5 Steps To Repairing
A Dripping Tap
It’s never a good idea to ignore a dripping tap. The sooner you tackle it,
the easier it’ll be to fix – and the less damage will be done. Even if you
don’t have a spare washer, take a look inside the tap.
If the washer is only slightly damaged on one face, you can reinsert it the other way up; but even if that stops the drip, remember to replace it
with a new washer as soon as possible.
You can repair standard mixer taps, but monobloc taps (which are often controlled by levers, and need only a quarter-turn between being
fully off and fully on) have ceramic disks rather than traditional washers.
These disks are very hard-wearing, but if one develops a problem you’ll need a replacement cartridge from the tap manufacturer.
When you buy new taps, check they’re the right type for your system. If you fit high-pressure (mains) taps on a low-pressure, gravity-fed hot
water system, it could cause poor water flow, especially in a bath.
If your tap keeps on dripping even with a new washer, the valve seating has probably eroded. You can repair this with a special grinding tool
or (much more easily) with a washer and seating set.
The plastic seat fits into the existing metal one, and a washer-and-jumper unit fits on the headgear. The sooner you replace a washer, the less
likely the valve seating is to get damaged.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Turn off your water
supply and open the
tap to drain water
from the system. Put
the plug into the
plug-hole, just in case
you drop any small
nuts or screws. Then
unscrew the top plate
(this has the hot/cold
emblem on it).
Not all taps are made
in the same way, so
you’ll need to work
out how the handle
comes off.
Undo the headgear
nut, using an
adjustable spanner. If
the nut is difficult to
turn, don’t force it or
you’ll risk twisting the
base of the tap and
putting a strain on
the inlet pipe.
Remove the
headgear assembly
by unscrewing the
headgear nut. The
washer sits in the
jumper, and is either
pressed in place
(often over a small
button) or retained
by a nut.
Insert a new washer
and push it into
the jumper, then
reassemble the tap in
the same sequence.
You might be able
to do this with your
fingers - but if not,
use pliers or an
adjustable spanner.
You need to undo
the retaining screw
and pull the handle
off - this reveals the
headgear nut.
Unscrew the tap body
cover. If you can’t do
this by hand, try using
an adjustable spanner
or pipe wrench - but
remember to protect
the chrome with
a cloth.
Instead, pad around
the base of the tap
with cardboard and
use a pipe wrench to
grip it firmly as you
apply the necessary
force to the nut.
If necessary, unscrew
the nut that holds
the washer in place
with an adjustable
spanner. Then prise
out the old washer,
using a screwdriver to
dig it out if need be.
Teesdale Renewables Ltd | Plumbing Hints and Tips
Bogg House, Eggleston, Barnard Castle, Co. Durham, DL12 0AX | Telephone: 01833 650669 | Email: [email protected]
It’s a good idea to put
a little silicone grease
on the threads on the
base of the headgear
assembly before
putting it back in the
tap body.