Should You Repair or Replace a Leaking Tap?

Where is the leak coming from?

Signs repair is the sensible choice

• The tap is relatively modern and in otherwise good condition
• Replacement parts are readily available for the model
• This is the first fault the tap has had
• The tap still looks and operates well, other than the leak

Signs replacement makes more sense

• The tap has needed repeated repairs
• It's heavily scaled internally or externally and hard to clean
• Parts are obsolete or expensive relative to a new tap
• You want to change the style or finish anyway

Cost considerations

A repair is usually cheaper in the short term, but if a tap has already had one repair and starts leaking again within a year or two, the cumulative cost of repeated call-outs can end up matching or exceeding the cost of a straightforward replacement.

Getting a straight answer

If you're not sure which category your tap falls into, it's worth asking a plumber for an honest view while they're already looking at it, rather than guessing and potentially paying for a repair that doesn't last.

What's involved in a tap replacement

Swapping a tap for a like-for-like replacement is usually a fairly contained job: isolating the water supply, disconnecting the old flexible connectors or tails, removing the old tap, and fitting the new one with fresh connectors and washers. Where the new tap has a different footprint, hole spacing, or requires a single mixer hole instead of two separate taps, the job takes longer and may involve some work to the worktop, basin or sink cut-out.

• Isolating the supply at the valves or stopcock
• Removing old tails or flexible connectors, which are often seized after years of use
• Checking the condition of the waste and overflow while access allows
• Fitting new flexible connectors rather than reusing old ones

Choosing a replacement that suits your water pressure

Not every tap suits every plumbing system. Some mixer taps are designed for high-pressure combi boiler systems and won't perform well on a low-pressure gravity-fed supply, and vice versa. Checking your system type before buying a replacement avoids ending up with a tap that trickles rather than flows properly once fitted.

How long a repair versus a replacement typically takes

A straightforward washer or cartridge repair is usually a shorter job, often completed within the standard one-hour minimum call-out. A full tap replacement takes longer, particularly if old tails or connectors have seized and need careful removal, or if the new tap needs slightly different pipework to fit. Knowing roughly which category your job falls into helps when booking, since it gives a realistic idea of how long the engineer will need on site.