How to Fix a Leaking Tap in Warwick

Published September 2026 | Leaking Tap Repair Guide

This guide covers how to diagnose and fix a leaking tap in your Warwick home, from isolating the water supply to replacing worn washers and ceramic disc cartridges. It's written for confident DIYers who are comfortable using basic hand tools and are happy to turn off their water supply before they start.

Before You Start - Safety First

The single most important step in any tap repair is isolating the water supply before you touch anything else. Working on a live line without proper isolation is how you end up with a flooded kitchen or bathroom, and in older properties across Warwickshire, stop valves can be stiff, corroded, or located in unexpected places. Take five minutes to find yours before reaching for a spanner.

Here is what to do before you begin:

• Find your main stop valve. In most Warwick homes it sits under the kitchen sink, but it can also be found in a downstairs cupboard, beneath the stairs, or in an external meter box at the front of the property.
• Turn the stop valve clockwise until it stops. Then open a tap elsewhere in the house to confirm the pressure has dropped and the supply is off.
• If the stop valve is seized or will not close fully, do not force it. Call a qualified plumber before doing anything else - a faulty stop valve is its own repair job.
• Place a folded towel or old cloth in the basin before you start. Even after isolating the supply, there will be water left in the pipework that will drain out the moment you open the headgear.
• Make sure you have decent light to work by. A head torch is useful here - it keeps both hands free and makes a real difference when you're working in a cramped under-sink cupboard.

What You Will Need

Tools

• Adjustable spanner
• Flat-head and cross-head screwdrivers
• Slip-joint pliers
• Allen key set (some tap handles use grub screws rather than a cross-head)
• PTFE tape
• Old cloths or towels

Materials

The parts you need depend entirely on your tap type. For a standard dripping tap you'll typically need one or more of the following:

• Rubber tap washers - available in multipacks for around 2 to 5 pounds at any hardware shop
• O-rings - match the diameter to your existing ones, or take the old one to the shop to compare
• Replacement ceramic disc cartridge (for modern mixer taps and monobloc kitchen taps)
• Plumber's grease
• Tap reseating tool - only needed if the valve seat is damaged, more on this later

Time Estimate

A basic washer replacement typically takes 30 to 60 minutes for someone doing it for the first time. Replacing a ceramic disc cartridge is often quicker, around 20 to 40 minutes once you have the right part in hand. If you're dealing with older taps or corroded fittings, budget a little more time.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 - Isolate the Supply and Drain the Tap

With the stop valve closed, open the leaking tap fully to drain any residual water from the pipes. For a kitchen mixer tap you'll need to isolate both the hot and cold supplies - either at the stop valve or at the isolators underneath the sink if your setup has them. Get your cloth or towel into the basin now. Don't skip this step - leftover water in the pipe will run straight out the moment you remove the headgear.

Step 2 - Remove the Tap Handle

Most tap handles are secured by a screw hidden under a small decorative cap. The cap is usually marked H or C for hot and cold, or has a red or blue indicator on the top. Gently prise it off with a flat-head screwdriver. Do not force it - ceramic caps found on older taps crack easily and replacements can be difficult to source.

Under the cap you'll find either a cross-head screw or an Allen bolt. Undo it and lift the handle off. If it feels stuck, work it gently back and forth while pulling upward rather than levering against the tap body. Forcing it can damage the spindle.

Step 3 - Remove the Headgear

With the handle off, you'll see the headgear nut - the hexagonal section threaded into the tap body. Use your adjustable spanner to undo it anticlockwise. Hold the tap body steady with your other hand while you turn, especially on pillar taps that can spin freely on the basin.

If the nut is very tight, apply a small amount of penetrating oil around the base, wait ten minutes, and try again. Once it's moving, unscrew it by hand and lift the entire headgear assembly out.

Step 4 - Replace the Washer or Ceramic Cartridge

At the bottom of the headgear you'll find the washer, held by a small brass nut. Undo the nut, remove the old washer, and compare it against your replacement. It should be the same diameter and thickness. Fit the new washer and tighten the nut back down - firm, but not so tight that you split the new rubber.

If your tap uses a ceramic disc cartridge, you'll see it slotting into the headgear rather than a rubber washer. Pull it out and take it to a plumbing merchant to match it accurately. These are not universal between manufacturers, and fitting the wrong cartridge is one of the most common mistakes our engineers come across. Ceramic cartridges typically cost between 5 and 20 pounds depending on the tap brand and model.

Step 5 - Check and Replace the O-rings

While you have the tap apart, inspect the O-rings on the headgear body. These small rubber rings seal the tap body and prevent leaks around the spout base or below the handle rather than from the nozzle itself. If they look flat, cracked, or shiny, swap them out. Apply a light smear of plumber's grease to new O-rings before fitting to help them seat correctly and last longer.

