Drip. Drip. Drip. That small sound can drive anyone mad at 2 a.m. Worse, each drip sends clean water straight down the drain. One slow drip can waste thousands of litres in a year. On a water meter, that waste lands on your bill. The good news is simple. Learning how to fix a dripping tap takes basic tools and one free hour. Most homes need no plumber for this job at all.
In the US, the same fitting is called a faucet. The name changes, but the fix stays the same. This guide shows how to fix a dripping tap step by step. It covers old washer taps and modern mixer taps too. Left alone, a drip can stain the sink and drain money. Water damage spreads in quiet ways around the home. It works much like the leaks in our guide to fixing a leaky roof.
How to Fix a Dripping Tap at a Glance: The Quick Facts
Here is the whole job in one quick look.
- Tools needed: adjustable spanner, screwdrivers, Allen key, cloth, small bucket
- Parts needed: new washer or cartridge, plus spare O-rings
- Time needed: about 30 to 60 minutes for most taps
- Cost: under £5 or $5 for washers, more for a cartridge
- Difficulty: easy for beginners, with no special skills needed
- Main cause: a worn washer or a tired cartridge
Most drips come from one small worn part. Find that part, swap it, and the noise stops.
Find Your Tap Type First
Half of learning how to fix a dripping tap is knowing the type. Taps look alike, but the insides differ a lot. The wrong part wastes a trip to the shop.
Old taps use a rubber washer to seal the water. These are called compression or washer taps. The handle turns round two or three full times. Each turn pushes the washer down onto a metal seat. Years of pressure wear the soft rubber flat and hard. Then water slips past, and the drip begins.
Newer taps use ceramic discs or a cartridge instead. The handle moves just a quarter turn, off to on. Single lever taps are mixers, with hot and cold in one body. They hide a cartridge that mixes and seals the flow. When the cartridge wears out, you swap the whole unit.
Not sure which type you own? Turn the handle and count the turns. Many turns means a washer tap inside. A short quarter turn means ceramic discs. One lever means a mixer cartridge.
Tools and Parts to Gather First
Lay everything out before you touch the tap. Mid-job shop trips are how small parts get lost. You need an adjustable spanner, called a wrench in the US. Add flat and cross-head screwdrivers, plus an Allen key set. Keep a soft cloth nearby to protect shiny chrome. A towel and a small bucket catch stray water.
- Adjustable spanner or wrench, for nuts and the tap body
- Flat and cross-head screwdrivers, for handle screws and caps
- Allen keys, since many modern handles hide a grub screw
- New washers in mixed sizes, or the correct cartridge
- Spare O-rings and a little plumber’s grease
- PTFE tape, also called thread seal tape in the US
- Old cloth or tape, to guard the chrome finish
Take the old washer or cartridge to the shop. Match the size and shape in your hand. Guessing sizes is the top cause of a second drip. The RACV guide to fixing dripping taps gives the same advice for Australian homes.
The Repair Itself: Seven Simple Steps
The steps below show how to fix a dripping tap of the washer kind. Mixer taps follow the same path, with one swap. You change the cartridge instead of the washer. Work slowly, and keep parts in order on a towel.
Step 1: Turn the Water Off
Find the isolation valve under the sink or basin. Turn it clockwise until the water stops. No valve there? Use the main stopcock or water main instead. In the US, that is the main shut-off valve. Open the tap and let the last water run out.
Step 2: Plug the Sink
Push the plug into the sink hole now. This tiny step saves screws, nuts, and your mood. One dropped screw down the drain can end the job. Lay a towel in the basin to catch parts.
Step 3: Remove the Handle and Cover
Pop off the small cap on top of the handle. It often shows a red or blue dot. Undo the screw under it and lift the handle away. Some handles hide a grub screw on the side. Use the right Allen key and turn it with care. Next, unscrew the metal cover, called the bonnet or shroud. Wrap it in cloth first so the spanner cannot scratch it.
