NANDIX Repairs · Plumber, or yourself for a washer change
Dripping or leaking tap
A tap that drips when closed usually has a worn washer or cartridge. A leak from the body or the wall joint needs a different part.
What usually causes it
- Worn rubber washer in an older screw-down tap (drips from the spout).
- Worn ceramic cartridge in a quarter-turn tap or mixer.
- Loose gland nut or worn O-ring (leaks around the handle).
- Old thread tape at the wall joint (leaks where the tap meets the wall).
What you can check yourself
- Is it dripping from the spout, around the handle, or at the wall?
- Is it a full-turn tap (washer type) or a quarter-turn tap (cartridge)?
- Note the brand and model if it is printed, and take a photo for the shop.
- Close the valve under the basin, or the main valve, before opening the tap.
Parts to ask the shop for
- Tap washer set (for full-turn taps)
- Quarter-turn cartridge: take the old one to the shop to match it
- O-ring set
- PTFE thread tape
- Bib cock or pillar cock if the tap body is cracked (½ inch is the usual size)
Take the old part or a photo of it: sizes and threads must match.
What to ask the worker
- Can the cartridge or washer be replaced, or does the whole tap need changing?
- Will you use the part I bought, or do you supply it? Show me the old part.
- Is there a visit charge, and is it adjusted against the work?