Dripping tap: how to fix it and when to call a plumber

A dripping tap is a small job, but it is worth sorting quickly. On a water meter you pay for every drop. A dripping hot tap also wastes the energy used to heat the water. And a drip that is ignored can wear the tap seat so a simple washer no longer fixes it.

Which kind of tap do you have?

Washer taps have handles that turn several full turns from off to fully on. Older crosshead and capstan taps, common in Victorian and Edwardian bathrooms that have not been refitted, are usually this type. Inside, a rubber washer presses down onto a seat to stop the flow. When the washer wears or hardens, water seeps past.

Ceramic cartridge taps turn a quarter or half turn. Most modern mixer and lever taps use these. Inside, two ceramic discs slide over each other. Grit, scale or a crack stops them sealing.

Single lever mixer taps usually have one cartridge that controls both hot and cold.

What causes the drip in Sheffield homes

Soft water in the west

Most of west and south west Sheffield has very soft water. Yorkshire Water’s 2025 water quality report puts the Ringinglow supply zone, which covers much of Ecclesall, Greystones, Dore and Totley, at 9.3 mg/l calcium. Limescale is rarely the cause of a drip there. It is usually a washer that has worn or perished, or grit in a cartridge. Our Ecclesall area page covers other common jobs in those homes.

Harder water in the east

In Handsworth, Woodhouse and Rotherham, the water is moderately hard to hard, between about 69 and 90 mg/l calcium in Yorkshire Water’s figures. Scale builds on ceramic cartridges and stops them sealing, and makes taps stiff. Scale also builds on the seat of washer taps, so a new washer may not seal well on a rough seat.

How to fix a washer tap

1. Turn off the water. Use the isolating valve on the pipe under the basin, turning the slot a quarter turn so it is across the pipe. If there is no valve, turn off at the stop tap.
2. Open the tap to let the water drain out.
3. Put the plug in so small parts cannot fall down the drain.
4. Remove the handle. There is often a cover cap hiding a screw.
5. Unscrew the headgear with a spanner, holding the tap body steady so you do not twist the pipe.
6. Swap the washer. Take the old one to a plumbers merchant to match the size.
7. Reassemble, turn the water back on and test.

If the tap still drips with a new washer, the seat may be worn. A plumber can regrind it or fit a seat insert, or replace the tap.

How to fix a cartridge tap

1. Turn off the water and open the tap to drain it.
2. Remove the handle and any cover.
3. Unscrew the cartridge with the right spanner.
4. Check it. If it has grit or scale, cleaning it may help. If the discs are chipped, it needs replacing.
5. Match the cartridge. Cartridges vary by make. Take the old one with you, or note the tap brand and model.
6. Fit the new one, reassemble and test.

When a new tap is the better answer

• The tap is very old and corroded.
• Parts are no longer made for it.
• It is stiff even after a new washer or cartridge.
• The body is cracked or leaking at the base.
• You want a different style anyway.

A new basin or kitchen tap is a straightforward job if the isolating valves are in place.

Drips from other places

Not every drip is from the spout:

Where the water comes from	Likely cause
From the spout when off	Worn washer or cartridge
From around the handle	Worn O ring or gland packing
From the base of the tap	Worn base seal or loose tap
Under the sink, on the pipes	Loose connector or tap tail, see our post on a leak under the kitchen sink

Landlords and shared houses

In shared houses near the universities, taps get heavy use and small drips are often ignored. A quick check of every tap between tenancies saves bigger repairs and higher bills later. Our tap and toilet repairs page explains how we handle several small jobs in one visit.

When to call a plumber

Call a plumber if:

• There is no isolating valve and the stop tap is stiff.
• The tap is seized and you are worried about twisting the pipe.
• A new washer or cartridge has not fixed it.
• The tap is leaking under the sink as well as from the spout.

Tell us the tap type, where it drips from and a photo if you can, and we will tell you what part it is likely to need.