Repairing a Leaking Tap
Repairing a leaking tap is a pretty straight forward procedure.
The first thing that needs to be done is to turn off the water supply at the mains. Please make sure that there are no appliances using water when you do so. (e.g. washing machine, dishwasher)
Next open up the tap you are going to repair, and let the remaining water in the line drain itself out. After it is all drained, you might want to put a plug in the drain in case something falls down it. For this procedure all the parts are actually bigger than the drain hole so there shouldn't be a problem. I just to do this whenever i work near a drain.
The next step is to remove all the tap fixtures. This can be done by gently unscrewing the tap cap screw.
Now simply lift off the tap handle. Once the tap handle is off, the tap base fixture can be removed by unscrewing it.
Using an adjustable wrench, place it over the tap assembly onto the hexagonal base. Loosen the assembly by turning the wrench counter clockwise, then remove it completely. When you remove the tap assembly you might find that the tap valve is stuck inside the housing. You can try and remove it with your fingers or with a pair of pliers.
Next step is to replace the faulty tap valve with the new one. You can place it into the housing, and then replace the tap assembly and tighten. Please check the body washer to make sure it isn't damaged prior to re-installing the tap assembly.
Now we need to check for leaks. Place the tap handle on the tap and turn the tap off. The main water supply needs to be turned back on. Then check the repaired tap for any leaks. you might want to dry the tap and its surrounds with a rag.
It makes it easier to detect leaks, should there be any. If there are no leaks present then you can take the tap handle off and replace all the fixtures. If water is leaking from the base of the tap assembly then tighten it slightly. If it continues then the body washer might be damaged and need replacing also. If you have water leaking from the top of the tap assembly, then you will need to replace the rubber O'ring.
If after checking and replacing all the seals your tap continues to drip, it may be that it needs to be reseated. If this is the case then check out our guide on How to reseat a tap.
Tap Valve
This tap valve has a split in it, which caused the same effect as having a tap fully open. The mains supply had to be turned off until a repair was made.
Tap Body
This tap body had become corroded and was difficult to open and close. The rubber o ring was not sealing correctly and water was leaking out of the top of the body, and overtime it began to seize.