How to Fix a Leaking Tap in Ferndown

Published July 2026 | Leaking Tap Repair Guide

This guide walks you through diagnosing and repairing a dripping or leaking tap in your home, covering both traditional rubber washer taps and modern ceramic disc mixer taps. It's written for Ferndown homeowners who want to have a go at a basic tap repair themselves before deciding whether to call in a plumber.

Before You Start - Safety First

A leaking tap is rarely an emergency, but that doesn't mean you should skip the basics before you start taking things apart under your sink.

Your first job is to locate the water isolation valve for the tap you're repairing. In most Ferndown homes, you'll find this as a small slotted valve on the supply pipe directly under the sink or basin. Turn it 90 degrees clockwise with a flat-head screwdriver until the slot sits perpendicular to the pipe. If there's no individual isolation valve, you'll need to turn off the whole property at the main stopcock, which is typically found under the kitchen sink or in a utility cupboard.

Once the water is off, open the tap to release any residual pressure and drain the water sitting in the supply line. Put a towel or shallow tray under the work area - water will drip when you open things up, it always does.

A few other things to check before you begin:

• Confirm the tap has stopped dripping after you've isolated the supply. If it hasn't, you may not have fully closed the isolation valve.
• Don't overtighten anything during reassembly. This is one of the most common reasons people end up with a worse leak than when they started.
• In Dorset's harder water areas, limescale build-up can make older tap components particularly fragile. If parts look heavily corroded or calcified, be prepared for the possibility that something may crack during removal.

What You Will Need

Tools

• Adjustable spanner (a 250mm one handles most domestic taps)
• Flat-head screwdriver
• Cross-head screwdriver
• Water pump pliers or gripping pliers
• Allen key set (some tap handles use grub screws)
• Junior hacksaw (only if corroded parts need cutting free - hopefully not)

Materials

The exact parts depend on your tap type, but the most common repairs involve one or more of the following:

• Replacement rubber washers in various sizes - a mixed pack costs around 3 to 5 pounds
• Replacement O-rings - available in assorted packs from most hardware shops
• Ceramic disc cartridge if your tap uses that technology - these typically cost between 8 and 25 pounds depending on brand and model
• PTFE tape for sealing threaded connections - a roll costs about 1 to 2 pounds
• Silicone grease for lubricating O-rings during reassembly

Time Estimate

For a basic rubber washer replacement on a traditional pillar tap, allow 30 to 45 minutes if you've done it before, or up to 90 minutes for a first attempt. A ceramic disc cartridge replacement takes similar hands-on time, but sourcing the correct replacement part can add a day or two if you need to order online.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 - Identify Your Tap Type

Before you can fix a leaking tap, you need to know what kind you're dealing with. Traditional pillar taps have separate hot and cold handles that turn multiple rotations - these almost always leak because of a worn rubber washer. Modern mixer taps use ceramic disc cartridges and typically turn only a quarter turn from fully open to fully closed. If your tap drips from the spout, the internal washer or cartridge is the culprit. If water is coming from around the base of the spout or handle, you're looking at a failed O-ring or deteriorated gland packing.

Step 2 - Isolate the Water Supply

Turn off the water using the isolation valve under the sink or the main stopcock. Open the tap to release pressure and let any remaining water drain out. Confirm there's no flow before you touch anything else. This step is non-negotiable - never attempt to disassemble a tap with water still in the line.

Step 3 - Remove the Tap Handle

Look for a small decorative cap on top of the handle, often marked H or C, or colour-coded with red and blue spots. Prise it off carefully with a flat-head screwdriver - there's usually a screw underneath securing the handle to the spindle. Remove the screw and lift or pull the handle away. Some handles need a gentle rocking motion if they've been in place for years. If it's genuinely stuck, a few drops of penetrating oil left for 10 minutes can make a real difference without forcing anything.

Step 4 - Remove the Headgear or Cartridge

For a traditional pillar tap, you'll now see the headgear - a large brass nut that threads into the tap body. Use your adjustable spanner to unscrew it anticlockwise. This can be tight, particularly in older properties across Ferndown. Once removed, you'll find the jumper and rubber washer at the bottom of the headgear assembly.

For a ceramic disc mixer tap, you'll typically find a cartridge held in place by a retaining nut or clip. Remove this carefully and note the orientation of the cartridge before pulling it out - fitting the replacement the wrong way round is an easy mistake to make.

Step 5 - Replace the Washer or Cartridge

For a rubber washer: the washer is usually held onto the jumper with a small brass nut. Undo it, remove the old washer, and fit the new one. Make sure you match the size - most standard taps use a 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch washer. Take the old one to a hardware shop or order a mixed pack so you have spares for next time.

