Fix a leaking tap | How to fix a leaky tap? | Can a faulty O ring cause a leaking tap? | How to fix a leaking tap in Australia? | Where does the water go from a leaky tap? | What causes a dripping tap? | Is a leaking mixer tap common? | Can a faulty jumper valve cause a leaking tap?
A leaking tap can be fixed by first turning off the water supply to your property. You’ll be able to locate this by looking for a stop tap located in your bathroom, kitchen or utility room.
Remove any obvious access panels or faceplates and check if the washer is still in place – it’s probably black and made of rubber with a screw on the side. Take out the old washer and replace it with a new one after cleaning up any debris that may have collected inside over time.
Fix a Leaking Tap
If the tap still leaks, you may need to replace the pipe fittings. You’ll have to turn off all the water supply and drain lines that lead to your leaking tap. The stop taps at either end of these pipes can then be unscrewed from one another, after which a leak detector should be run between them to identify where the problem lies.
Once this has been done, open up the screw-type valves on each fitting and loosen their nuts with pliers before disconnecting them completely. Prepare new fittings by first cutting away any old pipes inside the wall with a hacksaw or angle grinder and then slipping new ones into place using rubber washers for a tight seal before tightening everything back up again.
How to Fix a Leaky Tap?
The first step is to turn off the water supply at the ‘valves’ underneath your sink (normally they are found near the plughole). You will need a wrench or pliers. Then remove the tap handle(s) – some may have screws or nuts attached while others simply pull off.
Tighten up any loose nuts or screws that were holding on the taps. Wipe up any dirt from around the joints with a cloth and then use white vinegar and a scrubbing brush to get rid of any stains/mould/rust from inside each joint. Make sure all surfaces are dry as you carry out this operation.
Once done, replace the tap handles and turn on the water supply. Sometimes this may fix a leaky tap but don’t be surprised if you have to repeat the process a few times!
You can also prevent any further leaks by turning off all taps (if you are not using them) when not in use. It is recommended that hot and cold taps should never be on at the same time as this could cause pressure within your pipes which will lead to leaking joints in time. This is particularly important if you’re away for an extended period of time over weekends/holidays etc.
Flushing out your drains with boiling water from time to time can help remove debris that might otherwise block up your mainline, ensure you do not dispose of any acidic, or grease-laden waste down the sink which could cause damage over time. If you have an old-style plug in your bath/shower and a sudden leak starts to appear – this may be due to aging rubber washers which will need replacing so they can seal properly again.
Can a Faulty O Ring Cause a Leaking Tap?
A faulty O ring can cause a leaking tap, but it isn’t the only reason why you might be having problems with a leaky tap. You see, an o ring is there to help seal in water and prevent leaks from forming. However, sometimes even if you replace that faulty o ring your problem will persist. The same can be said for any other part of your toilet or bathroom such as pipes and valves which may all have failed to work properly causing a leak at the connection between them.
Of course when these parts fail no one thinks about the possibility that they could be faulty and therefore assume that the leak must be coming from somewhere else such as a faulty toilet seat or faulty washer. As well as this you should remember that after years of use it isn’t uncommon for a washer to lose its elasticity and therefore become less effective at preventing leaks.
Of course, you can take the view that swapping the old part with a new one is always worth trying, especially if this means little or no cost to your part. However, it is better to get a professional in if your leak seems severe and noticeable as this is an indication that there may be more than just a faulty o ring causing problems within your plumbing system.
You see, these parts aren’t really made to last forever and even though they may work most of the time eventually they will start having issues that can cause them to fail either when used or when being removed from their fitting point leaving behind only rubble.
How to Fix a Leaking Tap in Australia?
The first thing to do is turn off the water and shut down the water valve for that tap. Identify the type of the tap as it varies by type. If you have a compression tap, then remove the black pipe from its joint on top of the body.
