Stop Dripping Taps - written by Scott Rodgers

You may have a combination of different types of taps in your house. Some may have a single lever and others may be the old fashioned types with a separate tap for the hot and the cold, and which twist to turn the water on and off. These are called compression taps and they have a washer inside the mechanism. This washer will deteriorate over time and the tap will, as a result, begin to leak water. A dripping tap wastes gallons of water every day so it is well worth your while to fix it straight away.

The important thing when fixing taps for the first time is to set aside time when you won't get interrupted and so you can concentrate on the job at hand. Maybe do the work when the kids are not in the house or when the babysitter is there. Also, put the plug into the sink so you don't lose any small parts down the drain. Also, have a container so you can put all the parts in the same place as you take the tap apart so you aren't trying to find them at the end of the task. And when you are starting to repair the tap, just take a moment to make sure you wouldn't rather replace the taps themselves. It could be that you have the budget to replace them, so it would be a waste of your time to repair them if you are going to replace them anyway. Plastic is cheaper but has a shorter life span more expensive materials because it can not handle wear and tear easily.

The first thing to do if repairing the tap is to turn off the water supply to the fixture. Remember to be eager about repairing the faucet because when the pressure is relieved water will shoot out and probably drench you and your entire water closet. If you can not discover the stopper for the taps you must stop water flow the entire home, which is usually next to the water meter.

The next step is to remove the tap cap. It might unscrew or possibly require levering off with a flat screwdriver. Take out the screw that keeps the lever on the valve pipe and remove the lever, and remove the outside layer of the the valve pipe if it exists. Now you'll be able to see a hex shape nut that can unscrew the valve stem assembly from the housing using an adjustable wrench. And then, now that the valve stem assembly is removed, you'll find the old washer on the end sitting in a valve seat.

Remove the brass screw and take out the old washer by using your tools. Clean the end of the washer holder and put in the new washer. If you don't know what size to replace it with, then take the old washer to the plumbing store and they will give you the right washer so that you can return and put the tap back together again. Buy a few spares so that you don't have to go back to the store each time you need a new washer. Put the tap back on gently after and maintain a steady stream for a couple of minutes to be certain there is no dripping.