Leaking Tap Repair Guide for Slough Homeowners

Published September 2026 | Leaking Tap Repair

You turn off the kitchen tap, walk away, and the dripping starts almost immediately - quiet at first, then relentless once the house goes quiet at night. You tell yourself you'll deal with it at the weekend, but three weeks later it's still going, the water stain under the basin is spreading, and you're starting to wonder how much it's adding to your bill. It's one of the most common calls our engineers receive from homeowners across Slough, and in most cases, it's entirely fixable once you understand what's actually going wrong.

Understanding the Problem - What Is Actually Happening

A dripping tap is a sealing failure. Somewhere inside the tap mechanism, a component that's supposed to block the flow of water when the handle is closed has either worn out, cracked, or can no longer press firmly enough against the surface it's designed to seal against.

Most household taps work by using a washer, ceramic disc cartridge, or similar component to press against a valve seat and cut off the water supply. When that component degrades - or when the seat it presses against becomes rough or corroded - water finds its way through the gap, and you get the familiar drip from the spout.

Slough sits in a hard water area, supplied primarily through Thames Water's network drawing from chalk aquifers. This matters because hard water accelerates limescale build-up inside tap components, wearing down rubber washers faster and roughening the brass valve seats that washers press against. It also causes ceramic cartridges in mixer taps to grit up and fail earlier than you'd see in softer water regions. Our engineers here in Berkshire regularly find limescale is the underlying reason a tap that should have lasted 20 years has started failing after 10.

There are two distinct types of leak worth recognising. A drip from the spout when the tap is fully off points to a sealing failure inside the mechanism. A leak from the base of the tap or from around the handle suggests a different set of worn parts - usually O-rings or packing material around the spindle. The diagnosis shapes the repair, so it's worth observing exactly where the water is coming from before you start taking anything apart.

The Most Common Causes of a Leaking Tap

A Worn Rubber Washer

In older-style compression taps - the kind with separate hot and cold handles that you turn multiple rotations to open and close - a rubber washer sits at the bottom of the headgear assembly and presses against a brass seat. Every single use compresses and releases that washer. After years of this, the rubber hardens, splits, or develops an uneven surface that can no longer form a proper seal.

Replacing a tap washer is the classic plumbing DIY job and costs very little in materials - typically under 50 pence per washer. The job itself involves isolating the water supply, removing the tap handle and headgear, swapping the washer, and reassembling. Done carefully, it's a 30 to 45 minute task. The catch is that limescale can seize the headgear in place, turning a simple job into a much more physical one if the fitting hasn't been disturbed in years.

A Perished O-Ring

O-rings are rubber seals on the spindle of the tap, responsible for stopping water from leaking upward around the handle or out through the base of the tap body rather than through the spout. When an O-ring dries out, perishes, or deforms, you'll notice water tracking down the outside of the tap or pooling on the sink surface around the base.

O-rings are inexpensive, but sizing matters. Tap components aren't standardised across manufacturers, so rather than guessing from a multipack, it's better to remove the old O-ring and take it to a plumber's merchant to find an exact match. A slightly wrong-sized O-ring won't seal properly and you'll be back to square one.

A Corroded or Pitted Valve Seat

The valve seat is the brass surface inside the tap body that the rubber washer presses against to create a seal. In hard water areas, limescale deposits gradually roughen and pit this surface. Even with a brand-new washer fitted, a pitted seat means the seal won't sit flat, and the tap will keep dripping.

This is where the repair gets more involved. Valve seats can sometimes be reground smooth using a specialist seat grinder tool, but many homeowners won't have this in their kit. When the seat is badly damaged, the most practical fix is replacing the entire headgear assembly - or, if the tap body itself has corroded, replacing the tap entirely. Our engineers assess the condition of the seat as a matter of course when they're doing a washer repair, because fitting a new washer into a damaged seat just delays the problem by a few weeks.

A Faulty Ceramic Disc Cartridge

Modern mixer taps - the single-lever or dual-head styles fitted in most kitchens and bathrooms installed in the last 15 to 20 years - don't use traditional rubber washers. They rely on a ceramic disc cartridge: two ceramic discs that rotate against each other to control water flow. When one disc cracks, or when grit gets trapped between the discs (which hard water deposits make more likely), you get a tap that drips or becomes difficult to control.

Cartridge replacement is a clean repair when you have the right part. The problem is that brands like Grohe, Hansgrohe, Bristan, and Pegler all use proprietary cartridges, and fitting the wrong one simply won't seal correctly. Our engineers use the Voltrade GoFIX diagnostic process to identify the exact tap model before sourcing parts - which avoids the frustrating and common mistake of buying the wrong cartridge and having to order again before the job can be finished.

A Loose Packing Nut

Inside many older tap designs, a packing nut compresses fibrous packing material around the spindle to prevent water working its way up and out around the handle. Vibration and regular use can cause this nut to work loose over time, and when it does, water escapes upward rather than out through the spout.

Before calling anyone, it's worth checking whether the packing nut can simply be tightened with an adjustable spanner. This costs nothing and sometimes fixes the problem immediately. If tightening doesn't help, the packing material itself will need replacing - a straightforward job that most plumbers can complete in minutes once the water is isolated.

Solutions That Actually Work

The fix depends entirely on what's failed and what type of tap you have. Here's how to approach the two most common scenarios.

For a dripping compression tap with separate hot and cold handles:

1. Turn off the water supply at the isolation valve under the sink, or at the main stopcock.
2. Open the tap fully to release any residual pressure in the line.
3. Remove the tap handle - there's usually a small grub screw hidden under a decorative cap on top of the handle.
4. Use an adjustable spanner to unscrew the headgear assembly from the tap body.
5. At the bottom of the headgear, you'll find the rubber washer held in place by a small nut. Replace the washer with an identical-sized replacement.
6. Before reassembling, look at the valve seat inside the tap body. If it looks rough or pitted, consider replacing the headgear entirely rather than just the washer.
7. Reassemble, restore the water supply, and test.

