# Forum Home Renovation Plumbing  Changed hot water tap washer and now have low/erratic water pressure

## TheOtherLeft

Hiya gurus, 
I changed the washer on my hot water shower tap and now have erratic water pressure. Once I open the tap the pressure would be good but then after a few seconds the pressure would drop and I would have to open it more. 
I also changed the tap washer in the cold shower tap and the pressure is fine so it's just the hot water. 
I used soft-close brass tap washer and also changed the O-ring and body washer. 
Prior to changing the washer the pressure was fine. 
I made sure the tap wasn't leaking before I sealed all up again and nipped it up a fraction more after that just to be sure (I also used kitchen/bathroom silicone to seal it so water won't get behind the tiles). 
How could changing the washer have caused this problem? 
I tried the bathroom sink hot water tap (haven't changed this washer in several months) and there seems to be erratic pressure as well, however not as pronounced as the shower tap. 
Thanks,
Ben

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## Tools

Sounds like the washer isn't suitable for hot water and is expanding when it heats up. 
Tools

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## TheOtherLeft

The washer packaging states it can be used for hot and cold water. It's the Fix-A-Tap brand Soft Turn washers from Bunnings.  Tap Valves - FIX-A-TAP :: Fix-A-Tap Plumbing Supplies, Australia

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## Compleat Amateu

I've been caught like this when something dislodged a piece of PTFE tape and in flushed into the shower head, came to rest on the filter inside there and blocked the flow. 
I figured that out when I realised that water flow was fine in the basin immediately adjacent to the shower.  So what's the water pressure like in other outlets in the same bathroom?

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## wonderplumb

Fix-a-tap and Bunnings................. 
Go to Reece and buy their orange "performa" brand soft turn washers. And yes, being a soft turn washer made from softer materials they will expand a lot more than others. Make sure you clean out your bonnets and spindles properly, aswell as the O ring and make sure they open and close all the way before you put them back together.
Check the seats while you're at it.

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## Compleat Amateu

I can vouch for the Reece Performa washers, they are the duck's nuts of tao washers, if there is such a thing!  Rather more $exxy than any others .... but I won't spend my life changing washers, and they ae a great present for one's nephews and nieces when they move into their first unit.

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## TheOtherLeft

I cleaned the seats with the drill-mounted hydroseal tap reseater dooberwhacky.

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## chrisp

> I cleaned the seats with the drill-mounted hydroseal tap reseater dooberwhacky.

  You might want to take the shower head and the flow limiter off and flush out the swarf in the pipe/tap from the reseating.  The swarf might be partially blocking the flow limiter or even the shower head

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## TheOtherLeft

Done that as well. I actually just shut the shower screen and turn the mains tap back on with the spindle/body still off and the water shot to the other side of the shower. It was quick and easy. 
The pressure issue is just with the hot water not the cold so I don't think it's a debris problem. My guess it's the issue with the soft turn washer material. Looking at the Reece pdf the performa soft turn washer looks very similar to Fix A Tap one. They're both brass and have orange washer material. I wonder is the Performa would suffer the same problem of expanding/contracting when used in a hot tap??? Has anyone else experienced this?

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## chrisp

If it were me, I'd try some other types of washers - maybe just a bog standard one, to see if the problem goes away.  At least you'd confirm that the problem is related to the type of washer.

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## TheOtherLeft

> If it were me, I'd try some other types of washers - maybe just a bog standard one, to see if the problem goes away.  At least you'd confirm that the problem is related to the type of washer.

  Yes I'm going to try that tomorrow. I have a Hydroseal washer in my toolbox that I'll try.

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## TheOtherLeft

Update: 
I changed the Fix-a-tap washer for my spare hydroseal washer and all seems a lot better now. It's not 100% consistent but better. 
Chalk that up to experience I guess.  
Thanks all for your help.

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