Property How to fix a dripping tap
Plumbing · Beginner
How to fix a dripping tap
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A drip from the spout is usually a worn washer on a traditional tap, or a worn ceramic cartridge in a mixer. It is a small, methodical job: turn the water off, swap the part, and turn it back on slowly. This guide is for a basin, kitchen or bath tap that drips from the spout or weeps around the handle — not a burst pipe.
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At a glance
Your call
Go or no?
Fancy giving it a go, or would you rather call in a plumber? There’s no wrong answer.
Right then. Here’s the kit, then the steps.
No problem. We’ll show you how to find a local plumber.
Shop the full kit
You can pick up the items below as you need them. Prices vary by shop and country, so we have not invented a figure here — check the live price before you buy. Shop links go to a product search on a local store for your country. Until a tracking tag is in place they are ordinary store links, not tracking URLs.
All-in-one kit
There is not usually a single boxed kit for this job. Buy the items below as you need them, and skip anything you already have.
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A one-page list of tools, prep and the order of work, emailed once this is live.
Before you start
Safety
Stop and get a pro: If you cannot turn the water off at an isolation valve or the household stopcock, if the pipework is damaged, or if the leak is on the incoming mains, stop and call a plumber. Do not attempt gas work, and do not open an unvented hot-water cylinder unless you are qualified to do so. Leave bathroom electrics alone.
- Turn the water off before you undo the tap, and open the tap to drain what is left in the spout.
- Put the plug in and lay a towel in the basin, so a dropped screw does not disappear down the waste.
- Have a shallow bowl or tray ready under any union you undo.
- If the isolation valve will not turn, or turns but the water will not stop, do not force it until it shears. Call a plumber.
- This is not a job for a gas water heater, a boiler, or the incoming mains stopcock beyond simply closing it.
Prep that is worth doing
- Look at the tap: is it a traditional tap with a separate hot and cold head, or a mixer with a lever or a single head?
- Find the isolation valves on the supply pipes under the basin or sink (often a small screwdriver slot). If there are none, find the household stopcock — typically under the kitchen sink, in a downstairs cupboard, or near where the supply enters the property.
- If you can, take a clear photo of the handle and the spout before you start, so you can match a cartridge later.
Tools and materials
Check the live price at a shop you trust. Typical prices on this site, where they appear, were checked in the UK and may be out of date. Do not invent or assume a figure from this table. Shop links go to a product search on a local store for your country. Until a tracking tag is in place they are ordinary store links, not tracking URLs.
| Item | Why you need it | Typical price | Shop link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Replacement washer, O-ring or ceramic cartridge to match the tap | The part that actually stops the drip. Take the old one with you, or a photo of the tap, so the size and type match. | check price | |
| Adjustable spanner | For the headgear nut on a traditional tap, or the nut that holds a cartridge. | check price | |
| Small flat and Phillips screwdrivers | Most handles are held by a screw under a decorative cap. | check price | |
| An old toothbrush or a cloth | To clean the seat and any grit before you fit the new part. | check price | |
| Optional: a valve-seat dressing tool, only if the seat is scored | A damaged seat will keep dripping even with a new washer. If you do not have the tool, a plumber can recut the seat, or you may be better replacing the whole tap. | check price | |
| Towel, plug and a small container | To catch water and small parts. | check price |
Shop this list:
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Step-by-step
Isolate the water first, then open the tap up, replace the worn part, and only then turn the water back on.
Confirm where the drip is coming from
A drip from the spout, with the handle closed, points to a washer or cartridge. Water from under the handle often means a packing gland or O-ring. A drip from the base of the tap or from the pipes below is a different job — stop if the body or the supply joints are leaking, and call a plumber.
Isolate the water and drain the spout
Close the isolation valves under the basin or sink, or close the household stopcock. Turn the tap on until the flow stops. If water keeps running, you have not isolated it. Do not dismantle the tap against a live supply.
Protect the basin and remove the handle
Put the plug in and pad the basin with a towel. Prise off the decorative cap (hot/cold or a logo cap) with a fingernail or a flat screwdriver, undo the screw, and lift the handle off. Keep the parts in order.
On a traditional tap, replace the washer
Undo the large headgear nut with a spanner. Lift out the head. The washer sits on the end of the jumper. Ease the old washer off, fit a new one of the same size, and check the seat inside the tap is smooth. If it is deeply scored, a new washer may not seal — that is a stop-and-get-a-pro moment unless you can recut the seat cleanly. Refit the headgear firmly, not with all your weight.
On a mixer or ceramic-disc tap, replace the cartridge
Ceramic mixers do not have a simple rubber washer. Note which way the cartridge sits (take a photo), undo the retaining nut or screw, and lift the cartridge out. Buy an exact replacement — same brand and size if you can. Push the new one in the same way round, and refit the nut.
Reassemble and turn the water on slowly
Refit the handle and cap. Open the isolation valve or stopcock a little at first, then fully, and watch every joint you touched. Operate the tap several times. A short burp of air is normal. A steady drip means the part is not seated, is the wrong size, or the seat is damaged — take it apart once more rather than tightening until something cracks.
General guidance only. Check our disclaimer.
Common mistakes
- Not turning the water off. Opening the tap against a live supply soaks the cupboard and can be hard to stop mid-job.
- Forcing a stuck isolation valve or headgear nut. A rounded nut or a sheared valve leaves you with no water and a bigger repair.
- Fitting the wrong size washer or cartridge. Close is not close enough. Take the old part to the shop.
- Overtightening plastic or thin brass nuts. Snug is enough. Cracked bodies are a plumber’s job.
- Ignoring a drip from the pipes, not the tap. A new washer will not fix a failing flexible hose or a corroded union.
Upload a photo to see the finished job
When the mock-up is live, you can upload a photo and see an impression of the finished job — not a quote or an exact product match.
FAQ
Why is my tap still dripping after a new washer?
The washer may be the wrong size, not sitting flat, or the metal seat may be scored. Try once more with the correct part. If it still drips, the seat needs recutting or the tap needs replacing — a plumber can do either.
Do I have to replace the whole tap?
Not if a washer or cartridge will seal. Replace the whole tap if the body is cracked, the chrome is failing badly, or you cannot get a matching cartridge. Swapping a tap is a slightly bigger job (see our mixer tap guide when that is written in full) and still starts with isolating the water.
Where is the stopcock?
In many UK homes it is under the kitchen sink, in a downstairs cupboard, or by the front door where the supply comes in. Find it before you have an emergency, and make sure it will actually turn. If it is painted stuck, do not force it — call a plumber.
Can I do this on a bath mixer with a shower diverter?
The spout drip is often still a washer or cartridge, but diverters have their own seals. If you are not sure which part is leaking, or the mixer is built into the wall, get a plumber rather than opening a concealed valve.
Would rather not DIY? Find a local plumber
If you cannot isolate the water, the tap is seized, or you would rather not work over a sink full of parts, a plumber can usually sort this quickly, with the right washer or cartridge already in the van.
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