Why is my mixer tap dripping

Typically it will be the ceramic discs which have failed due to corrosion or the rubber washers or seals that will have perished. This is more likely to occur in a hard water area so you might consider investing in a water softener as this will increase the life of these sorts of parts and other appliances too.

If you have the make and model of the tape this will be much easier as you can contact the manufacture or tell your local plumbers merchant. If you cannot find the model, but know the make, you can still contact the manufacturer. Most have technical helplines than might be able to assist you. Failing that it is a case of taking the part to your local merchant or trawling the web to find a replacement, which is why most plumbers recommend simply swapping the whole mixer tap.

Check out our video on section on bathroom leaks and also how to repair a tap to watch a couple of films on repairing plumbing in your home. All project content written and produced by Mike Edwards , founder of DIY Doctor and industry expert in building technology.

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Search this website. Blog DIY Competitions. Twitter Facebook Pin It Buffer. Project Page Menu. Mixer Tap Nozzle Remove The Mixer Spout From The Tap Mixer spouts are held on in three ways, either there is a large snap ring between the spout and the body this is normally hidden by a "skirt" which either screws down or is held in position with a very small "grub" screw, normally at the back which can be closed and removed with a pair of pliers.

Removing Mixer Spout Replace The Old Seal With a New One Depending on the make and model of your mixer tap will in some cases depend on the size of replacement seal ring you will need to use.

If you can only rotate the handle through a quarter of a turn it will normally be a ceramic disc type of tap. Handles on rubber washer type designs can often be rotated a full turn or more. The majority of modern taps now use ceramic disc cartridges as opposed to rubber washers to prevent dripping.

Ceramic disc taps feature a cartridge within the tap that contain a pair of ceramic discs. One of these discs remains in a constant fixed position and the other rotates when the handle is operated. Both of the ceramic discs feature two holes, when the tap lever is turned the moveable disc rotates and the holes align with the holes in the static disc to allow water to flow through, a turn in the opposite direction switches off the tap and will stop the water flow.

If you do experience dripping this is usually caused by a scratched ceramic disc. In order to rectify the leak you must replace the entire cartridge as follows. Ceramic taps can also drip at the base of the cartridge if the seal has perished. It is worthwhile taking the damaged cartridge with you when buying a replacement to ensure you purchase the correct replacements. A small number of people experience problems a few weeks after the installation of a new tap.

A leaking tap that has been recently installed could be due to a chip in the cartridge caused by dirt in the water supply. It is important that you always flush out the system BEFORE installing a new faucet, failure to do so could result in dirt and debris becoming lodged in the cartridge causing damage.

The valve seat is situated beneath the tap valve and is there to create a completely water tight seal. To check and replace it, carefully remove the spout. You will then need to use a flat-head screwdriver to loosen and lift off the o-ring.

Slide the replacement o-ring on and put the spout back. Some modern mixer taps including monobloc taps operate with ceramic discs instead of rubber washers, which are hidden inside cartridges within the tap. There is one cartridge for hot water and another for cold water. If one of the ceramic discs breaks the most common cause for a leaking tap , you will need to replace the whole cartridge. Make sure you buy an exact replacement and follow the steps below.

Cut off your water supply at the stopcock or isolation valve. Run your taps to check the water has stopped. Unscrew the handles of your tap and carefully remove any decorative parts with a flat head screwdriver. This can be easily removed with your flat head screwdriver too. Make sure you know which one is your hot water and which one is your cold water cartridge. Take out the damaged cartridge and simply pop in a new one.

If this is a little tricky, a squirt of lubricant like WD40 should loosen it up. With the pipe wrench in one hand and the adjustable spanner in the other, loosen the large hexagonal nut while holding the tap in place. Make sure you keep track of which parts go where to make it easier to put it all back together again. Now that you have removed the stem, you should be able to see the source of the dripping. Check the small washer at the bottom of the stem for signs of wear and tear. If it is worn down, replace it and put the tap back together.

If the washer is not the problem, it could lie with the O-ring which is found in the base of the spout that sits inside the spindle. Unscrew the spout and replace the O-ring before putting everything back together. With modern mixer taps, there is a cartridge which holds two ceramic discs instead of washers. There is one disc for the hot water and one for the cold water.

If these components break, you will need to replace the entire cartridge. As with the DIY repair above, you should always turn off the water supply before starting any repair works on your taps. Turn the water off at the mains and then turn the tap on to drain any remaining water.

Make sure you switch between hot and cold to completely drain the pipes. Remove the decorative parts with a flathead screwdriver and keep them safe. You should now see a central screw which you will need to remove.

This may be hidden behind a smaller screw, called a grub screw.