How to Fix a Dripping Tap — Traditional and Mixer Taps Explained

There are few things more annoying in life than a dripping tap!

‘Drip effect 

The good news is that they are often a very simple DIY fix.

Disclaimer! Don’t be afraid to call a plumber first!

Every homeowner and tenant could benefit from this bit of DIY knowledge. 

But if you’re not confident about your DIY skills, there’s no shame in calling a plumber to fix your dripping tap for you. 

This might be a better option if you are concerned about making the problem worse. 

Costs

It will likely cost between £80 - £150 to call a plumber out (assuming you don’t call them out during emergency hours). 

Quick tip to save money: Before the plumber arrives, clear away objects on, in and under the sink. This will save time (which plumbers are charging for!)

How to fix a dripping traditional tap

If you have two traditional taps, you will likely need new tap washers. If this doesn’t fix the problem, you may need to replace the O-ring. 

Tools for fixing a dripping traditional tap

• An adjustable spanner
• A pipe wrench
• A range of flat and Phillips head screwdrivers
• Scissors
• A new tap washer or O-ring
• WD40

1. Turn off the water supply

First, turn off the water supply. 

Taking apart a tap without doing this could cause a big water leak!

You can either turn off the supply to your home using the main stopcock or find the isolation switch if you are working in a bathroom. 

When you’ve found and switched off the supply, turn on the tap to drain the water. 

2. Remove the decorative parts

Some taps will have caps and covers on the knobs. Prise these off with a flathead screwdriver and put them somewhere safe.

3. Unscrew the tap handle 

You should now have exposed a small screw in the tap handle. 

Unscrew this to expose the mechanism below. If this is a little tricky, a squirt of lubricant like WD40 should loosen it up.

4. Remove the tap stem

With the pipe wrench in one hand and the adjustable spanner in the other, loosen the large hexagonal nut while holding the tap in place. 

Make sure you keep track of which parts go where to make it easier to put it all back together again.

5. Replace the tap washer

Now that you have removed the stem, you should be able to see the source of the dripping. 

Check the small washer at the bottom of the stem for signs of wear and tear. If it is worn down, replace it and put the tap back together.

6. Replace the O-ring

If the washer is not the problem, it could lie with the O-ring which is found in the base of the spout that sits inside the spindle. 

Unscrew the spout and replace the O-ring before putting everything back together. 

If you’re struggling to remove the O-ring, use scissors to cut it off.

How to fix a dripping modern mixer tap

If you have a modern Monobloc tap (a type of mixer tap) then you will need to replace the cartridge. 

With modern mixer taps, there is a cartridge which holds two ceramic discs instead of washers. 

There is one disc for the hot water and one for the cold water. If these components break, you will need to replace the entire cartridge. 

Make sure you buy the correct cartridge for your tap or it won’t fit properly.

Tools for fixing a dripping modern mixer tap

• An adjustable spanner
• A pipe wrench
• A range of flat and Phillips head screwdrivers
• A new tap cartridge
• PTFE tape

1. Turn off the water supply

Turn the water off at the mains and then turn the tap on to drain any remaining water. 

Make sure you switch between hot and cold to completely drain the pipes.

2. Unscrew the tap

Remove the decorative parts with a flathead screwdriver and keep them safe. 

You should now see a central screw which you will need to remove. 

This may be hidden behind a smaller screw, called a grub screw. 

Once this is exposed, you can twist off the casing to remove the cartridge below.

3. Remove the cartridge and replace

Make sure you know how to identify the hot and cold cartridges then simply remove the cartridge and replace it with a new one. 

Put the components of your tap back together, switch on the water supply and see if your repair has worked.

Still not fixed?

If you’ve tried everything and you still can’t get your tap to stop dripping, it might be time to call in the professionals.

With home care plans from YourRepair, you’ll be covered for this and more, so you won’t need to worry about plumbing disasters in the future.