That drip you've been ignoring wastes up to 5,500 litres of water a year — enough to fill a paddling pool many times over — and if you're on a water meter, it's money straight down the drain. It also stains the sink and tends to get worse until the tap won't shut off properly at all.
The fix depends on which type of tap you have. Here's how to tell, and what's involved in each repair.
First: which tap type do you have?
Traditional taps (separate hot and cold, often with crosshead or lever handles that turn several rotations) use rubber washers that wear out. Modern monobloc mixers (single body, quarter-turn or lever action) use ceramic cartridges. Washers cost pennies; cartridges cost a bit more and vary by brand.
Before you start: isolate the water
Look under the sink for a small isolation valve on the pipe feeding the tap — a screwdriver slot turned a quarter-turn shuts it off. No isolation valve? You'll need to turn off the mains stopcock. Open the tap fully to drain residual water before dismantling anything.
Replacing a washer (traditional taps)
Remove the handle cover cap, undo the handle screw, lift off the handle and shroud, then undo the headgear nut with an adjustable spanner — brace the tap body so you don't twist the pipework. The washer sits at the base of the headgear; prise it off, fit the identical replacement, and reassemble. If the drip persists, the brass seat below the washer may be worn and need re-seating.
Replacing a cartridge (mixer taps)
Same principle, different part: remove the handle, undo the retaining nut, pull the old ceramic cartridge and fit a matching one. The catch is matching — cartridges vary by brand and model, so take the old one to the merchant or note the tap's make. Forcing the wrong cartridge in will wreck the tap.
When to call a plumber instead
Call a professional if the tap is seized and won't dismantle, the isolation valves don't work, the tap body itself is cracked or corroded, or you simply want it done in twenty minutes with the right parts on the van. It's a small job for us and priced accordingly — and we'll fit isolation valves at the same time so the next repair is easier.
