How to Fix a Dripping Tap — Traditional and Mixer Taps Explained
A dripping tap is one of the most common plumbing problems in UK homes.
The good news is that this plumbing problem is often a very simple DIY fix.
You can usually fix it yourself in 20 to 30 minutes with a few basic hand tools.
Did you know? Over 60% of UK homes receive hard water. It contains dissolved calcium minerals that accelerate wear on tap washers and ceramic discs, and causes limescale build-up on internal threads that can seize up tap valves and stopcocks over time.
Which kind of tap do you have?
In most cases, a tap drips because of one of the following:
- A worn rubber washer
- A damaged O-ring
- A failed ceramic disc cartridge.
But before buying any of these replacement parts, you should identify your tap type. UK homes generally feature four main types of taps.
Traditional twin-handle pillar taps
These are two separate taps, one for cold water and one for hot water.
They have traditional brass stems.
Inside, rubber washers compress against a metal valve seat to stop the water flow.
Turning the handle requires multiple full rotations.
Ceramic-disc or quarter-turn taps
These can be separate pillar taps or a combined mixer unit.
They turn on and off with just a quarter or half turn of the handle. Inside, they use a cartridge containing two polished ceramic discs rather than a rubber washer.
Single-lever monobloc mixer taps
These have a single spout and a single lever to control both water temperature and flow rate. Lifting the lever adjusts flow, whilst swivelling it left or right mixes hot and cold water.
They contain a single internal ceramic cartridge and are common in modern kitchens and bathrooms.
Bath and bath-shower mixers
These mount onto the rim of a bathtub or onto the wall.
They mix hot and cold water into a single spout or divert it to a showerhead.
They use either traditional compression washers or ceramic cartridges, depending on whether they are traditional or modern quarter-turn designs.
How to Unblock Your Kitchen Sink — 6 Methods That Work
Why taps drip
A worn rubber washer
In traditional compression taps, the rubber washer degrades over time. This allows water to trickle into the spout.
A damaged O-ring
This rubber component is located at the base of the tap spout or stem. When it perishes, water leaks out around the base or handle rather than the spout.
A failed ceramic disc cartridge
In modern taps, grit or limescale scratches the smooth ceramic discs inside the cartridge. This breaks the watertight seal.
A corroded valve seat
The metal seat inside the tap body can become pitted or coated in limescale. Once this happens, it prevents even a brand new rubber washer from sealing flat.
Trapped debris or limescale
Mineral deposits from hard water can lodge inside the valve mechanism. This causes the internal seals to slightly open.
What you will need to fix a leaking tap
To fix a leaking tap, gather these basic tools and materials before you begin (if they apply to the type of tap you have):
- An adjustable spanner or spanner set
- A pipe wrench or water pump pliers
- Flathead and Phillips screwdrivers
- A replacement rubber washer, O-ring, or ceramic disc cartridge
- PTFE tape
- WD40 penetrating spray
- A small towel or cloth
- A sink plug or bowl.
Before you start: Isolate the water supply
Taking a tap apart whilst the water is live will cause an instant flood. Follow these safety preparations first:
Step 1: Isolate the water at the valve
Look underneath the sink for an isolation valve (a small valve on the supply pipe with a slotted screw or lever).
Then, with a flathead screwdriver, turn the slotted screw a quarter turn so the slot sits across the pipe.
If your tap doesn’t have an isolation valve, turn off your home's main stopcock (the main water shut-off valve, usually located under the kitchen sink).
Step 2: Drain the tap
Open the tap fully to drain any residual water trapped in the pipework. Turn the handle back and forth to ensure no water pressure remains.
Step 3: Plug the drain
Insert the sink’s plug or cover the plughole with a cloth. Small screws, washers, and brass caps drop easily down the drain and are difficult to recover.
Pro tip to save money: If you hire a plumber, clear out all cleaning products and storage boxes from under your sink beforehand. Plumbers charge for their time, and easy access helps them finish their work faster.
Fix it: Traditional taps
If you have traditional compression taps, follow this sequence to replace a worn washer.
Step 1: Remove decorative caps
Using a thin flathead screwdriver, prise off the decorative hot or cold indicator cap on top of the tap handle.
Step 2: Unscrew the handle
With the same screwdriver, unscrew the exposed central screw beneath the cap. Lift the tap handle off the stem.
If the handle feels stuck, apply WD40 and let it soak for two minutes.
Step 3: Remove the tap stem
Use an adjustable spanner to grip the large hexagonal nut on the tap stem.
Hold the tap spout firmly with your other hand (or a pipe wrench wrapped in a cloth). This stops you from twisting the pipework underneath the sink.
Turn the spanner anti-clockwise to unscrew the stem.
Step 4: Replace the tap washer
Unscrew (or slide) the rubber washer off the brass jumper pin at the bottom of the stem.
Inspect the washer for cracks or grooves. Push a new rubber washer of the same diameter onto the stem.
Step 5: Check the O-ring and valve seat
Inspect the valve seat located far inside the tap body. If it feels rough or pitted, smooth it with a re-seating tool or call a plumber.
If water was leaking from the stem body rather than the spout, replace the rubber O-ring located further up the stem.
Step 6: Reassemble and test
Wrap PTFE tape around the stem threads.
Screw the stem back into the tap body and tighten it with your spanner.
