design. 
The beauty of Hydroseal is they only need minimal pressure to close them off, thereby not destroying the rubber seal. 
Hydroseal also make a washer with an attached spring to alleviate water hammer by stopping the user from shutting down the flow of water to abruptly.  They work as good as most water hammer stoppers. 
Cheers
Macca

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## Zedd

I renovated a whole house and found the best solution was to put in ceramic flick mixers and taps. much better than dicking around with washers - the only complaint is cost and preventing water hammer. 
Our only washers are on outside taps now - I even replaced all those for $8 a new tap (x 4 units = $24) - bit of plumbers tape, a monkey wrench and bobs yer uncle. 
cheers!

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## JackoH

How do you get the swarf out of the tap body after using the reseating tool?:confused:

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## Zedd

put the top of the tap back on without the washer in palce and turn the water on - it'll blast out quick smart....

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## Barry_White

One other thing that can happen which is difficult to do any thing about without a filter on your water system is the crap that can comes in with the water and gets under the washers, this will also cut washers out. 
And don't forget you are also drinking this water! 
That is why they put filters on the ends of the hoses on washing machines and dish washers to stop the crap from getting into the valves etc. 
The reason they don't put information on tap washers is that the more washers that get wrecked the more washers that they sell. 
The other thing is I think by law in NSW at least you are supposed to get a plumber to change tap washers.

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## ChrisH

I have been very happy with doust valves - replaced the housefull about three years ago. No problems at all despite my partner always winding the kitchen hot water tap off so hard I find it difficult to turn on again. (the tap outlet holds a bit of water back, so it drips a few seconds after the tap is turned off. Other half always turns the tap off gently, then keeps giving it little extra twists  at each drip appearing. No matter how many times I explain that it WILL stop dripping, just turn it off gently then leave it alone... )
Chris

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## Jacksin

I do this for a living as a maintenance contractor and often had problems before I changed over to Doust valves and other gear (hammer arrestors etc)
I find them a real advantage for oldies with arthritis and limited grip in turning taps off
Its true what was said earlier about seat cutters powered by a battery drill are the most efficient, but take it easy. If you have tungsten cutters you will cut through the tap in seconds, then you are in real strife.
Jack :Wink:

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## Iain

I have used hydroseal for about 15 years now with no complaint, it is essential that you reseat first though and don't get too carried away with the hydroseal reseater, it chews of a lot of brass in a short time.
In answer to John Hambly, when I finish the washer I reassemble the tap BUT DO NOT CLOSE IT OFF, turn the mains back on and all the crud will be it the receptacle (sink, bath whatever), then close off.
If there is an aerator on the tap, remove it first and the same goes for shower heads, which probably need a clean anyway.

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## Bob Willson

renovated the whole of my house some years ago and after much research decided that the only way to go was to use ceramic taps. It is true that the taps cost a bit to replace initally, but in ten years I haven't had a single dripping tap. 
It is also possible to get ceramic inserts to modify your old style taps and make them ceramic. Last time I looked these cost about $30 each. They just screw in and replace the old top half of the tap.

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## soundman

some of us still have a bad taste in out mouths over dorfs early creamic tap efforts. I eventualy replaced my mums ceramic taps with normal ones.
more recently she has had some ram ceramic heads fitted they are ok so far.

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## Geoff Hewitt

> I've just replaced the four washers in our bathroom, and was wondering what experiences folks have had with the various fancy/fangled tap washers out there. 
> The ones I removed were the Flexispray ones (I think) - the ones with the rubber ball caged in the spring. They lasted nearly a year, but recently had become very hard to turn off, and caused a horrid shuddering part way through turning on or off. 
> The balls had distorted incredibly! They looked more like crude models of Saturn, than the spheres they were when installed. 
> So, I won't bother to use these again!! 
> I've installed Doust washers at my parents, who so far are very pleased at how easy they are to turn off. The hot water in their shower has just started to hammer about 30 seconds after turning on (washer changing size in the hot water???), but other wise the Doust ones seem OK. 
> I installed Hydroseal washers today, and have made a note in my diary, so that I can do a comparison on how they last. 
> I'd be very interested in other's experiences. Is there a "best" washer to install?? 
> Maybe this could even lead to a poll ?? 
> Cheers,
> Andrew.

