Guide · Leaks and taps
Dripping tap: what to do
Close the two small valves under the sink so the drip stops straight away. Then look at the tap. If it has a single lever, you almost always need a new cartridge. If it has two handles, the washer on the valve spindle is usually enough. These are screwdriver and spanner jobs, within reach of anyone with a little patience.
45 minutes Difficulty: MediumUpdated 25 October 2026
What you need
- Flat and Phillips screwdrivers
- Allen keys
- Adjustable spanner
- Cloth or plug for the drain
- Spare cartridge or washer
- White vinegar and a soft cloth
Step by step
Tap a step to mark it as done.
Washer or cartridge: how to recognise your tap
The old two-handle tap, one for hot and one for cold, closes the water with the valve spindle: a threaded part that, as it screws down, presses a rubber washer against a metal seat. If it drips when closed, the washer has hardened or worn out. The spare costs little and is easy to change, as long as the seat underneath is not damaged by limescale.
The single-lever mixer has a cartridge inside, a small cylinder with two ceramic discs that slide over each other. When limescale scratches them, water gets through even with the lever closed. You cannot replace just the seal here: you replace the whole cartridge.
The thermostatic shower mixer, the one with the temperature dial, has different and more delicate cartridges. Before taking it apart, look for the original spare by brand and model. Without it, you risk leaving the shower out of use.
Leaking from the base, the handle or underneath
If the kitchen mixer leaks at the base of the swivel spout when you move it, the O-rings have failed. These are the rubber rings that seal the spout against the body. On many models the spout lifts off after you remove the ring or grub screw holding it, and you will see two O-rings to replace with ones of the same size.
On a two-handle tap, a leak from the handle while the tap is open comes from the spindle seals, the pin that turns with the handle. You take off the valve spindle as for the drip from the spout, and you replace the small rings by taking the old ones to the hardware shop.
If water appears under the sink, check the flexible hoses first, the two braided metal pipes that bring water to the tap. If they leak at the nut, tightening a quarter turn is sometimes enough. If the braid is rusty or swollen they need replacing, because a hose that bursts floods the kitchen in a few minutes.
Why it is worth fixing straight away
According to ENEA, a dripping tap can lose up to 5 litres of water a day. The constant drip also leaves limescale on the seat, and a neglected cartridge gets worse quickly.
If the tap starts dripping again soon after the repair, check the pressure. Tap installation instructions, for example those from IB Rubinetterie, recommend a pressure reducer when static pressure goes above 5 bar. Pressure that is too high wears out cartridges and washers.
If the tap body is cracked, the threads are damaged or it leaks from several points at once, repair is no longer worth it. At that point you replace the tap, and it is a good idea to fit new flexible hoses too.
When to stop and call a technician
- The small valves under the sink turn freely or leak from the spindle when you touch them
- The cartridge nut or the valve spindle will not unscrew and the tap body starts turning with the spanner
- It is a thermostatic or concealed mixer and you cannot find the spare by brand and model
- The tap body is cracked or the threads are damaged
- The tap keeps dripping even with the new cartridge
Frequently asked questions
The tap drips when closed: is it the washer or the cartridge?
It depends on the tap. With two handles it is almost always the washer on the valve spindle. With a single lever it is the cartridge, which is replaced whole.
The mixer still drips after I changed the cartridge: why?
The most common causes are a cartridge that is not fully compatible, tabs outside the notches, or limescale left on the seat. If all that is fine, have the pressure measured: above 5 bar, manufacturers recommend a reducer.
The tap leaks from the base: what do I do?
If it leaks when you turn the spout, it is the spout O-rings. If the water is under the sink, check the flexible hoses and their nuts first: sometimes the tap has nothing to do with it.
How much water does a dripping tap waste?
According to ENEA, up to 5 litres a day, which is more than 1,800 litres in a year. In the meantime you can stop the drip by closing the small valves under the sink.
Is it better to repair the tap or replace it?
If it is only a few years old and the body is sound, change the cartridge or washer. If it is old and leaks from several points, it is better to replace it. In Campania we can do it for you, or look at it with you first on a video call to work out which spare to buy.
Read also
Ready when you need us.
Book your visit by choosing a day and time. For emergencies we answer 24 hours a day, across Campania.