For a ceramic disc cartridge: take the old cartridge with you to a plumber's merchant, or use the model number to search for the correct replacement. Tap brands like Bristan, Grohe, and Ideal Standard all use specific cartridges - fitting the wrong one simply won't work. Seat the new cartridge in the same orientation as the original, make sure it's properly located, and secure the retaining mechanism.

Step 6 - Reassemble the Tap

Work in reverse order. Refit the headgear or cartridge and tighten firmly but without forcing it. Reattach the handle, replace the screw, and press the decorative cap back into place. If any threaded connections felt suspect during disassembly, wrap two or three turns of PTFE tape clockwise around the thread before reassembly - it's cheap insurance against a slow weep from the joint.

Step 7 - Restore the Supply and Test

Turn the isolation valve back on slowly - a quarter turn at a time - and watch closely for leaks as pressure builds. Operate the tap several times to confirm it works correctly and that the drip has stopped. Let the water run for 30 seconds, turn it off, and then check underneath the sink for any sign of moisture around the pipework or fittings.

What to Do If This Does Not Fix It

Sometimes a repair doesn't hold first time, and that doesn't necessarily mean you did anything wrong. Here are the most common reasons a tap continues to drip after a repair attempt.

Wrong washer size. A washer that's slightly too small or too large won't seat cleanly against the valve seating. Try a size up or down and see if that makes the difference.

A damaged valve seating. The brass seating inside the tap body that the washer presses against can become pitted or corroded over time, especially in Dorset's harder water areas. A tap reseating tool - available from plumber's merchants for around 15 to 25 pounds - can grind it smooth again. It's a slightly more involved job but still within DIY reach if you're comfortable with the basics.

A faulty replacement cartridge. If you've fitted a new ceramic cartridge and the tap still drips, check that you have the correct part for your specific model. It's worth contacting the tap manufacturer directly with the model number to confirm compatibility.

Internal limescale damage. If the internal components of the tap are heavily scaled, a descaler product may help, but in some cases the tap body itself is too far gone and the tap needs replacing outright.

If you've run the Voltrade GoFIX diagnostic process and the tool is flagging a deeper fault, that's typically a reliable indicator that the issue goes beyond a basic washer or cartridge replacement.

When to Stop and Call a Professional

Some tap problems are best left to a qualified plumber. Our engineers see these situations regularly across Ferndown and the surrounding parts of Dorset, and knowing when to put the spanner down can save you from turning a small job into an expensive one.

You've cracked or stripped a fitting. If you've rounded off a nut or cracked a ceramic component, stop immediately, turn off the water supply, and call a plumber. Continuing will almost certainly make things worse.

The tap body or surrounding pipework is visibly corroded. Disturbing corroded pipework can cause it to fail entirely. If the pipes behind the tap look heavily degraded, get a professional to assess the situation before you touch anything.

You can't isolate the water supply. Never attempt to dismantle a tap while water is still flowing. If your stopcock is seized or not working, call a plumber before you do anything else. A stuck stopcock is a separate job that needs sorting regardless.

The leak is coming from the pipework rather than the tap itself. Pipe repairs are a different discipline and in many cases require a qualified, Watersafe-registered plumber depending on the system involved.

A professional plumber in the Ferndown area will typically charge between 60 and 100 pounds per hour, with most basic tap repairs completed within an hour. A full tap replacement, including parts and labour, commonly comes to between 120 and 250 pounds depending on the tap specification and how accessible the pipework is.

Questions About This Process

How do I know whether my tap uses a rubber washer or a ceramic disc?

The easiest way to tell is by how the tap turns. Traditional rubber washer taps rotate through multiple full turns and you'll feel them tighten gradually as you close them. Ceramic disc taps typically move only a quarter turn from fully open to fully closed. If your tap was fitted before around 2000, it's more likely to use a rubber washer. Any modern branded mixer tap, particularly from manufacturers like Bristan, Grohe, or Ideal Standard, will almost certainly be ceramic disc.

Can a dripping tap really make a difference to my water bill?

Yes, and the numbers are worth taking seriously. A tap dripping at just one drop per second can waste around 5,000 litres of water per year. For metered properties in Dorset, that translates to a real cost - commonly in the range of 10 to 20 pounds per year for a slow drip, and significantly more for a faster leak. Beyond the bill, a persistent leak usually signals that an internal component is under stress, and if left long enough in Ferndown's older housing stock, it can lead to water damage that costs far more to put right than the original repair.

Is there anything I should check before buying replacement tap parts?

Yes - take clear photos of the tap and the internal components before you disassemble anything. Note any brand name or model number printed on the tap body, which is sometimes found underneath or on the back. If you're replacing a ceramic cartridge, take the old one with you to a plumber's merchant rather than guessing by size alone. Getting the wrong cartridge is one of the most common mistakes on this type of repair, and most good merchants will help you match it up if you bring the original part with you.