Step 6 - Reassemble the Tap

Reinsert the headgear into the tap body and hand-tighten the packing nut before snugging it with the spanner. You do not need to crank it down hard - firm hand pressure plus a quarter-turn from a spanner is enough to create a good seal without risking the threads. Refit the handle and tighten the screw. Press the decorative cap back into position.

Step 7 - Restore the Supply and Test

Open the stop valve slowly to restore the water supply. Let the tap fill at low pressure before opening it fully. Turn the tap off and watch for a full minute to confirm there are no drips from the spout. Also check around the base of the tap body and under the sink for any sign of weeping from the supply connections or the body seal itself.

If you're using the Voltrade GoFIX diagnostic tool to log the repair, this is the point to update the fault status and record the parts fitted so the job history stays accurate for any future work.

What to Do If This Does Not Fix It

If the tap is still dripping after you've fitted a new washer or cartridge, there are a few likely causes worth working through before you call anyone out.

A damaged valve seat. The seat is the machined metal surface inside the tap body that the washer presses against to form a seal. In areas with hard water, and parts of Warwickshire have moderately hard water, limescale and wear can pit or groove the seat over time. A new washer on a damaged seat will never seal cleanly. A tap reseating tool costs around 15 to 25 pounds from a plumbing supplier and grinds the seat smooth again. It's worth having in your toolkit if you're doing this kind of work regularly.

Limescale in the cartridge housing. Calcium deposits can build up around the cartridge slot and prevent it from seating flush. Remove the cartridge and soak the housing in white vinegar for 20 to 30 minutes, then scrub with an old toothbrush before refitting.

Worn or corroded tap internals. On older taps, particularly the heavy brass or chrome pillar taps found in Victorian and Edwardian properties around Warwick, the internal components can corrode beyond repair. At that point, replacing the whole tap is more economical than chasing obscure parts for a fitting that's decades old.

When to Stop and Call a Professional

Some tap repairs are not suited to a DIY fix. Here is when you should put the tools away and call a qualified plumber:

• Your stop valve will not close, is leaking itself, or is seized solid. You cannot safely work on any tap fitting until the supply is properly isolated, and a faulty stop valve needs its own repair.
• The leak is coming from the pipe connections beneath the sink or from within the wall, not from the tap body itself. These joints may need compression fittings replaced or supply pipes resealed.
• The tap is connected to an unvented hot water cylinder. These systems run at full mains pressure and should only be worked on by a qualified plumber - tinkering with them without the right training and equipment can create a genuine safety hazard.
• You've replaced the washer and the tap is still leaking, and the seat appears undamaged. There may be an internal fault that needs proper diagnosis before you spend money on more parts.
• The thread on the headgear nut is stripped or the nut will not tighten down. You're looking at a tap replacement, and fitting one correctly requires making watertight supply connections that it's easy to get wrong.

A plumber in Warwick will typically charge between 60 and 120 pounds for a tap repair visit, depending on the fault type and whether parts are needed. A full tap replacement is commonly in the range of 100 to 200 pounds for labour, on top of the tap itself. Quality taps from brands such as Grohe, Bristan, or Franke sit at a higher price point but tend to come with better ceramic internals and longer guarantees.

It's worth getting a dripping tap looked at promptly. Beyond the nuisance factor, a tap leaking at its base rather than the spout can soak into the cabinet below and cause wood rot, mould, and floor damage over time. Our engineers see this regularly in Warwickshire's older housing stock, where under-sink areas can go unchecked for long periods.

Questions About This Process

Why does my tap drip when it is turned off fully?

A tap that drips when fully closed has lost its internal seal. In most cases the rubber washer or ceramic disc has worn down through repeated use and water pressure. Over time, the constant force of the supply pressing against the washer breaks down the material, and it can no longer form a watertight closure. Replacing the washer is the usual fix. If the tap still drips afterwards, the valve seat is likely damaged and will need regrinding with a reseating tool, or the tap may need replacing.

How much does a leaking tap repair typically cost in Warwick?

If you do the repair yourself, parts typically cost between 2 and 20 pounds, depending on whether you need a simple rubber washer or a ceramic disc cartridge for a branded tap. If you call a local plumber, expect to pay between 60 and 120 pounds for the visit and repair. Cartridges for quality mixer taps can run to 20 to 40 pounds for the part alone, on top of labour. Booking a plumber who can bring the right parts on the first visit saves both time and money.

Can a dripping tap cause damage if I leave it for a few weeks?

Yes, more quickly than most people expect. A constantly dripping tap adds to your water bill if you're on a meter. More seriously, if the leak is at the base of the fitting rather than the spout, water can seep into the cabinet below and cause wood rot, mould, and damage to flooring beneath. In older homes, under-sink areas are often poorly ventilated, and a slow leak can go unnoticed for months before the damage becomes visible. It's always better to fix a leaking tap sooner rather than later.