A bathroom tap that drips when it is off almost always has a worn internal seal. On traditional taps that turn several times, it is the rubber washer. On quarter turn and lever taps, it is the ceramic cartridge. If water appears around the handle instead of from the spout, the O ring or gland seal is the likely culprit. Hard water, which is common across many areas, speeds all of this up by leaving scale on the sealing faces. Most of these faults are repairable; replacement makes sense when parts are gone or the tap is corroded.
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Work out which kind of tap you have
Turn the handle from fully off to fully on. If it takes several turns, you have a compression tap with a rubber washer. If it goes from off to full in a quarter or half turn, it has ceramic discs inside a cartridge. Single lever mixers also use a cartridge, usually one that controls both flow and temperature. Knowing this tells you which part to buy.
Where the water shows tells you the fault
- Drip from the spout when off: washer or cartridge.
- Water round the handle when running: O ring or gland.
- Water pooling under the basin: a tap connector, flexible hose or the waste, not the tap itself.
- Drip only from the hot side: hot water softens rubber faster, so hot washers usually go first.
Safe DIY steps
- Find the isolation valve on the pipe under the basin and turn the slot a quarter turn so it sits across the pipe. If there is no valve, you will need to turn off the stopcock or the supply from the tank.
- Put the plug in so small parts cannot drop down the waste.
- Open the tap to let the pressure out, then prise off the cover cap and undo the handle.
- Unscrew the headgear or cartridge with a correctly sized spanner, holding the tap body steady so it does not twist on the basin.
- Take the old part to a plumbers' merchant to match it, fit the new one, reassemble and turn the water back on slowly.
Stop if anything is seized. Forcing an old fitting can crack a basin or break the tap body, turning a small job into a replacement.
Limescale and why taps wear quickly
Scale builds on ceramic discs and valve seats, stopping them sealing fully. Cleaning a cartridge can sometimes buy time, but if the ceramic faces are scratched it will keep dripping. Wiping taps down and descaling aerators regularly helps them last.
When replacement is the better fix
Replacing is sensible when the tap is old enough that parts are hard to find, when the finish is pitting, or when a mixer has several seals going at once. A new basin tap is also a chance to add isolation valves so future maintenance is simple. Our taps and brassware guide covers styles, finishes and the difference between mono block and pillar taps. If the basin itself is due for change, see basin and vanity unit fitting.
Why fixing a drip matters
A steady drip wastes water around the clock, and on a hot tap it wastes the energy that heated it. Over time it also leaves a stain on the basin or bath that can be hard to shift.
Getting it sorted
Tap, mixer and waste replacements are part of our bathroom repairs service, carried out by our own plumbers. Tell us which tap is dripping or call 01782 901390.
Common questions
Why does my tap still drip when fully turned off?
On older taps with a rubber washer, the washer is worn or the seat it presses on is damaged. On quarter turn and lever taps, the ceramic cartridge has worn or has grit or scale caught in it.
Can I fix a dripping tap myself?
Many people can, if they isolate the water first and identify the right part. The risk is damaging a chrome body or a fixing that has seized. If the tap has no isolation valve, the fix can mean turning off water to the house.
Why is water coming from the base of the tap handle?
That is usually a failed O ring or gland seal around the spindle rather than the main washer or cartridge. It shows when the tap is running rather than when it is off.
When should I replace the tap instead?
When parts are no longer available, when the chrome is pitted and the body is corroded, or when a mixer has several worn seals at once. Replacing a basin tap is also a good time to add isolation valves.