So, it’s 2am, you’re trying to sleep, and all you can hear is that tap dripping in the bathroom; an hour later, you’re still incredibly bothered by the annoying noise that continues to disrupt your sleep. While we don’t advocate for interfering with plumbing issues without having someone qualified assist, if you take all of the correct precautions and care, repairing a leaking tap can be a task that many are able to complete.

If you attempt, and are unable to fix the problem, we strongly recommend contacting a plumber, but in the meantime, for those that would like to try it on their own, here is our guide.

Turning the water supply off is a crucial step, because it all takes is for you to accidently unscrew something and not only will you have water hitting you in the face, the litres of water gushing will also hit the pockets hard when bill time arrives. Generally, the valve will be under the sink or the basin, if not, you can turn the water off from the meter, which is generally at the front of your home.

Have your tap washer repair kit on hand; once the water has been turned off, let the tap run until the water has run out. Use a spanner to loosen the body, and remove the washer on the tap base, then pull out the jumper valve, that has the washer attached to its base.

Wind the spindle as if you were turning the tap off; you should be able to see the O-ring, which usually sits on the groove. Push the ring off or cut it with a knife. Wipe the whole spindle, removing the grime, roll on a new O-ring, then wind back the spindle.

Place the jumper valve in body, and place new body washer on the base; wind the tap body and tighten with a spanner, so it’s now attached to the tap. Ensure that the cover, handle and button are reinstalled; turn on the water supply, then the tap gently, making sure there are no leaks.

You won’t have to wake up at 2am and listen to water dripping any longer! If you do require the assistance of a Plumber, contact John Babic Plumbing today.