Did you know that a dripping tap can waste up to 24 000 litres of water a year? When you live in Adelaide, the driest state on the driest continent, you know that water is precious.
It’s best to stop that drip as soon as you notice it before it wastes too much water, not to mention before you get a nasty surprise in your water bill.
Dripping taps are a common but frustrating occurrence in people’s homes that can be caused by several different things. The most likely cause is a worn washer, which luckily is easy to fix. The expert plumbers at Mott Plumbing suggest following these steps (if you are comfortable to do so) to replace the washer and save yourself money from wasted water and plumbing service costs.
What you’ll need:
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Washers (most commonly 12mm, but make sure to check your taps first)
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O-ring
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Jumper Valve
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Wrench or spanner
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Screwdriver
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Cloth (If you want to protect your tap’s finish)
The easiest way to make sure you get the right washer replacement is to take the worn washer or a picture into your local hardware store. Staff should be able to help you make sure you get the right size.
The part that needs replacing could be any one of three: the o-ring, the body washer or the jumper valve. It may even be more than one, so consider replacing all three as soon as there’s a leak. It saves you having to replace each one as they wear down separately.
Step 1:
Don’t forget to turn off the mains water to the house before you start. Release any water left in the pipe by turning on the tap until the water stops running. Pop a plug in the drain so that no important parts of the tap accidentally fall through.
Step 2:
To remove the handle, undo the screw. Check to see if the screw is on the side of the tap. If not, you may need to remove the hot or cold sign to get to it.
Step 3:
Using your spanner or wrench, unscrew the tap bonnet and completely remove the head gear. This should expose the large body washer, the o-ring and the jumper valve. The jumper valve should just fall out.
Step 4:
Replace the washers, the o-ring on the spindle, and then refit the bonnet and spindle. Be careful not to overtighten any of the nuts.
Step 5:
You can now reassemble everything by simply reversing the process. You can then close it off, and reopen your water main. Once you’ve made sure that the leaking has stopped, you can go back to enjoying some peace and quiet without the drip, drip, drip.
If your tap continues to leak, you may need a licensed plumber to come and reseat the breacher valve face. Mott Plumbing are professional plumbers in Adelaide that are happy to fix any kind of leaking or dripping tap, so give us a call today to solve the problem for you!
For people who aren’t comfortable attempting repairs themselves, or if you just don’t have time, our reliable plumbers will happily service taps that are leaking, tight or difficult to turn on or off.
