How to Fix a Leaking Tap in Tewkesbury

Published September 2026 | Leaking Tap Repair

This guide walks you through diagnosing and repairing a dripping or leaking tap at home, covering the most common causes from worn washers to failed ceramic disc cartridges. It's aimed at homeowners in Tewkesbury who are comfortable with basic DIY and want to tackle the job themselves before calling in a plumber.

Before You Start - Safety First

A leaking tap might seem like a minor nuisance, but left unattended it can waste thousands of litres of water a year and cause damage to the cabinet below or the surrounding wall over time. Before you pick up a spanner, there are a few safety steps that aren't optional.

Locate your isolation valve or stopcock and turn off the water supply to the affected tap. In most Tewkesbury homes, the isolation valve sits on the supply pipe directly under the basin or sink. If there isn't one, you'll need to turn off the main stopcock, which is typically positioned near the front of the property close to the boundary. Once the water is off, open the tap fully to release pressure and drain whatever's left in the supply line.

If you're working on a hot water tap, give the system time to cool before you start. Hot pressurised water is a burn risk, and it's not worth rushing. Also - put the plug in the basin before you start taking anything apart. Dropping a small brass nut down a drain is a very easy mistake to make and a frustrating one to fix.

What You Will Need

Getting the right tools and materials together before you start saves you from having to stop halfway through with the tap in pieces. Here's what you'll typically need:

Tools:

• Adjustable spanner or basin wrench
• Flat-head and Phillips screwdrivers
• Allen key set (for modern lever-style handles)
• Pliers
• Cloth or old towel to protect chrome surfaces

Materials:

• Replacement tap washers - buy a mixed pack, they're widely available at Screwfix, Toolstation, or any plumbing merchant in Gloucestershire for around 3 to 5 pounds
• O-rings in assorted sizes
• PTFE tape
• Plumber's grease
• Replacement ceramic disc cartridge if you have a quarter-turn tap

Time estimate: Allow 30 to 60 minutes for a standard washer replacement on a pillar tap. If you're dealing with a mixer tap or a ceramic disc cartridge, budget up to 90 minutes, particularly if it's your first time.

Step-by-Step Instructions

The method varies depending on whether you have a traditional pillar tap with a rubber washer or a modern ceramic disc tap. Traditional taps require multiple turns to open and close. Ceramic disc taps operate with a quarter turn. The steps below cover both - identify your tap type before you start, and follow the relevant instructions at Steps 4 and 5.

Step 1 - Isolate the Water and Drain the Line

Turn off the water at the isolation valve or main stopcock as described above. Open the tap fully and let any remaining water drain out. Place your towel in the basin and put the plug in. This takes two minutes but prevents a lot of problems later. Double-check the supply is off by trying the tap again before touching anything else.

Step 2 - Remove the Tap Handle

Most tap handles are held in place by a screw that's hidden beneath a decorative cap at the top. Prize the cap off gently with a flat-head screwdriver - it's usually just clipped on, so don't force it. The screw underneath is typically a Phillips head or an Allen bolt. Once you've removed it, lift the handle off. Some older taps in Tewkesbury properties, particularly in period terraces and older Gloucestershire cottages, have cross-head handles that unscrew directly by hand. If the handle is stiff, rock it gently while pulling upward rather than yanking it.

Step 3 - Unscrew the Headgear

With the handle off, you'll see the headgear assembly - the part that threads into the tap body. Wrap the jaw of your adjustable spanner in a cloth to protect the chrome, then turn the headgear anti-clockwise to loosen it. It may be tight if it hasn't been disturbed for years. Once it's out, set it aside and look inside the tap body before going further - you should be able to see the washer seat at the bottom.

Step 4 - Replace the Washer (Traditional Taps)

At the base of the headgear, you'll find a small brass nut holding a rubber washer in place. Undo the nut, remove the old washer, and inspect it. A flat, cracked, or deformed washer is almost always the cause of a dripping spout. Fit a new washer of the correct diameter - 1/2 inch for most basin and kitchen taps, 3/4 inch for bath taps. Tighten the brass nut back on firmly but stop before you're straining - over-tightening will distort the new washer immediately.

Step 5 - Replace the Ceramic Disc Cartridge (Modern Taps)

For ceramic disc taps, pull the cartridge straight out of the tap body once the headgear is removed. Inspect it for cracks or damage. If it's faulty, replace the whole cartridge rather than trying to repair it. Match the brand and model where you can - manufacturers including Bristan, Grohe, and Pegler all produce widely available replacement cartridges. If you're not sure which cartridge you need, take the old one to your local plumbing merchant and they'll match it for you. Tewkesbury has good access to trade counters in the area, and most will identify a cartridge on the spot.