Use pliers to loosen the coupling nut, and then unscrew this from the faucet body. Once you have taken this off, clean all parts with hot soapy water or other solutions to remove any dirt or debris on them. Put them back together and tighten each part with caution not to over-tighten it. When you fix a leaking tap, it is worth checking the body washer, as this will assist when you are fixing a leaking tap.
Where Does the Water Go from a Leaky Tap?
The water first falls on the floor and if left on the floor too long, it can cause damage to your home. The first step is to identify what type of tap you have – there are two types: – a bath tap which is fitted with a rubber washer or it’s a shower mixer tap fitted with an integral cartridge.
Bath taps usually leak because the valve seat becomes worn and allows the water to pass through. You just need to turn off the water at the shut-off valve and unscrew the bath tap from its base, removing any old packing material that has become trapped between the spindle assembly and collar or rim.
What Causes a Dripping Tap?
Common causes of a dripping tap are:
1. Worn or restricted washer/seal.
2. Hole in washer/body washer/tap washer/seal, causing water to drip into the tap body and not out of it. This can occur due to corrosion from rusty water (e.g., a cold-water tap installed on a hot-water supply). Sometimes the internal parts of these taps are made from plastic and simply need replacing with metal ones that will last longer.
3. Stuck float tap valve assembly
Ensure you check the plumbing regulations in your perspective state of Australia using the following links
- Plumbing codes in Australia: https://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au
- NSW Plumbing regulations: https://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/trades-and-businesses/construction-and-trade-essentials/plumbers-and-drainers/plumbing-code-standards-and-notes
- VIC Plumbing standards: vba.vic.gov.au
Is a Leaking Mixer Tap Common?
Common plumbing problems can include a leaky mixing tap (tap). A mixer tap is a faucet that has hot and cold water running through it. Mixing taps have two spouts, which can be mixed with either hot or cold.
Many new homes will also have a mixer tap fitted to the main kitchen sink as the water pressure required for this type of tap generally makes them more economical to use than separate taps installed into the wall.
Toilet cisterns are occasionally found with mixing taps, but these are now increasingly being replaced by single-lever designs.
A leaky mixer tap is one of those commonly seen plumbing problems because when you turn on your tap expecting a steady flow of water only to hear a dripping noise (or see some signs) then this suggests there could be an issue & therefore may require fixing a leaking tap.
Can a Faulty Jumper Valve Cause a Leaking Tap?
A faulty jumper valve can cause a leaking tap, but not always.
To understand why this is so, it is necessary to know the reason for using a jumper valve in the first place. A water heater that has been idle for some time will have sediment in the bottom of its tank (in most instances).
The heating elements and burner assembly are at the top of the tank, so when cold water comes into contact with them through a faucet or showerhead, air bubbles get trapped and cause noisy operation as well as reduced heat transfer efficiency.
The solution to this problem is to use an electrically controlled bypass valve between the incoming cold water pipe and outgoing hot water pipe until such time as sufficient heating element/burner sediment removal takes place due to normal usage. When this occurs, the TPValve turns off and normal water flow resumes.
Where a faulty jumper valve is installed in conjunction with an electrically-controlled TPValve, it can cause intermittent bubbling of hot water into cold water pipes but will not normally allow any appreciable volume of hot water to leak out as this would cause too much heating element/burner sediment to pass out of the tank.
This self-limiting effect means that you may see intermittent bubbling and get noisy tap operation for some time before there is sufficient sediment build-up (and therefore backpressure) to cause an actual leak.
There are also more sophisticated type TPValves now available. These monitor the flow rate of both hot and cold incoming supply waters and can detect the formation of air bubbles or sediment immediately
They then decide to either switch off the tap entirely (for hot water) or else allow a small volume of cold water to be used for cooling and cleaning purposes while blocking any appreciable flow (for hot water)
A faulty jumper valve may prevent this type of TPValve from operating properly but will not normally cause a leak as in the case where such a TPValve is installed with an electrically controlled bypass valve attached directly to the incoming cold supply line.
