How To Fix A Leaking Tap ?

By Scott Rodgers

Plumbing problems are common at homes and one of the most common issue faced by any homeowner is leaking taps. For most of the plumbing issues you have to call a professional plumber but there are certain steps that you can try to fix a leaky tap before calling a plumber. These are simple to perform and you can save your money.

The first and the most important thing before starting with any plumbing repair work is to turn off the main water supply and be careful when turning the valve off so that it won't break apart.

Once you have turned off the main water supply, the next step is to cover the sink hole so as to prevent things like screws and washers from falling inside the drain. Next, unscrew the tap cover to remove the rest of the screws and keep them aside safely. Then remove the head of the tap.

Remove the larger headgear nut with the use of a spanner. You have to make sure that you do this step gently or else you might damage the pipe work attached to it. If you damage the pipe work it could cause a major leak and you would have to call a plumber to fix it.

If the headgear nut is still difficult to turn, you could apply some oil around the joint and wait for about 5-10 minutes for it to soak in the oil before trying to remove it again. You could also try to apply some heat to it by using an electric paint stripper or a blow torch but always remember to be careful when using such equipments.

Next, remove the washer. You can simply use a screwdriver for this. If it is not coming out easily, make use of some oil and the try removing it again.

After fitting the new washer, grease the base of the tap before putting everything back into place. Put everything back into place using a screwdriver and a spanner. Turn on the water supply and check if the problem was solved.

After following the above steps, if you are not able to fix the issue, then it's time to call a professional plumber as some things are better left for the experts. - 30517

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