Step 4: Swap the Washer or Cartridge
Grip the big nut under the cover with the spanner. Hold the tap body steady with your other hand. Turn the nut anti-clockwise, or counter-clockwise in US terms. Lift out the spindle, also called the headgear or stem. The old washer sits at the bottom of it. Undo its small nut or prise the washer off gently. Push the new washer into the same spot. Check the thin O-ring on the spindle too. A flat or cracked O-ring causes leaks around the handle.
Got a mixer or quarter-turn tap instead? Lift the cartridge straight out once the nut is off. Note which way it faces before you move it. Push the new cartridge in the same way round. The locating pins only fit one correct way.
Step 5: Put Everything Back Together
Screw the spindle back in by hand first. Tighten it with the spanner, firm but never forced. Too much force can crack seals and strip threads. Refit the cover, then the handle and its screw. Pop the cap back on at the end. Add a smear of plumber’s grease on the threads. It helps the parts move and seal for longer.
Step 6: Turn the Water Back On
Open the isolation valve or stopcock slowly. Let water fill the pipes at a gentle pace. A sudden rush can knock old joints loose. Keep the tap closed while the pressure builds.
Step 7: Test the Tap
Turn the tap on and let it run for a moment. Then turn it off and watch the spout closely. No drip after a full minute means success. Check under the sink for leaks around the pipes too. Dry the joints and run a finger along them. A wet finger shows a leak your eyes may miss.
Fixes for Tricky Cases
Some taps fight back a little. Here are the two problems people meet most often.
Mixer taps often drip from the base of the spout. That leak points to worn O-rings on the spout. The spout lifts off once you undo its ring or screw. Swap the O-rings, grease them lightly, and push it back on. If the spout drips at the tip instead, change the cartridge.
A new washer should stop a washer tap drip at once. If yours still drips, the metal seat is likely worn. The seat is the flat ring the washer presses onto. Grooves and pits in it let water sneak past. A cheap reseating tool grinds the seat smooth again. It fits in a drill or turns by hand. Badly worn seats mean a new tap is smarter. No washer can seal against deep damage.
When to Call a Plumber Instead
Most drips are safe, simple weekend jobs. Some signs mean you should stop and call for help. Call if you cannot turn the water off at all. Call if the tap body is cracked or badly corroded. Call if pipes leak behind the wall or under the floor. Call if the drip stays after a new cartridge and reseat. A pro also helps with seized, rusted, or very old fittings.
A plumber visit costs more than a washer, of course. Expect roughly £75 to £150 in the UK. In the US, the same visit runs $100 to $250. Our plumbing guides cover bigger jobs, from burst pipes to full refits.
Renting your home? Tell the landlord before you start work. In most places, tap repairs are the landlord’s duty.
Questions People Ask All the Time
Why does a tap start dripping in the first place?
The washer or cartridge wears out with daily use. Hard water speeds the wear with grit and limescale. High water pressure also strains the soft seals. In time, water finds a path past the seal.
How much water can one drip waste in a year?
One drip each second wastes over 5,500 litres a year. That is about 1,450 gallons in US terms. A faster drip can waste two or three times more. Fixing it soon keeps that water in the river, not the drain.
Can a beginner really do this repair alone?
Yes, most beginners can. Most beginners learn how to fix a dripping tap in one short session. Take photos as you take the tap apart. The photos guide you when you build it back up. Keep the old parts until the new ones prove right.
What if I buy the wrong washer size?
Do not force a washer that does not fit. A loose washer leaks, and a tight one tears fast. Take the old washer to the shop and match it. Mixed washer kits solve this for a few pounds or dollars.
Is it better to replace the whole tap instead?
Replace the tap if the body is cracked or pitted. Swap it too if the finish is peeling badly. A sound tap with one worn part deserves a repair. Repairs cost less and keep good metal out of landfill.
Silence at Last: Enjoy Your Drip-Free Home
You came here to learn how to fix a dripping tap. Now the sink is quiet and the bill is safer. The whole job took one small part and basic tools. That is the joy of simple home repairs done right.
Small jobs like this one build real home skills fast. Our home maintenance guides collect more weekend wins in one place. Start with the jobs that save water and money.
While the toolbox is out, plan the next small win. Our guide to how to clean gutters covers a classic outdoor job in simple steps. A dry house and a quiet tap make a good pair.
