Dripping tap? Washer, cartridge or a whole new tap
Updated 1 October 2026 · 2 minute read
A dripping tap is the job people put off longest. It is only a drip, until you add up the nights it has kept you awake. The fix depends on what sort of tap it is.
Step one: what type of tap do you have?
- Two separate taps that turn several times before they are fully on. These are usually older compression taps with a rubber washer inside.
- Taps that go from off to full in a quarter or half turn. These have a ceramic disc cartridge.
- A single lever mixer, where one handle controls both hot and cold. These have a cartridge too, usually a larger one.
Why each one drips
Compression taps drip when the washer hardens or splits. It is usually the cheapest repair there is, provided the seat the washer presses against is not worn.
Ceramic disc taps drip when grit or scale gets between the discs, or the seals around the cartridge wear. Sometimes the cartridge can be cleaned. Often it needs replacing with the matching part.
Lever mixers are the same story as ceramic taps, but the cartridge is specific to the make and model. Unbranded taps can be hard to find parts for, which is when a new tap starts to make more sense.
Repair or replace?
A repair is worth it when:
- The tap is a decent make and parts are available
- The body of the tap is sound, with no corrosion or cracks
- You like the tap
A new tap usually makes more sense when:
- Parts are not available for that model
- It drips from the body or the base, not just the spout
- It is one of several problems with the same sink or basin
Before anyone touches it
Find the isolating valve under the sink. It is a small fitting on each pipe with a slot you can turn with a screwdriver. If there is not one, the water will need turning off at the stop tap, which is one more reason to have isolating valves fitted while we are there.
Getting it sorted in Bridgend
Taps, mixers and isolating valves are everyday jobs for us across Bridgend county. Send a photo of the tap, ideally with the make visible, and we will price the repair or the replacement before we start. Price my tap job.
Keep reading
- How a plumber in Bridgend prices your job Why you will not find a plumbing price list here, what we need from you to price a job, and why the price is agreed before we start.
- Toilet keeps running? What is going on in the cistern The three usual reasons a toilet keeps filling or trickling into the pan, what you can check safely, and when to call a plumber in Bridgend.
- A stain on the ceiling: finding a slow leak What a brown ring on the ceiling usually means, the checks you can do before calling a plumber, and how we track down slow leaks in Bridgend homes.