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## soundman

progress report on the hydroseal washers..... apart from 1 i havent touched any of the taps I fitted them to arround the time of the original thread. 
the 1 I have a problem with.
the tap seat has a casting flaw that presents a crack in part of the seating surface..... it just happens to be the part that the hydroseal seals on.
I can put a hydroseal in and it will work for a month or two & then start to leak.
I fitted a standard poly tap washer & it sealed fine but it hammered something cronic...... this was a plastic bodied unit.
I replaced it with a brass bodied unit and its been going fine for a bit over a year.  
I have to reinforce that if you are having problems with any ( more or less conventinoal) washer not lasting... look to the tap seat. 
AND I repeat that the standard handyman tap seating tool with the toothy type cutter are worse than useless.... they are butchery devices. 
get a hydroseal tap seater...... you will bless that day you did. 
Oh make sure you clean & lubricate the threads inside the tap head and replace any o rings and stuff if needed. 
Do a proper job on a tap and you should be able to walk away from it for at least 5 years. 
cheers

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## Barry_White

My house is over 28 years old and I have never replaced a washer in any of the taps. 
I have those red fibre washers in the taps.  
I think the cause of washers having to be replaced is heavy handed people who turn taps off too hard and that begins to cut the washers up on the seats and after cutting the washers up you end up with the brass washer holder cutting into the seat and from then it is just a down hill slide hence having to reseat the tap.

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## wonderplumb

Doust washers are ok, provided that the seats etc are polished etc, they work best with the whole doust "kit" but its a hassle. The best washers in my opinion at the moment are the 'Performa' soft turn washers from Reece. Orange washer on a copper body work a treat. Ive machined myself a reseater specifically designed to put a rounded edge on tap seats to properly suit the black 'dome' washers. Installed correctly these are one of the best getting around. My 2c worth.

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## dennford

Hydra seal - everytime - NO! only once because unless there is some other problem, you wont need to do them again. 
Macca, I haven't seen them with the spring but I shall look for them. 
Denn

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## TrevorOwen

I've been a Hydroseal convert for over 20 years and have only replaces a couple of them in that time. Bathroom has recently been renovated and now fitted exclusively with mixer taps with ceramic seals. 
Regards
Trevor

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## soundman

the beauty of the hydroseal washers is that if you trun them off too hard the brass body just bottoms out.... its pretty damn well imposible to mangle the actual seal...... unless the seat isn't flat & smooth. 
cheers

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## Geoff Hewitt

> I've just replaced the four washers in our bathroom, and was wondering what experiences folks have had with the various fancy/fangled tap washers out there. 
> The ones I removed were the Flexispray ones (I think) - the ones with the rubber ball caged in the spring. They lasted nearly a year, but recently had become very hard to turn off, and caused a horrid shuddering part way through turning on or off. 
> The balls had distorted incredibly! They looked more like crude models of Saturn, than the spheres they were when installed. 
> So, I won't bother to use these again!! 
> I've installed Doust washers at my parents, who so far are very pleased at how easy they are to turn off. The hot water in their shower has just started to hammer about 30 seconds after turning on (washer changing size in the hot water???), but other wise the Doust ones seem OK. 
> I installed Hydroseal washers today, and have made a note in my diary, so that I can do a comparison on how they last. 
> I'd be very interested in other's experiences. Is there a "best" washer to install?? 
> Maybe this could even lead to a poll ?? 
> Cheers,
> Andrew.

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## Geoff Hewitt

Yes there is a "best" tap washer to install. You can view them on www.agdesigninnovations.com.au
I installed mine nine years ago and they're still as good as new. They are called Spinner Tap Valves. 
Regards,
Geoff Hewitt.

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