Leaky taps can be an absolute NIGHTMARE! They cause your water bills to be higher than they should, and the constant drip can drive you up the walls. If you are suffering from a leaky tap, then do not fear, for there is a solution.

Follow these steps to troubleshoot your problem and fix that leak today!

(Note: This article deals with a compression faucet, which is the one with two handles, one for hot and one for cold.)

1. Turn off water to the tap We’ve all seen the ads and movies where they go to fix the sink and water sprays them right in the face! Prevent yourself from becoming a real life sitcom and turn off the water to the tap. Simply follow the pipes under the sink and find a shut off valve. If you can’t find this, just turn off your mains, which are usually out the front of your house.
2. Be sure to prevent washer loss
3. The worst thing that could happen when fixing a tap is to lose a vital piece of it down the sink. To prevent this, put the plug in. You’ll be thankful later.
4. Remove the handles
5. If the caps need to be removed, then do this (they read ‘Hot’ or ‘Cold’). Next, remove the handle.
6. Remove the nut underneath
7. Under the handle, you will find a stem which sits on the O-ring. The O-ring in turn then sits on top of a seat washer, which is generally made of rubber and can become worn out. This is generally the culprit for a leaky tap.
8. Pull out the stem
9. Next, you will want to remove the stem and expose the O-ring, which will be thinner and the seat washer, which is slightly thicker.

• If its the handles that are leaking, then you will want to replace the O-ring. Take it to a hardware store to find a replacement.

1. Remove the seat washer
2. After you have removed the stem, you will want to remove the seat washer. It is held in place with an upside down brass screw.
3. Replace the seat washer Seat washers come in differing sizes, therefore, you will want to take it down to your local hardware store in order to find the correct size. It should be coated in plumbers grease before installation.
4. Reassemble If you have followed these steps, then you are ready to reassemble, all minor leaks should now be fixed!

So there you have it, a simple fix to that leaky tap! Tell us in the comments if this has worked for you!