How to Stop Water Dripping From Tap: Causes, Fixes & Step-by-Step Repair

A tap drips because the internal sealing mechanism inside it is no longer completely stopping the flow of water. The most common causes are a worn rubber washer, a damaged O-ring, a faulty cartridge, ceramic disc damage, mineral or limescale buildup, or a corroded valve seat. Most of these are straightforward DIY fixes once you know which part is actually failing.

What Causes Water to Drip From a Tap?

Cause 1: Worn Tap Washer (the Most Common Cause)

Traditional two-handle taps typically use a rubber washer to create a watertight seal. Over time, the rubber hardens, the washer can crack, and it gradually loses its original shape — all of which mean it can no longer seal completely. The result is small amounts of water passing through even when the tap is fully closed, which shows up as a persistent drip.

The fix is replacing the washer: turn off the water supply, remove the tap handle, remove the valve or stem, replace the old washer with a correctly sized new one, reassemble everything, and test the tap.

Cause 2: Damaged Cartridge

Modern single-handle mixer taps typically use a cartridge instead of a traditional washer. The cartridge controls water flow, hot and cold mixing, and sealing all in one component. A damaged cartridge can cause constant dripping, water leaking even when the handle is fully closed, and poor temperature control when you do use the tap.

The fix is replacing the cartridge with the correct matching model — different brands use different cartridges, so matching the exact model matters here more than with a simple washer.

Cause 3: Broken O-Ring

O-rings are small rubber seals located inside the tap body. As they wear out, water can start leaking around the handle, around the base of the tap, or both, in addition to or instead of dripping from the spout itself. The fix is simply replacing the damaged O-ring or O-rings.

Cause 4: Limescale Buildup

Hard water contains dissolved minerals, and over time those minerals can build up around washers, valves, cartridges, and ceramic discs. This buildup prevents these components from sealing properly even if they aren't otherwise damaged. Signs include visible white deposits, a handle that feels stiffer than it used to, and reduced water flow when the tap is running. The fix usually involves cleaning the affected components, using a descaling solution where appropriate, and replacing any parts that are too damaged to clean effectively.

How to Stop Water Dripping From a Tap: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Identify Where the Leak Is

Water dripping from the spout itself usually points to the washer, cartridge, or ceramic disc. Water leaking around the handle usually points to an O-ring or valve seal. Water leaking around the base of the tap usually points to an O-ring or a connection seal. Narrowing this down first saves you from opening up the wrong part of the tap.

Step 2: Turn Off the Water Supply

Before opening the tap up, find the isolation valve under the sink and turn it clockwise to close it, then open the tap briefly to release any remaining pressure in the line. If the isolation valve doesn't fully stop the water or doesn't exist, shut off the main water supply to the house instead.

Step 3: Remove the Tap Handle

You'll typically need a screwdriver, an adjustable wrench, an Allen key, and the replacement washer, O-ring, or cartridge depending on what you're replacing. Place a towel over the drain before you start so small screws or parts don't fall down it while you're working.

Step 4: Replace the Faulty Part

For a compression tap, replace the washer, and the valve seat as well if it's damaged. For a mixer tap, replace the cartridge and any O-rings that show wear. For a ceramic disc tap, clean or replace the ceramic cartridge depending on its condition.

Step 5: Reassemble and Test

Put all the parts back together, slowly turn the water supply back on, and turn the tap on and off a few times to check for leaks — both from the spout and around the handle and base.

How to Identify Your Tap Type

Taps with two separate handles for hot and cold typically use a compression valve, meaning a washer replacement is the likely fix. Taps with a single handle typically use either a cartridge or a ceramic disc system. Mixer taps that combine hot and cold through one spout typically use a cartridge system as well.

Temporary Fixes (Not a Permanent Solution)

If you can't repair the tap right away, placing a container under the drip, reducing water pressure if that's an option for your setup, and closing the isolation valve when the tap isn't in use can all help in the meantime. Don't rely on these as a long-term solution, though — the underlying worn part will keep failing, and the leak will continue or get worse.

How Much Water Does a Dripping Tap Actually Waste?

More than you'd expect. According to the EPA, a faucet dripping at a rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water per year — that's roughly the amount of water needed for more than 180 showers, from a leak most people would consider barely worth mentioning.

When to Call a Plumber

DIY repair may not be enough if the tap body itself is cracked, the valve seat is damaged beyond a simple replacement, connected pipes are leaking in addition to the tap, the shutoff valve itself fails to work properly, or you've already replaced the worn part and the tap is still dripping. At that point, there's likely an issue beyond what a straightforward parts swap can fix.

Last updated August 2026. Found something outdated? Let us know.