How to Fix a Leaking Tap in Ilford

Published August 2026 | Leaking Tap Repair

This guide walks you through how to diagnose and repair the most common types of leaking tap found in UK homes, from dripping kitchen mixers to constantly running bathroom taps. It's written for confident DIYers who are comfortable using basic hand tools and want to tackle the job themselves before calling a plumber.

Before you start - safety first

Before you touch anything under the sink or behind a panel, you need to know where your main stopcock is. In most Ilford properties, this is under the kitchen sink or near the front door in a small cupboard. Turn it clockwise until it stops. If it hasn't been used in years, it may be stiff - apply gentle, steady pressure rather than forcing it. Forcing a seized stopcock can crack the valve body, which is a much more expensive problem than a dripping tap.

Once the water is off, open the tap fully to release any residual pressure in the pipes. Put a towel or tray underneath the area you're working on - there will always be some water left in the supply lines, and it will come out when you disconnect fittings. This is especially worth remembering in older properties across Greater London where pipe layouts can be less predictable.

Check the surrounding area for signs of water damage before you start. If you can see staining on the cabinet base, swollen chipboard, or mould on the wall behind the tap, the leak has been ongoing for some time. Make a note of this - it may affect your approach and whether the job has grown beyond a simple washer swap.

What you will need

Getting your tools and parts together before you start saves time and prevents that frustrating moment when you've got the tap half apart and realise you're missing something.

Tools:

• Adjustable spanner (or two, for tap connectors)
• Flat-head and cross-head screwdrivers
• Grub screw key (Allen key set, 2mm to 6mm range)
• Slip-joint pliers
• Old cloth or rag for grip and protection
• Bucket or washing-up bowl
• Torch - under-sink lighting is often poor

Materials:

• Replacement tap washers (pack of assorted sizes, typically 2 to 5 pounds)
• O-rings (assorted kit, typically 3 to 8 pounds)
• Replacement ceramic cartridge if applicable (typically 8 to 25 pounds depending on tap brand)
• Plumber's silicone grease
• PTFE tape

Time estimate: Allow 45 to 90 minutes for a first attempt. If you've done it before, most washer or cartridge swaps take 20 to 30 minutes. Older taps with seized components can take longer.

Parts for a typical repair cost between 5 and 30 pounds from a plumbing merchant or large DIY retailer. If you're buying a full replacement ceramic cartridge for a branded tap, check the manufacturer's website for the exact part number - generic equivalents sometimes don't seal correctly.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1 - Identify what type of tap you have

The repair method depends on tap type. There are two main categories in UK homes. Traditional taps (crosshead or capstan handles) use a rubber washer that presses against a brass seat to stop the flow. These are common in older Ilford properties built before the 1990s. Modern quarter-turn taps use a ceramic disc cartridge instead. You'll know you have a ceramic cartridge tap if the handle turns less than a quarter turn from fully closed to fully open. Mixer taps can use either system, sometimes one mechanism per side.

Identifying the type first means you buy the right parts and use the right technique. Our engineers commonly see people buy washers for a ceramic cartridge tap and then wonder why the repair hasn't worked.

Step 2 - Turn off the water supply and release pressure

Turn off your main stopcock or, if your property has them, the individual isolator valves on the supply pipes directly under the tap (these take a flat-head screwdriver - turn the slot to sit at 90 degrees to the pipe). Open the tap to confirm the water is off and to drain the residual water. Place your bucket under the work area.

Step 3 - Remove the tap handle

Most tap handles are held on by a screw hidden under a decorative cap on the top of the handle. Pop the cap off with a flat-head screwdriver - it's usually just clipped or screwed in place. Underneath you'll find a Phillips or slotted screw. Remove this and the handle should lift straight off. If it's stuck, don't yank it. Rock it gently side to side while pulling upward. Handles sometimes seize onto the spindle after years of inactivity.

For lever-style mixer taps, the grub screw is usually on the underside of the lever, or on the side near the base of the handle. You'll need the appropriate Allen key to undo this.

Step 4 - Remove the tap headgear or cartridge

With the handle off, you'll see the headgear - the main valve assembly that controls the flow. On traditional taps, this screws into the tap body. Use your adjustable spanner with a cloth wrapped around the headgear to protect the chrome finish, and turn anticlockwise. It may be tight if it hasn't been touched in years.

On ceramic cartridge taps, the cartridge is typically held in place by a retaining nut or clip. Remove this and the cartridge should pull straight out. Note which direction it's facing before you remove it - they're directional, and fitting it back the wrong way round means the hot and cold sides will be reversed.

Step 5 - Replace the washer or cartridge

For traditional taps: at the bottom of the headgear you'll see a rubber washer held by a small brass nut. Undo the nut, remove the old washer (it'll likely be hardened, flat, or cracked), and press the new one in. Refit the nut. Apply a thin smear of silicone grease to the washer before refitting.

While the headgear is out, shine a torch into the tap body and look at the brass seat - the flat ring the washer presses against. If it looks pitted or grooved, a new washer won't cure the drip. You'll need to re-grind the seat with a tap reseating tool, or this becomes a job for a plumber.

