A dripping tap is more than an irritation; over time it wastes water and can stain sinks and basins. We repair kitchen and bathroom taps across Cheam and Sutton, from traditional pillar taps with washers to modern mixer taps with ceramic cartridges.
Most tap problems come down to worn internal parts rather than a fault with the tap body itself, which usually means a repair is possible rather than needing a full replacement. An engineer will identify the type of tap and mechanism before opening it up, since parts vary a lot between manufacturers.
If a tap has started dripping, is stiff to turn, or is leaking from the base rather than the spout, these are all things we can generally get to the bottom of on a single visit.
Common tap faults
- Dripping from the spout after the tap is turned off
- Leaking from around the base or handle
- Stiff or difficult to turn handles
- Reduced flow or a spluttering stream
- Loose or wobbly tap fixed to the sink or basin
What an engineer checks
The mechanism inside a tap varies: older taps typically use a rubber washer that compresses onto a valve seat, while most modern mixer taps use a ceramic disc cartridge. An engineer will check which type you have, inspect the valve seat or cartridge for wear or limescale, and check the isolation valves feeding the tap.
What you can check yourself
If a tap is dripping, check whether it is worse with the isolation valve fully open, since sometimes a partially closed valve can cause odd behaviour. Cleaning visible limescale from the spout with a descaler can also sometimes improve flow, though it will not fix an internal leak.
How charging works
Tap repairs are charged by time at our standard hourly rate, with a one hour minimum, plus the cost of any washer, cartridge or valve needed. If a tap needs replacing rather than repairing we will let you know before doing further work. See /our-rates for current rates.
