A dripping tap isn’t just irritating, it’s wasteful and has the potential to become very expensive – both in your water bill and if the leak gets out of hand and causes damage to your home.
So, if you’ve not got around to fixing those leaky taps, here’s an easy step-by-step guide to sorting it out – it’s an easy job that you can do yourself.
Before you start your repair, you’ll need to know which type of tap you have in order to replace the right part.
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Traditional taps leak due to perished rubber seals or washers while monobloc lever taps use a ceramic cartridge instead of a washer and will occasionally need replacing.
You need to take the tap apart to repair it, so you’ll need to find the screw that’s holding it together. On traditional taps it’s normally underneath the decorative hot/cold cap on top of the handles, while in a lever tap it’s often a tiny screw hidden under the hot and cold indicator.
Once the screw’s out, you’ll need to take the handle off. Underneath you may find a metal cover (called a metal shroud) around the neck of the tap that’s protecting the valve, if you’ve got that, take it off as well.
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Once the shroud’s out, you should be able to see a hexagonal nut – you’ll need to undo this using an adjustable spanner. Hold the spout (the bit the water comes out) while you undo the nut to stop the tap from twisting.
Lift out the tap stem and replace the washer that’s sitting underneath with a new one (you can buy a packet of different washers at hardware stores for relatively little money). For lever taps, it’s at this point you’ll replace the cartridge.
Make sure the main body of the tap and all the parts are clean before you put the tap back together. Turn the water back on at the stopcock and test out your handywork.Everyone experiences a leaking tap at some point in their life. It’s one of those very annoying plumbing problems that many tend to put off fixing until it’s too late. If leaking taps are left for too long, it has the potential to cause some serious damage to both your house and your wallet.
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Repairing mixer tap leaks and dripping taps is actually a very simple DIY job that anyone can perform regardless of experience level, and the sooner you get onto it, the less water and money you’ll lose down the drain thanks to things such as poor water pressure.
Mixer taps are the most common style of tapware found in Australian homes today. Traditionally, bathrooms, kitchens and laundries featured a 3-piece tap set which consisted of separate hot and cold water taps and a tap spout. Mixer taps have a more streamlined and modern design, allowing users to control the flow and ‘mix’ the temperature of their water with a single handle.
Traditional 3-piece tapware often features an internal rubber seal, or tap washer. Over time, this washer would perish and cause leakages. Instead of a rubber washer, most modern tapware is constructed with a highly durable ceramic cartridge.
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A ceramic cartridge consists of a pair of discs that sit atop one another. The bottom disc remains fixed while the upper disc rotates when the handle is operated. When the handle is turned on, the upper disc moves, permitting either cold or hot water to flow through the mixer. When the handle is returned to its ‘off’ position, the ceramic disc blocks the water flow.
Whilst ceramic discs are far more advanced and durable than washers, they can still be prone to cracks and scratches which can cause leakages.
Please note: Any plumbing tasks that are beyond replacing cartridges should be left to the professionals. Before carrying out any other plumbing work, check with your state’s plumbing regulations. Performing unlicensed plumbing work is illegal and you will not be covered by insurance.
How To Fix A Leaking Tap
The first step to repairing a leaking or dripping tap is to ensure that the water supply to your mixer tap has been turned off. You can turn off the water supply at either a stop valve or an isolation valve. The stop valve can be found next to your water meter and the isolation valve on the supply pipes below your sink.
Turn on your mixer to release any remaining water left in your pipes, then put a plug in your basin or sink to prevent any parts from falling down the drain as you work.
Your first real challenge when fixing a mixer tap leak is locating and removing the cap that conceals the grub screw. On most taps, this cap is the hot/cold indicator button found on your mixer handle.
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You can sometimes lift the cap off by using your nails, but if you are struggling, you can use a Stanley knife to carefully lift the button and a small, flat-head screwdriver to finish prying it out. If you’re not careful you may damage the cap, but replacements can be found easily at most plumbing and hardware stores.
After you’ve successfully removed the cap from your mixer handle, you’ll find a grub screw located in the hole underneath. This screw is what fixes your handle to the base of your mixer tap. Use your Allen key to undo the grub screw until you can lift the handle off the cartridge spindle. The grub screw sizes vary from tap to tap, but a 2mm or 2.5mm Allen key generally does the job.
Sometimes a build-up of calcium carbonate, commonly known as limescale, can cause the mixer handle to stick to the base. If you are finding that the limescale is preventing you from removing your mixer handle, soak your mixer in a half-water, half-vinegar combination. After about 20 minutes of soaking, you should be able to remove your mixer handle.
Solve Your Tap Problem
The next step is to remove the chrome dress ring. There are no flat sides on this ring so you will need to use a pipe wrench. After removing the dress ring, you will discover a brass retaining nut. Use your spanner to unscrew and remove to find your mixer’s ceramic cartridge. If you are worried about damaging your tap’s finish, use an old rag in between your tools and the mixer.
Once you have gained complete access to the cartridge, gently remove and replace it with a new one of the exact same model. Ensure that you follow any instructions provided by the manufacturer and that the cartridge’s locator pins match up.
Once the new cartridge has been fitted, reassemble your tap and then reactivate your water supply at either your stop or isolation valve. We recommend that you keep towels in place in case there are any leakages. If you have tested your mixer and are satisfied with the result you are done!
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To fix a leaking or dripping mixer tap, all you need is time and dedication. You can use the information in this article to help you, but we understand that not everyone has the time to do so.
If you need help fixing just one or several leaking water taps, consult a plumbing expert such as Tunnel Vision. Our team of highly experienced plumbers have the experience and skills required to fix any plumbing problem, fast. For all enquiries, contact Tunnel Vision on 1800 631 799 or book online!
Wasting water is not just an irresponsible use of a valuable resource, but it can also cost you a significant amount of money in bills. The most common cause for a high water bill in Australia is running water from your toilet and a leaking tap. A leaking tap can consume as much as half a litre of water per hour. That’s 12L/day or 4380/L a year! If you have a large leak or several leaking taps, this can rack you up a hefty water bill very fast.
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Leaking taps cause high water bills, but they can also cause serious damage to your property. Leaking water can result in floor and ceiling damage and consequently very expensive repairs. We recommend that you fix a leaking tap as soon as possible to avoid future complications.
If your mixer tap is showing some of the below warning signs, we recommend consulting a plumber to inspect it and to discuss your options.
If you have noticed any of the below major warning signs in your mixer, contact a plumber immediately to avoid a potential plumbing emergency.The majority of taps are sold with ceramic disc cartridges or valves these days . I have discussed the topic of Ceramic Disc Valves previously for anyone that is unfamiliar with them. These do need maintenance sometimes to fix issues such as:
Repair Mixer Tap
1. The cause of dripping taps is debris or limescale getting into the valve and causing the seal on the O-ring or the discs to fail. It is always recommended that filters are put in place before the tap to prevent debris getting in and that the lines are flushed before the tap is installed.
2. This issue is similar to the last where debris gets into the valve and blocks the inlet
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