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There’s nothing more annoying than the sight and, indeed, sound of a leaky bathroom tap! What's more, dripping taps waste water, cost money, and can often stain your bathroom suite. Yet, this is one problem that, if left, can escalate and become problematic for your entire bathroom space.
Fortunately, repairing a leaky tap is easy and can be done as a quick five-minute DIY task. Here The Bathroom Showroom shows you how to fix a leaky bathroom tap.

What Causes a Leaky Tap?

The tap washer is most commonly the main reason for a leaky bathroom tap. As these washers are made of rubber, they will perish over time. This is often due to the presence of limescale or material wear. As a result, the tight seal they formed in your tap when new begins to wear away. So, this reduces the effectiveness leading to degradation of the washer and ultimately leaking. 

What Tools You’ll Need To Fix a Leaky Bathroom Tap 

  • A wrench
  • An adjustable spanner
  • A positive-head screwdriver
  • A bucket
  • An old cloth
  • A new tap washer

How To Fix Your Leaky Tap By DIY

  • Firstly, switch your water off before you attempt this job. This is extremely important as you’ll need to isolate the water when carrying out this plumbing task. You can do this either at the stop cock or if your tap has an isolation valve, found under the basin, you can switch it off there. 
  • Once you've isolated the water, you should notice the tap stop dripping straightaway. This means you can carry on safely with this fix. But, it’s always a good idea to keep a bucket under your basin while working on this job, just to ensure your units and floor are protected should any water leak during the process. 
  • Take the basin waste or plug and seal your basin plug hole. This means that when you open up your tap, any screws that may come out won't end up lost down the drain!
  • Using a screwdriver, carefully loosen and unscrew the very top of your bathroom tap and remove it.
  • With your positive head screwdriver, place it on the top of your tap and work to remove the screw inside it. This will allow you to remove the head of your tap. 
  • You should then be able to use your hand and simply unscrew the middle section of your tap to remove it. This will allow you to get to the specific part of your bathroom tap that requires attention to fix the dripping.
  • Take your cloth and place it over the remaining tap area, to keep this part protected, and then secure this area with your wrench.
  • Using the spanner, place this on the head of your tap and loosen it to remove it. 
  • You will now be able to see the rubber washer in your tap - the culprit of your leaky tap.
  • Using your adjustable spanner, undo the tiny screw holding the washer in place and remove the old washer. 
  • Replace the old washer with your new tap washer.
  • Place the tiny screw back over the washer and tighten it to hold. 
  • Then place the entire tap back together, tightening each screw as you go. 
  • When finished, you can then turn the stop cock or isolation valve back on and try out your tap.

Drip-Free Bathroom Taps Prevent Costly Plumbing Bills

As you can see, fixing a leaky tap is a simple task. More importantly, by doing this job as soon as you notice your tap dripping, you can save a lot of hassle long-term.
Taps left to leak are often the cause of water damage, potential flooding in this room, health hazards, and ultimately a costly bill from a professional plumber! So, by making it your priority you can ensure your bathroom continues to both function well and look great long-term.
For more bathroom ideas and bathroom inspiration, take a look at both our Blog and Rest & Relaxation section.
If you’re looking for further help with creating a beautiful healthy bathroom space, book an appointment with The Bathroom Showroom. Experts in all things bathrooms, we can help turn your dream bathroom into a reality.