How to Fix a Leaking Tap in Runcorn

Published August 2026 | Leaking Tap Repair Guide

This guide covers how to diagnose and repair the most common types of leaking tap found in UK homes, including dripping spouts, leaks around the base, and worn cartridges. It's written for homeowners in Runcorn and the wider Cheshire area who want to tackle the job themselves before deciding whether to bring in a professional plumber.

A dripping tap wastes more water than most people realise - typically several litres per day if the leak is persistent - and the underlying cause is usually a worn washer, a failed O-ring, or a tired cartridge. In most cases, fixing it takes under an hour if you've got the right parts to hand. Our engineers put together this guide based on the repairs they see most often in homes across Runcorn and Cheshire.

Before you start - safety first

Before you touch anything under the sink or inside the tap body, you need to isolate the water supply. Skipping this step is the most common reason DIY tap repairs turn into emergency callouts.

Here's what to do before you start:

• Find your isolation valve. Most modern taps have an inline isolation valve on the supply pipe beneath the sink. Turn it a quarter turn with a flat-head screwdriver until the slot is perpendicular to the pipe - that means it's closed.
• If there's no isolation valve, you'll need to turn off the water at the main stop valve. This is usually located under the kitchen sink, in the airing cupboard, or near the water meter. In older Runcorn properties it's sometimes in a utility room or cellar.
• Turn on the tap after isolating to release any residual pressure and confirm the water is off. If it keeps running freely, the isolation hasn't worked - don't proceed until it stops.
• Have a towel and a bucket ready. Even with the supply off, there's often water sitting in the pipework that'll drain out when you open things up.
• Work in good light. A head torch is useful if you're working inside a cabinet.

Don't rush this stage. A few extra minutes confirming the supply is properly off will save you a lot of trouble.

What you will need

Getting everything together before you start saves trips back and forth to the kitchen and means you're not leaving the supply off for longer than necessary.

Tools:

• Adjustable spanner or basin wrench
• Flat-head and cross-head screwdrivers
• Slip-joint pliers (with a cloth or tape to protect chrome finishes)
• A small pick or dental tool for removing O-rings
• Penetrating oil (like WD-40) if the fittings are stiff

Materials:

• Replacement tap washers - a mixed pack costs around 2 to 5 pounds and covers most standard sizes
• O-ring set - again, a mixed assortment is around 3 to 8 pounds from any plumbers' merchant or hardware shop
• Replacement cartridge if you have a single-lever or ceramic disc tap - these typically cost between 8 and 30 pounds depending on the tap brand and model
• PTFE tape for sealing threaded connections
• Plumber's grease

Time estimate: Allow 45 minutes to 90 minutes for a first attempt. If you've done this before, a washer replacement typically takes 20 to 30 minutes. Cartridge replacements can take slightly longer if the tap is awkward to access.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Identify what type of tap you have

Not all taps work the same way, and the repair approach depends entirely on the type. Traditional pillar taps (the kind with separate hot and cold handles) use rubber washers and O-rings. Mixer taps with a single lever typically use ceramic disc cartridges. Ball-type mixer taps are less common in UK homes but use a different cartridge system again. If you're not sure, run a quick search of your tap model or use the Voltrade GoFIX diagnostic tool to identify the type and find the correct replacement parts before you dismantle anything.

Step 2: Turn off the water supply and open the tap

With the water isolated as described above, open the tap fully to release any remaining water pressure and drain the spout. Put the plug in the basin or sink so you don't lose any small screws or components down the drain. This sounds obvious but our engineers in Runcorn properties see it happen regularly.

Step 3: Remove the tap handle

Look for a decorative cap on top of the handle - this is usually a small plastic or chrome disc marked "H" or "C" that pops off with a flat-head screwdriver. Underneath you'll find a screw holding the handle in place. Remove the screw, then lift the handle straight up. If it's stiff, a gentle rocking motion usually loosens it without forcing. Don't yank or you risk cracking the body.

Step 4: Remove the headgear or cartridge

For pillar taps, there's a hexagonal brass nut - the headgear - that you'll see once the handle is off. Use an adjustable spanner to undo this anticlockwise. Once it's free, lift the entire headgear assembly out. At the bottom of the spindle you'll see the rubber washer, held in place by a small brass nut. Remove the nut, pull off the old washer, and compare it to the replacements in your kit to find the right size.

For mixer taps with cartridges, the cartridge usually pulls straight out once the handle and any retaining clip are removed. Take the old cartridge to a plumbers' merchant or photograph it clearly so you buy an exact replacement. Generic cartridges don't always seat correctly.