For a dripping mixer tap with a ceramic cartridge:

1. Identify the brand and model of your tap - this is usually printed on the tap body, on any remaining packaging, or stamped on the cartridge itself once you open it up.
2. Source the correct OEM cartridge for that specific model rather than a generic substitute where possible.
3. Isolate the water supply and open the tap to release pressure.
4. Remove the handle and any decorative shrouds or covers.
5. Unscrew and pull out the old cartridge, noting exactly which way it's oriented.
6. Insert the new cartridge in the same orientation and reassemble.
7. Turn the water back on slowly and test at low flow first.

For leaks around the base or handle rather than the spout, replacing O-rings or tightening the packing nut are the first steps. If neither resolves it, the tap body itself may be corroded, and at that point replacement is more cost-effective than continuing to repair around a failing structure.

When You Need Professional Help vs Sorting It Yourself

The practical dividing line comes down to what you can confidently diagnose and what tools you have to hand. If the tap is an older compression type, you're confident isolating the water supply, and the problem is a washer or O-ring, most homeowners with a basic tool kit can manage it. These are low-stakes repairs - if something goes wrong, you'll know immediately when the water goes back on, and the consequence is a wet floor, not a burst pipe.

Call a professional plumber when:

• The tap is a modern ceramic cartridge type and you can't identify the brand or model accurately. Ordering the wrong part wastes time and delays the fix.
• The valve seat is pitted or damaged. Regrinding or replacing a seat requires tools and experience most homeowners won't have.
• There's visible corrosion on the tap body or on the supply pipes underneath. What looks like a washer job can escalate quickly once corroded fittings are disturbed.
• The leak is worsening visibly, or there's evidence of water damage to the cabinet below the sink.
• You're on a water meter - in Slough, Thames Water actively encourages meter installation, and a dripping tap on a metered supply is a running cost that mounts up faster than people expect.
• The tap is more than 15 to 20 years old. At that age, piecemeal repair often just delays the inevitable, and a full replacement gives you a known service life going forward.

Our engineers across Berkshire regularly attend jobs where a homeowner has attempted a repair and hit a problem they weren't expecting - a headgear seized solid with limescale, a tap body that won't come apart without damaging the supply pipe, or supply valves under the sink that haven't been turned in 15 years and won't fully close. There's no shame in calling a professional from the start if any of that sounds likely for your setup.

What to Expect from a Repair Visit

A standard leaking tap repair in Slough takes between 30 minutes and an hour for a washer or cartridge replacement. If the tap needs replacing entirely - either because it's beyond repair or because you'd prefer an upgrade at the same time - allow one to two hours depending on how accessible the supply pipes are and whether any corroded fittings need working around.

On costs, for a basic washer replacement you're typically looking at 60 to 100 pounds all-in for labour and materials. A cartridge replacement on a mixer tap tends to run between 90 and 160 pounds because of the cost of the cartridge itself - branded cartridges from Grohe or Hansgrohe cost significantly more than generic alternatives, but they fit correctly and tend to last longer. For a full tap replacement, including a quality mixer tap and all the fitting work, expect to pay between 150 and 300 pounds, with higher-end taps pushing that figure above 300 pounds.

Most plumbers working across Slough charge either a fixed call-out rate or an hourly rate, typically between 65 and 90 pounds per hour in this area. Always ask for a quote that breaks out parts and labour before work begins so there are no unexpected additions on the invoice.

When our engineers visit, they isolate the supply, diagnose the failure, and explain what's needed before starting any work. If they spot other issues worth knowing about - flexible hoses under the sink approaching the end of their service life, or isolation valves that are no longer functioning properly - they'll flag these separately so you can decide whether to address them at the same time rather than face another call-out shortly after.

Common Questions from Slough Homeowners

How much does it typically cost to fix a leaking tap in Slough?

A basic washer replacement typically costs between 60 and 100 pounds including labour and parts. A ceramic cartridge replacement on a mixer tap usually runs between 90 and 160 pounds depending on the brand. If the tap needs replacing entirely, expect to pay between 150 and 300 pounds for parts and labour combined - more if you're upgrading to a premium brand like Grohe or Hansgrohe. Always ask for a parts-inclusive quote before work starts to avoid surprises.

Can a dripping tap really add much to my water bill?

More than most people expect. A tap dripping roughly once per second wastes around 5,500 litres of water per year. If you're on a water meter - which Thames Water increasingly encourages across the Berkshire region - that waste translates directly into cost. Beyond the bill, a persistent drip that runs down the outside of the tap rather than into the basin can cause water damage to the sink cabinet below, leading to repair costs that dwarf what the tap fix would have cost.

My tap is really hard to turn fully off - is that connected to the leak?

Usually, yes. A tap that requires significant force to close, or that never quite stops dripping even when turned off firmly, typically has either a worn washer or a pitted valve seat preventing a complete seal. Forcing the tap harder to stop it dripping actually accelerates wear on the washer and can damage the valve seat further. The harder it gets to close, the sooner it becomes worth sorting - trying to muscle past the problem just shortens the lifespan of the remaining components.

How urgently should I get a leaking tap repaired?

Within a week or two rather than months. Drips don't resolve on their own and commonly worsen gradually as internal components wear further. If you're on a water meter, the cost compounds daily. There's also the risk of slow water damage to the cabinetry underneath, and in some cases persistent drips around the base of a tap can work moisture into the worktop over time. It's not an emergency in the way a burst pipe is, but it's not something worth ignoring for a season either.