Fixing A Leaking Tap

A leaking tap might not seem like much but it can waste up to 24,000L a year! Adelaide is the driest state, on the driest continent. We all need to make sure we save as much water as we can.

Dripping taps are a rather common occurrence and can be caused by several things. The most common cause is a worn washer. If you feel like you’re up for the task, below are some steps that you can take to fix the tap yourself.

You’ll need some washers, usually 12mm washers but make sure you check first, an o-ring, jumper valve, screwdriver and a wrench or spanner. If you’re unsure about the size of your washer, the best thing to do is to take the existing washer into your local hardware store so they can give you the right size.

The first thing you should do is turn off the mains water supply. Empty the lines by turning on a tap until no more water comes out. Make sure you put a plug in the drain too, otherwise you might drop something down the drain and need to make a second trip to the hardware store.

Remove the handle by undoing the screw. It may be on either side of the tap, if it is not, you might need to remove the hot and cold sign to access it. Using the spanner/wrench, undo the tap bonnet and remove the head gear. You should now be able to see the exposed large body washer, o-ring and the jumper valve, which should just fall straight out. Now you can replace the washer and the o-ring, then re-fit the bonnet and spindle. Make sure you don’t overtighten any of the nuts. The next step is to put everything back together, once it is, you can turn the mains water supply back on and see if your hard work has paid off!