Taps · 24/7
Leaking Tap Repair
A tap that drips from the spout has a worn washer or ceramic cartridge. One that leaks from the handle or base has failed O-rings or a loose body, and water under the sink usually means a connector or valve. Close the isolation valve under the tap to stop it. We fix all of these, and the £60 call-out gets someone to you.
What the visit covers
- Dripping spouts on washer and ceramic-disc taps
- Kitchen mixer taps leaking at the swivel spout or base
- Leaks from the handle or spindle
- Flexible tap connectors and isolation valves under the sink
- Replacing a tap when the body itself is worn out
Where exactly is the tap leaking from?
Pin down the exact spot first, because each points to a different part. A drip from the end of the spout with the tap shut means the seal inside is not closing. On an older tap that needs several full turns to open, that seal is a rubber washer on a jumper. On a modern quarter-turn tap it is a pair of ceramic discs in a cartridge, and a drip means a disc is chipped or scored by grit.
Water around the handle when the tap is running means the O-rings or gland seal on the spindle have worn. On a kitchen mixer, water appearing at the base of the swivel spout is almost always the two O-rings the spout turns on. Water in the cupboard is a separate problem: the braided flexible connectors, the isolation valves, or the backnut holding the tap to the worktop. Dry everything with kitchen roll and run the tap to see which gets wet first. For the step-by-step, see how to stop a tap leaking.
What we do on the visit
With the water isolated, the engineer strips the tap head. On a washer tap the jumper and washer are replaced and, if the brass seat underneath is pitted, it is reground so the new washer can seal. On a ceramic tap the cartridge is swapped. Cartridges vary by make, by the number of teeth on the spline and by whether they turn clockwise or anticlockwise to open, so the old one is matched rather than guessed.
Mixer spout O-rings are replaced and greased with a silicone grease suitable for drinking water. If the spray under the sink is from a connector, the connector and its fibre washers are changed. When a tap body is corroded or the spout is cracked, replacing the tap is usually better value than new parts, and we tell you that before starting. Our guide to kitchen mixer taps leaking goes further into mixer faults.
If the isolation valve under a tap will not close, or starts leaking from its screw when you turn it, stop turning. Close the main stopcock instead.
What does a leaking tap repair cost?
In market terms, washers and O-rings cost very little and the job is mostly labour. Branded ceramic cartridges cost more, from a few pounds for a common size to considerably more for a designer or manufacturer-specific part, and some have to be ordered. A replacement tap depends almost entirely on the tap you choose.
With us the £60 call-out gets an engineer there, and the repair price is agreed on site before any work starts. If a cartridge has to be ordered, the tap can be isolated safely in the meantime.
When a leaking tap cannot wait
A dripping spout is not an emergency. It wastes water, costs money on a meter and stains the basin, and our page on dripping tap water waste shows how quickly that adds up, but it can wait for a convenient visit. Call now if water is escaping into the cupboard or under the units and the isolation valve will not stop it, if a braided connector has burst, or if a tap will not turn off at all. Our guide to a tap running constantly covers that last case.
How the visit works
Isolate the tap
We help you find the valve under the sink, or the stopcock if there is none.
Identify the tap
The engineer works out whether it has washers or cartridges and which make and size they are.
Price agreed, then the repair
You approve the figure before any work starts.
Test under full pressure
Water back on, both sides run hot and cold, and the base checked dry.
Questions people ask
Why is my tap still dripping after a new washer?
Usually because the brass seat the washer closes onto is worn or pitted. A new washer cannot seal on a damaged seat, so the seat needs regrinding or the tap needs replacing.
Can I change a tap cartridge myself?
Often, if you isolate the water, and take the old cartridge with you to match it. Take care not to overtighten the new one, as it can damage the cartridge and its seals.
Why does my mixer tap leak only when the spout is swung?
The O-rings at the base of the swivel spout have worn flat. They seal when the spout is still and let water past when it moves.
Does a leaking tap put the water bill up?
Only if you are on a water meter. On unmetered charges the bill is the same, but the water is still wasted.
Is a leaking hot tap more urgent than a cold one?
Slightly, because with a hot water cylinder each drip is heated water you have paid for. Neither is dangerous while the leak is only at the spout.