Step 5: Replace the washer or O-ring

For pillar taps, fit the new washer to the spindle and secure the small brass nut. Don't overtighten - snug is enough. While you've got the headgear out, inspect the O-ring that sits around the body of the spindle. If it looks flattened, cracked, or perished, replace it at the same time. A leaking tap base is almost always a failed O-ring, and replacing just the washer when the O-ring is also worn means you'll be back in here again soon. Apply a thin smear of plumber's grease to the new O-ring before fitting.

For cartridge replacements, slot the new cartridge in the same orientation as the old one. Many cartridges are keyed so they only go in one way - if it doesn't seat easily, check you've got the correct alignment before applying any force.

Step 6: Reassemble the tap

Work in reverse order: refit the headgear or cartridge, tighten the retaining nut firmly but without excessive force, replace the handle, refit the screw, and pop the decorative cap back on. If any threaded connections felt loose on the way out, a wrap or two of PTFE tape on the thread before reassembly will help seal them properly.

Step 7: Restore the water supply and test

Turn the isolation valve or stop valve back on slowly. Watch around the base of the tap and the supply connections underneath for any signs of dripping as the pressure returns. Then close the tap fully and check the spout for drips over the next few minutes. A successful repair should give you a completely dry spout when closed and a positive, non-stiff action when opened. If it feels harder to turn than before, the headgear nut may be slightly overtightened - back it off a fraction.

What to do if this does not fix it

If you've replaced the washer and the tap is still dripping from the spout, the seat - the brass surface inside the tap body that the washer presses against - may be pitted or damaged. Over time, especially in areas with harder water, the seat can corrode and no washer will seal against it properly. In this case, you have two options: a tap reseating tool (also called a tap seat grinder), which costs around 10 to 20 pounds and resurfaces the seat, or replacement of the entire tap.

If the leak is coming from around the base of the tap handle rather than the spout, the problem is almost certainly the O-ring rather than the washer. Go back in and replace the O-ring if you haven't already.

Mixer taps that still drip after a cartridge replacement are sometimes the result of fitting an incompatible cartridge. It's worth double-checking the model number against the manufacturer's parts list. Brands like Bristan, Grohe, and Pegler all use model-specific cartridges, and a cartridge that's close but not exact won't seal reliably.

When to stop and call a professional

There are some situations where the sensible call is to put the tools down and get a qualified plumber in. Our engineers across Runcorn and Cheshire regularly attend jobs where a DIY attempt has gone further than it should have.

Stop and call a plumber if:

• You can't isolate the water supply, or the stop valve is stuck or leaking itself
• The tap body or pipework shows signs of corrosion, cracks, or significant scale build-up
• The supply pipes are soldered copper or old iron and you're not comfortable working with them
• The leak is coming from the pipe fittings beneath the sink rather than the tap itself
• You're dealing with a tap that feeds a combi boiler or unvented hot water cylinder - these systems are under higher pressure and mistakes can cause more serious damage
• The tap is old enough that replacement parts are no longer available and you'd rather fit a new tap entirely

A plumber's callout in Runcorn typically costs between 60 and 120 pounds for the first hour, and most tap repairs are completed within that time. If a new tap is needed, budget for the tap itself - anywhere from 30 pounds for a basic model to 200 pounds or more for a quality mixer - plus fitting, which commonly adds another 60 to 150 pounds depending on access and whether pipework needs adjusting.

Getting a repair done properly first time usually works out cheaper than a DIY attempt that leads to water damage or pipework that needs cutting out. If you're in Cheshire and you're not confident after reading this guide, that's a reasonable outcome - knowing your limits is part of doing the job well.

Questions about this process

How long does a tap repair typically take?

A washer replacement on a standard pillar tap typically takes between 20 and 45 minutes once you've got the parts ready. A cartridge replacement on a mixer tap can take slightly longer, usually 45 minutes to an hour, particularly if you need to identify and order the correct cartridge first. If it's your first time and you're working in a tight space under a kitchen sink in an older Runcorn property, allow a bit more time so you're not rushing.

What causes a tap to start leaking in the first place?

The most common cause is a rubber washer or O-ring that's worn out through regular use. Washers compress every time you turn the tap off, and over time they harden, crack, or deform and stop forming a proper seal. In Cheshire, areas with moderately hard water can accelerate this wear and also cause scale build-up on the tap seat, which stops even a new washer from seating correctly. Cartridges in mixer taps tend to last longer but eventually the ceramic discs inside wear or chip.

Can I fix a leaking tap without turning off the water to the whole house?

In most cases, yes - if your tap has an inline isolation valve on its supply pipe, you only need to close that valve rather than the main stop tap for the whole property. These quarter-turn isolation valves are fitted as standard in most homes built or replumbed in the last 20 to 30 years. If your Runcorn home is older and doesn't have them, a plumber can fit isolation valves at the same time as fixing the tap, which makes future maintenance much easier and typically adds around 20 to 40 pounds to the job.