Should one of your taps develop an annoying leak or constant drip, you should do something about it right away rather than leave it get worse. You might undo and look inside the tap, even though if its a washer you probably wont have a spare, but if the washer has only minor damage on one of it’s faces, you could swap it around and fit the other side down. A quick fix but can help sort until you fit a new one. If you are not confident call a professional like Falconwood Plumbers who are trained in all plumbing work. The usual mixer taps are repairable, however the new monobloc design of taps often feature ceramic discs inside and not washers. These discs are tough, but if they fail you will need to fit a new cartridge.

Fixing a leaking Tap:

1). Turn off the water supply and drain the water by opening all the taps. Undo the top plate, which is usually hand tight, however, if not, use pliers or an adjustable spanner. A Falconwood Plumber is trained to replace all types of plumbing items.

2). You need to know how the handles detach. Usually with the majority you can undo a retaining screw, to remove it’s handle, this usually exposes the headgear nut.

3). Undo the tap’s body cover by hand, but, if not use an adjustable spanner or pipe wrench, taking care to protect the chrome finish using a cloth or towel. Unscrew the headgear nut with an adjustable spanner. If it is tight, do not force it, but, pad the base of the tap with some cardboard and use a pipe wrench to grip it firmly so you can apply the necessary force.

4). Unscrew the headgear assembly. Prize out the old washer. Insert the new washer and push it into the jumper. Reassemble the unit.

Use some silicon grease on the threads of the base of the headgear before replacing it in the tap’s body. Check for leaks.”