The cost of dripping taps

Even slightly dripping taps can lose 140 litres of water a week. This costs money, so fixing a dripping tap is a job that should not be ignored. With these instructions it is not that difficult.

Instructions for fixing dripping kitchen taps

First switch off the water supply or you will get drenched later on. Look under the sink or at the main water valve and turn the valve anti-clockwise. Turn on the tap to let out residual water from the pipes. Once the water stops flowing, Put the plug in to the bowl to catch anything you accidentally drop.

Now you need to take the top off the tap. There is usually a screw somwehere, often hidden below the plastic Hot or Cold Label. You may need to carefully flick the label up using a screwdriver or small knife.

For example, a two handle kitchen mixer tap like this one is tackled by prising off the flat plastic circle that sits on the top of each tap inside the red or blue indicator rings. Beneath the plastic cap you will find the screw holding the tap assemby. Unscrew this and you will beable to take the whole chromed tap head away, revealing the mechanism beneath.

 

Tools for fixing dripping taps

Using an adjustable wrench or pliers, loosen the packing nut and remove the stem beneath. The rubber washer beneath this is probably the cause of the drip. They get old and inflexible and so they stop working. The answer is to replace it and new washers cost just a few pence from DIY shops.

We hope you found this information about how to fix a dripping tap useful.

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