For ceramic cartridge taps: take the old cartridge to a plumbing merchant and match it by size and brand. Ilford has several good plumbing trade counters, so this is usually manageable on the same day. Fit the new cartridge in the same orientation as the old one, ensuring any locating lugs click into place.

Step 6 - Inspect and replace O-rings if needed

If your tap is leaking from the base of the spout or around the body rather than from the outlet, the problem is usually a worn O-ring rather than the main washer. These are rubber rings that sit in grooves around the tap body. With the tap disassembled, check all visible O-rings. If any look flattened, cracked, or have lost their round cross-section, replace them. Roll the new O-rings into position and apply a light coat of silicone grease to help them seat correctly and extend their life.

Step 7 - Reassemble, turn the water back on, and test

Refit the headgear or cartridge, then the handle, then the decorative cap. Turn the water supply back on slowly - a sudden surge can disturb new washers. Let it come up to full pressure over 30 seconds or so. With the tap closed, check for drips at the outlet and at the base. Open and close the tap several times. If everything's dry, you're done.

If you're unsure at any stage before starting the repair, the Voltrade GoFIX diagnostic tool can help you identify the fault type and confirm whether a DIY fix is appropriate, or whether an engineer needs to attend.

What to do if this does not fix it

If the tap is still dripping after replacing the washer, the most common cause in older Greater London properties is a damaged tap seat. The brass seat inside the tap body develops grooves over time from mineral deposits and the constant pressure of the washer. Even a perfect new washer won't seal against a damaged seat.

A tap reseating tool (sometimes called a tap reseater or seat grinder) can fix this. These cost around 20 to 40 pounds and work by grinding the brass seat back to a flat, smooth surface. It's a tool most plumbers carry but few homeowners own. If you're confident with the process, it's worth having a go - instructions are typically included with the tool. If not, this is a sensible point to call in a professional.

If the drip continues after a cartridge replacement, check that the cartridge is the correct part number for your tap model. Generic cartridges can be fractionally different in dimensions and may not seal fully. Tap brands common in the UK market - including Bristan, Grohe, Hansgrohe, and Ideal Standard - all have specific cartridge part numbers, and using the correct one matters.

A leak that reappears quickly after repair can also point to a water pressure issue. Properties in parts of Greater London can experience higher mains pressure than taps are designed for, which accelerates wear on washers and cartridges. A pressure-reducing valve on the incoming supply can address this if it's a recurring problem.

When to stop and call a professional

Some situations call for a plumber, and recognising them early saves you time and avoids making things worse.

Call a plumber if:

• The tap body, spout, or supply fittings are visibly corroded or damaged. Forcing corroded connections can crack them, leading to a much larger leak.
• You find water damage inside the cabinet - swollen wood, mould, or rust staining on the floor. This suggests the leak has been going longer than just the tap dripping, and there may be more to investigate.
• The stopcock itself is seized and you can't turn the water off. This needs to be addressed as a priority, ideally before anything else is touched.
• Multiple taps in the property are leaking simultaneously. This can indicate a pressure or system-wide issue rather than a simple local fault.
• You're dealing with a boiler-fed hot water system and you're not sure what circuits are involved. Interfering with pressurised heating systems without the right knowledge carries real risks.

A plumber in Ilford or the surrounding Greater London area will typically charge between 60 and 120 pounds per hour for call-out work, with a standard tap repair often completed within one to two hours. Parts are extra. If you need a more involved job - such as tap replacement, pipe repair, or stopcock replacement - expect to pay 150 to 350 pounds in total depending on access and complexity. Getting a quote before work starts is always sensible.

Questions about this process

How do I know if my tap has a washer or a ceramic cartridge?

The quickest test is how far the handle turns. If the tap goes from fully closed to fully open in less than a quarter turn, it has a ceramic disc cartridge. If the handle needs to rotate further - sometimes multiple full turns - it's a traditional washer-based tap. Quarter-turn operation became standard in most new taps fitted in UK homes from the mid-1990s onward, so older properties in Ilford are more likely to have the traditional washer type.

Can a dripping tap increase my water bill significantly?

It can, more than most people expect. A tap dripping at one drop per second wastes roughly 10,000 litres of water per year. For metered properties - which are increasingly common across Greater London as water metering expands - that can add 15 to 30 pounds per year to your bill for a single tap. A faster drip or a constantly running tap costs considerably more. Fixing the leak promptly is worth it both financially and for reducing water waste.

Is it worth replacing an old tap rather than repairing it?

If your tap is repeatedly failing, the chrome is pitting, or parts are becoming difficult to source, replacement is often the better investment. A new basin mixer tap from a reputable UK supplier typically costs between 40 and 150 pounds, with full replacement by a plumber adding 80 to 200 pounds in labour. That's a one-time cost versus ongoing repair bills and water waste. If the tap is more than 15 to 20 years old and has needed attention more than once in recent years, replacement is commonly the more economical choice in the long run.