Refit the handle, central screw, and cover cap.
Turn the water supply back on at the isolation valve and check for leaks.
Fix it: Modern mixer taps
Modern mixer taps use ceramic cartridges instead of traditional rubber washers.
Single-lever mixer taps
Single-lever monobloc taps contain one large ceramic cartridge that controls both hot and cold flow.
Step 1: Expose the cartridge screw
Look for a small red and blue plastic index button under the lever handle. Prise it out with a flathead screwdriver to reveal a small grub screw inside.
Step 2: Remove the lever and shroud
Loosen the grub screw using an Allen key or screwdriver. Lift the lever off, then unscrew the decorative brass dome or shroud by hand.
Step 3: Swap the cartridge
Use an adjustable spanner to unscrew the large brass retaining nut. Lift out the old ceramic cartridge. Insert the new cartridge, ensuring its locating lugs align perfectly with the holes inside the tap body. Tighten the retaining nut, refit the shroud and lever, and restore the water supply.
Twin-handle ceramic disc taps
These quarter-turn taps use two separate ceramic disc cartridges. One disc is for hot, and the other is for cold.
Step 1: Access the cartridges
Remove the handle indices and screws, then pull the handles off to reveal the brass cartridge heads.
Step 2: Identify hot and cold cartridges
Ceramic disc cartridges are directional.
Hot and cold cartridges often turn in opposite directions (clockwise vs anti-clockwise to open) and may have different thread directions or rubber seal colours.
Take note of which side you’re replacing.
Step 3: Replace and reassemble
How to do it: Unscrew the old cartridge with your spanner and insert the matching replacement cartridge. Reassemble the tap components and restore the water.
Did you know? The Roman Eifel Aqueduct, completed around 80 AD in what is today Germany, accumulated a limescale layer over 20 centimetres thick inside its masonry channels. In the Middle Ages, this dense deposit was mined as "Eifel Marble" and polished to build cathedral columns and altars across Europe!
Leaking somewhere other than the spout?
If your tap is leaking from somewhere other than the plughole, the cause is slightly different.
When water pools on the counter around the tap base, the spout O-rings or base washers have usually perished. Unscrewing the spout or base retaining nut lets you fit new O-rings.
When water turns up weeping around the top of the handle, it indicates worn internal stem seals or a loose packing gland nut. Tightening the gland nut slightly with a spanner often stops the leak immediately.
Bath and shower taps
Fixing bath taps or bath-shower mixers follows the exact same washer or cartridge replacement logic as basin taps.
However, access is often much harder because the pipework and tap connections sit behind bath panels or concealed wall tiling.
If your bath tap valves are seized, or if you can’t access the underside of the tub to secure the tap body, call a professional plumber to avoid damaging the hidden pipework.
Quick fixes: What works and what does not
Homeowners often ask if a dripping tap can be fixed without taking it apart or without replacing the washer.
If water leaks from around the handle stem, tightening the internal gland nut a quarter turn can temporarily stop the weep without taking the entire tap apart.
Similarly, soaking a limescale-encrusted cartridge in vinegar can temporarily restore smooth handle movement, but it will not repair a physically cracked rubber washer or scratched ceramic disc.
Applying silicone or sealant over a dripping spout is not a fix and will fail immediately under water pressure. A worn washer or cartridge must be replaced.
Still dripping? Time to call a plumber
You should stop and call a professional plumber if you encounter any of these clear warning signs:
- You have replaced the washer or cartridge and the tap still drips continuously
- The internal metal valve seat or brass tap body is heavily corroded or cracked
- The tap fittings under the bath or basin are completely seized or inaccessible
- You cannot locate an isolation valve or main stopcock to turn off the water safely.
To find a qualified, vetted plumber in your area, search the Gas Safe Register or Checkatrade, or, if you have home cover, speak to your provider.
Renting?
If you are a tenant in a rented property, report the dripping tap to your landlord or letting agent immediately.
Tap repairs and general plumbing maintenance are legally the landlord's responsibility. Do not attempt DIY tap repairs yourself, as causing accidental water damage could affect your tenancy deposit.
How much does a tap repair cost?
If you decide to hire a professional tradesperson to fix your dripping tap, expect to pay between £80 and £150 for a standard plumber callout fee in the UK (based on typical 2026 UK plumbing rates outside emergency hours).
Buying the replacement washers or ceramic cartridges yourself for a DIY repair typically costs under £10.
Did you know: A single dripping tap can waste up to 5,500 litres of water a year (roughly 15 litres a day). Fixing a leak quickly saves water, protects the environment, and prevents higher water bills if you have a water meter.
Is a dripping tap an emergency?
A slow drip from a tap spout is rarely a plumbing emergency.
However, a tap leaking heavily from its base or spindle can cause structural water damage to kitchen worktops and floorboards if left unaddressed. And regular dripping taps, if left unchecked, can cause floods if plugs are left in.
Back in 2013, firefighters in Coventry responded to a flood caused this way. By the time they got into the empty property, the ceiling was about to collapse. The water also broke through the neighbour’s kitchen wall.
Home emergency cover with YourRepair
Shield your home from costly and unexpected disasters with YourRepair's home emergency cover.
Enjoy peace of mind and don't face a home emergency alone again. T&Cs apply.