Step 6 - Check the O-Rings While You're in There

While the tap is apart, check the O-rings on the headgear. These are rubber seals that prevent water from leaking around the spindle rather than from the spout. If the leak is at the base of the tap handle rather than the spout, a worn O-ring is the most likely cause. Roll the old one off, apply a thin smear of plumber's grease to the new one, and press it into the groove. It takes five minutes and is worth doing every time you have the tap apart.

Step 7 - Reassemble and Test

Thread the headgear back into the tap body by hand to make sure it starts correctly, then tighten with the spanner. Don't over-tighten. Refit the handle, replace the screw and cap, and give everything a wipe down. Then slowly open the isolation valve or stopcock - gradually, not all at once - and watch the tap and all the connections around it carefully. Run the tap for a minute, then close it and check again for any drips. If it's dry, you're done.

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 problem is commonly a damaged washer seat. The seat is the surface inside the tap body that the washer presses against to form a seal, and it can become pitted or corroded over time - particularly in areas with harder water. A tap reseating tool can resurface it at home. These are available to buy for around 15 to 30 pounds from most trade counters, or to hire by the day from tool hire shops in Gloucestershire.

If the leak is coming from around the base of the tap or from a supply pipe connection rather than the spout, the issue may be with the compression fitting or the thread joint. Re-making the joint with fresh PTFE tape on the threads usually resolves this. Be methodical - dry everything off thoroughly, restore the water slowly, and pinpoint exactly where the water is appearing before deciding what to do next.

If you want help narrowing down the cause before you start taking things apart, the Voltrade GoFIX diagnostic tool can help. Answer a few questions about where the water is appearing and what type of tap you have, and it'll point you towards the most likely fault and the parts you'll need - useful if you want to arrive at the merchant knowing exactly what to ask for.

When to Stop and Call a Professional

There are situations where attempting a DIY tap repair is the wrong call, and it's worth being honest about where those lines are. If your stopcock is seized, corroded shut, or you can't locate it, call a plumber before attempting anything. Working on a live supply is how a minor drip becomes a flooded kitchen.

You should also get a professional in if:

• The tap body itself is cracked or heavily corroded
• There's evidence of water damage inside the cabinet or to the surrounding wall, suggesting the leak has been ongoing for some time
• The supply pipes are showing signs of corrosion - older Tewkesbury properties, particularly those built before the 1970s, may have original lead pipework that needs specialist assessment
• The tap is part of a thermostatic bar shower or a pressurised unvented hot water system - both require specific knowledge to work on safely
• You've replaced the washer, reseated the valve, and it's still leaking

A qualified plumber covering the Tewkesbury and Gloucestershire area will typically charge between 60 and 120 pounds per hour, and most basic tap repairs take under an hour once they're on site. If the tap itself is beyond saving and needs replacing, a full swap-out including parts and labour commonly costs between 150 and 300 pounds, depending on the tap specification and how accessible the pipework is. Our engineers cover Tewkesbury and the surrounding area and can diagnose most tap faults in a single visit - if you're not confident at any point in the process above, that's a perfectly good reason to call.

Questions About This Process

How do I know what size tap washer I need?

The two most common sizes for domestic taps in the UK are 1/2 inch for basin and kitchen taps and 3/4 inch for bath taps. The most reliable way to confirm is to remove the old washer and measure the diameter, or take it to a plumbing merchant and compare it against their stock. Buying a mixed assortment pack is the simplest approach - they typically cost 3 to 5 pounds and include the sizes you're most likely to need. Most Screwfix and Toolstation branches in Gloucestershire carry these.

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

Yes, and more than most people expect. A tap dripping at a steady rate can commonly waste in excess of 10,000 litres of water per year. For metered properties in Tewkesbury and across the UK, that waste translates directly into money. Fixing a dripping tap is one of the best returns on time you'll get from any home DIY job - parts cost a few pounds and the saving continues every year going forward.

Should I repair my old tap or just replace it?

It depends on the condition of the tap body. If the body is sound and the problem is a worn washer or O-ring, repair is almost always the better option - parts are cheap and the job takes under an hour. If the tap is over 20 years old, the chrome is visibly deteriorating, or you've repaired it multiple times already, replacement is often a better investment. A decent mid-range replacement tap from brands like Bristan or Tre Mercati costs between 50 and 150 pounds, with installation typically adding one to two hours of a plumber's time on top of that.