There is a massive range of tap types in use today. Fortunately, most modern ones have ceramic disks inside, designed to last a lifetime.

Traditional taps with rubber washers will occasionally develop a leak as the washer wears. This can be dealt with very easily by gradually unscrewing the tap parts.

Most modern, traditional taps have indicators on top  cold (blue or green) and hot (red). Generally these hide the screw, or circlip, which holds the handle on. You can lever these off, then unscrew the small screw underneath to take the handle off. Sometimes the turning mechanism of a tap is a full hand-sized plastic or metal cylinder with finger grips, rather than the traditional four-sided handle. This’ll lever off, with a bit of force, to expose the main valve.

If you’ve got this far, you MUST turn the water OFF at the mains before you go any further — i.e. turn off the valve at the roadside near your water meter or, if you’re in the country, turn off the pump and the valve at the tank or bore. It is a good idea to put a little water in a bucket before you turn the water off, so you can wash your hands if the phone rings while you’re working!

• Put the plug in the basin or sink so you don’t lose any parts down the plughole, and get together the following tools: a small shifting spanner, a small slotted screwdriver, an old cloth, a larger shifting spanner, and either vice-grips, a stilson spanner or polygrips.
• If your tap has a traditional handle, unscrew the cover just under where the handle was, to expose the valve. Use the vice-grips, but be wary — first wrap cloth around the cover to prevent the grips scratching the chrome.
• At the same time as you’re turning the cover anticlockwise, hold the body of the tap firmly with your other hand to prevent it twisting. This is important, because twisting the bottom of the tap may loosen it from its wall or basin mount.

The valve is now exposed. Place the large shifting spanner around the nut on the head and turn it anticlockwise (at the same time holding the body of the tap firmly) until the valve is removed. At the base of the valve is a washer, which seals the valve into the seat of the tap. If this washer is worn or twisted, it could be the cause of the dripping, so it’ll have to be removed and replaced.

Sometimes the washer can be levered off the valve. Other times there is a small holding nut, which you’ll have to undo with your small shifting spanner. Most washers are symmetrical, and turning the washer over might be enough to give you a new seal. If it looks worn or twisted out of shape, however, slip down to the plumbers’ supplier (valve in hand) and buy a new one.

Another reason why the tap is dripping could be a faulty seat. Look inside the body of the tap. If the edges of the seat, where the washer normally lies, are chipped or grooved, a seal is impossible. You have several options now, depending on your enthusiasm. One is to scream, plunge the valve (with a new washer on it) back into the seat, do everything up as normal and hope for the best. It might work! The second is to borrow a seat grinder from the local plumbers’ supplier and get instructions from them on how to use it. And the third is to call a plumber and have new taps installed.

Leaks at the top of the tap

A dribble at the top of the tap usually results from a worn gland seal (see illustrtion above). Sometimes there is a gland nut, which can be undone to expose the O-ring that seals the gland to the head. Other times there is a circlip that holds the spindle to the head. Remove this to reveal the O-ring or seal. These can be removed and replaced by rolling them off and on the spindle.

A dripping shower rose

Like taps, shower roses have washers in their working parts to maintain a water seal. Make sure the taps or mixer are turned off. Unscrew the rose from the wall pipe or telephone hose, check the washer and replace it if necessary. If the leak is from where the thread is, undo the fitting to expose the thread, wrap thread tape about eight times around the thread (see ‘Adhesive tapes’ under ‘Use of Glues and Adhesives’ in the Contents List of this website ). Use the full width of the tape across the thread. Now screw the fitting back on.