The sound of a leaking tap is incredibly annoying, and on top of that – a severe leak can lead to extra hundreds of dollars being whacked onto your water bill each year!
So check out this easy to follow the guide, to ensure that your water bill doesn’t cause you to spring a leak financially, and to prevent any water damage!
What Commonly Causes A Tap To Leak?
It is true that leaky taps are usually caused by a broken or loose washer
But, it is also true that the washer sits on top of a seat called the ‘valve seat’ which when broken, can also cause your tap to leak
The valve seat of made out of brass and brass is susceptible to erosion. And erosion is bad news when it comes to preventing leaks.
If your valve seat has become eroded, that means it is weaker and is less likely to be able to hold back and resist the water pressure running through your tap. So when your tap is turned off, the water pressure will carve tiny holes through the valve seat and that’s how the dripping commences
If this is what has happened, then changing the washer will do absolutely nothing. It would be like slamming a car door as you leave it, but not locking it. It looks secure, but with a small amount of pressure, it folds immediately.
Fixing A Leaky tap
You Will Need:
- A screwdriver (flat head)
- An Adjustable spanner/wrench
- a washer and a valve seat replacement
Firstly, ensure that your water pressure is turned off! You don’t want to unscrew the tap to fix a leak, only to have water start gushing onto your floors!
Then, plug the basin. You don’t want a screw or washer to fall down the sink.
Start by removing what is called an ‘indicator cover’. An indicator cover is the two pictures that show whether a tap is hot or cold. They’re usually red and blue.
Underneath the indicator cover(s),
there is a screw head called the release screw. Unscrew this screw located in the Bayside Area.
Once unscrewed, use a spanner to unscrew tap aka the spindle
Then, simply remove the washer and valve seat as they are. Dispose of old washer and valve seat. Screw the spindle back in, turn the water back on and you’re good to go.
~ The Bayside Plumbing Melbourne Team