{"id":690,"date":"2026-10-27T08:19:53","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T08:19:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/agmeco.com\/blog\/?p=690"},"modified":"2026-10-27T08:19:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T08:19:54","slug":"how-to-fix-a-leaking-tap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/agmeco.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-a-leaking-tap\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Fix a Leaking Tap: Washer and Cartridge Replacement Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

To fix a leaking tap, turn off the water supply, remove the handle, replace the worn washer, ceramic cartridge or O-ring with an identical part, then put everything back and test it. A tap that only stops dripping when you crank the handle needs a new part, not a harder twist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A tap that drips through the night is hard to ignore. You close it properly, you still hear it, so you go back and tighten it a bit more. That rarely helps, and it usually wears the part out faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news is that how to fix a leaking tap<\/a><\/strong> has a short answer. Nearly every leak comes down to one small part inside the tap, and replacing it takes under an hour with a screwdriver and an adjustable spanner. You can fix a leaking tap without a plumber<\/strong> if you work slowly and match the new part to the old one. This guide covers the causes, how to find the leak, the steps for each type of tap, what it costs in India, and when a new tap makes more sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Is Your Tap Leaking?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Every tap does one job when you close it: it seals the water in. A rubber washer or a pair of ceramic discs does that sealing, and when it wears out, water slips past. That\u2019s a dripping tap<\/strong>. Four things cause it most of the time.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Why<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Worn tap washer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Older pillar taps and bib cocks close by pressing a rubber tap washer against a metal seat. Rubber hardens and cracks with age. Once it stops sitting flat, water seeps through even with the handle fully closed. If your tap takes a few full turns to open and close, this is most likely your problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Damaged ceramic cartridge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Single lever mixers, quarter turn taps and half turn taps don\u2019t use a washer. Inside is a ceramic cartridge with two polished discs that slide over each other. A grain of sand or a little scale between them leaves a gap, and the tap drips. Cartridges can also crack with age or rough use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Worn O-ring or loose tap spindle<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most hardware shops call the internal assembly the tap spindle. A small rubber O-ring around it keeps water from climbing up the stem. When the O-ring goes soft or flat, water leaks from under the handle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hard water and scale<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If your area has hard water<\/strong><\/a>, minerals build up on washers, seats and ceramic discs. The scale scratches the sealing surfaces and wears them out faster. It\u2019s the reason a tap only a couple of years old can start leaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find Where the Tap Is Leaking First<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before you take anything apart, work out where the water is coming from. It saves you from buying the wrong part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tap leaking from the spout<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is the classic drip. Water keeps coming out of the outlet after the tap is closed. A tap leaking from the spout<\/strong> means the washer or the cartridge isn\u2019t sealing any more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tap leaking from the handle<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Water seeping around or under the handle, usually while the tap is running, points to the O-ring or the packing around the spindle. A tap leaking from the handle<\/strong> is often the easiest repair of all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tap leaking from the base<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Water pooling where the tap meets the basin or the wall means a loose mounting nut, a tired gasket, or a threaded joint with no sealing tape. A tap leaking from the base<\/strong> usually needs tightening, not new internals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where it leaks<\/strong><\/td>Likely cause<\/strong><\/td>Fix<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Spout, after closing<\/td>Worn washer or cartridge<\/td>Replace the washer or cartridge<\/td><\/tr>
Under the handle<\/td>Worn O-ring or packing<\/td>Replace the O-ring<\/td><\/tr>
Base of the tap<\/td>Loose nut, old gasket, no sealing tape<\/td>Tighten, replace the gasket, add PTFE tape<\/td><\/tr>
Under the basin<\/td>Flexible hose or its rubber washer<\/td>Replace the hose or washer<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tools and Parts You Need<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t need a toolbox full of gear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n