Croydon tap plumbing • MPS Heating & Plumbing LTD
Leaking Tap Croydon
Tap dripping all night, leaking at the base, stiff to turn, or leaving water under the sink? MPS Heating & Plumbing LTD helps with leaking taps, dripping mixer taps, tap valve faults and small plumbing repairs across Croydon.
A leaking tap is often a small repair, but the real problem is not always where the water appears. A worn cartridge, O-ring, washer, flexi hose or old isolation valve can all create very different leaks.
For wider leaks, tap faults, pipework and household plumbing work, see our Plumbers Croydon service.
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Most leaking taps come down to one small part failing.
On older taps, a drip from the spout is often a washer or valve issue. On modern mixer taps, a ceramic cartridge, O-ring or worn internal seal is more common.
If the leak is under the sink, that is different again. It could be a flexi hose, compression fitting, loose tap tail, isolation valve or pipe joint.
We keep leaking-tap repairs separate from kitchen tap replacement in Croydon. That page is mainly for fitting new tapware. This page is about leaks, drips, repairs and finding the failed part.
Common leaking tap jobs we see
- Dripping tap from the spout after it is fully turned off
- Leaking mixer tap around the body or swivel spout
- Water gathering under the sink cupboard
- Tap handle stiff, loose, spinning or hard to shut properly
- Leaking isolation valve near the basin or sink
- Old kitchen or bathroom tap that keeps coming loose
How to stop a leaking tap before we arrive.
If the tap is only dripping from the spout, it is not usually an emergency. Annoying, yes. Wasteful, yes. But usually contained.
If water is running into a cupboard, through a worktop, onto flooring or near electrics, turn the local isolation valve if it works safely. If that does not stop the water, use the main stopcock if you know where it is.
If water keeps escaping and is actively causing damage, contact our emergency plumber in Croydon for urgent help.
Do not force a seized isolation valve. A small leak can become a much bigger one if an old valve finally gives way.
Quick check: dry the tap base, flexi hoses and nearby pipe connections. Then run the tap briefly and see where moisture appears first. Water travels, so the wettest patch is not always where the leak started.
| What you can see | Likely cause | What usually needs doing |
|---|---|---|
| Tap dripping from the spout | Worn washer, ceramic cartridge or valve not seating properly | Replace the washer, valve or cartridge depending on the tap type |
| Water leaking from beneath the handle | O-ring, gland seal, cartridge seal or worn internal valve | Strip the handle section and replace the failed seal or cartridge |
| Leak around the tap base | Loose tap, failed base seal or water getting through the basin or worktop opening | Tighten, reseal or refit the tap properly |
| Water inside the cupboard | Flexi hose, compression nut, isolation valve, tap tail or pipework joint | Trace the actual leak and repair the failed fitting |
| Tap keeps getting stiff or noisy | Limescale, worn cartridge or ageing tap internals | Repair if sensible, replace if the tap is badly worn or poor quality |
Compression tap, ceramic disc tap, mixer tap. It matters.
Not every dripping tap is fixed the same way. Older compression taps often use rubber washers. Modern mixer taps usually use cartridges or specific internal valves.
That is why we do not automatically call every leaking tap a “washer job”. Sometimes the cartridge has failed. Sometimes the tap body itself is damaged. Sometimes the replacement part costs almost as much as fitting a better tap.
In Croydon flats, access under sinks and basins can be tight. In older homes around Thornton Heath, Norbury and Selhurst, the awkward part is often the old isolation valves or altered pipework rather than the tap itself.
Repair or replace?
We normally try to repair a decent tap if the correct part is available and the rest of the tap is in good condition.
If the tap is corroded, cracked, loose in the basin, leaking in several places or built around hard-to-source parts, replacement can be the cleaner answer.
Small leak, but still worth doing properly.
A dripping tap can waste water, mark sinks, damage cupboards and become worse over time. It is one of those jobs people leave because it looks minor.
We are not going to pretend every tap leak is urgent. But if water is escaping outside the sink or basin, it needs tracing properly before it damages something else.
Clear advice before work starts.
We explain whether repair or replacement makes more sense before you spend money on parts.
What we check on a leaking tap visit.
First, we find the actual leak. With taps it is easy to chase the wrong bit because water can run along the underside of a basin or worktop before it finally drips.
- Whether the leak is from the spout, handle, base, hose, valve or pipe joint
- Whether the hot and cold isolation valves work safely
- Whether the tap can be repaired with a washer, cartridge, O-ring or valve
- Whether the tap is loose, corroded, cracked or not worth repairing
- Whether movement in nearby pipework is contributing to repeat leaks
Sometimes the leak is not actually the tap.
A customer sees water in the cupboard and assumes the tap is leaking. But the actual fault might be the flexi hose, waste trap, compression joint, isolation valve or another pipe behind the unit.
That is why we dry the area, run the tap and trace where the water starts. A visible drip can be several inches away from the failed fitting.
If the water is coming from pipework rather than the tap itself, see our leaking pipe repairs in Croydon page.
Bathroom tap leaking?
Basin taps, bath taps and bathroom mixer taps often sit alongside older isolation valves, concealed pipework and bathroom fittings that may already be due for an upgrade.
If you are replacing taps as part of a wider basin, bath, toilet or bathroom refurbishment, see our bathroom installation service in Croydon.
Basin taps, bath taps, mixer valves, old handles and leaks around the tap base.
Kitchen mixer taps, dripping spouts, loose taps and leaks inside cupboards.
Practical repairs for landlords, tenants and managed properties.
Kitchen tap repair or replacement?
If the kitchen tap is still in good condition and only one internal part has failed, a repair may make sense.
If it is badly corroded, loose, cracked, hard to source parts for, or already leaking in more than one place, replacing it can be more sensible.
For fitting a new kitchen tap rather than repairing the existing one, use our kitchen tap replacement service page.
The main plumbing route
Leaking taps are part of the wider plumbing work we carry out across Croydon. If the issue extends beyond the tap into pipework, valves, toilets, sinks or other fixtures, the main service page is Plumbers Croydon.
Leaking tap FAQs
Quick answers before you book anything. Some tap leaks are simple. Some are only simple once you know exactly where the water is coming from.
How do I stop a dripping tap?
Turn the tap off fully without forcing it. If it still drips from the spout, the washer, valve, cartridge or internal seal may need replacing.
Can a leaking tap be repaired, or does it need replacing?
Many leaking taps can be repaired if the tap body is in good condition and the correct part is available. If the tap is corroded, loose, cracked or difficult to source parts for, replacement may make more sense.
Why is my mixer tap dripping?
A dripping mixer tap is often caused by a worn cartridge, damaged seal, limescale or a valve that is not closing properly. A leak around the base or handle may point to an O-ring or internal seal instead.
Is a leaking tap an emergency?
A slow drip from the spout is not usually an emergency. Water leaking into a cupboard, through a ceiling, near electrics or into another property should be treated more seriously.
Do you repair leaking taps in Croydon?
Yes. MPS Heating & Plumbing LTD repairs leaking taps, dripping mixer taps, tap valves, O-rings, flexi-hose leaks and related plumbing faults across Croydon and nearby areas.
Can low water pressure affect a tap?
Low pressure does not normally cause a tap to leak, but if several taps or showers have weak flow, the water-supply issue may need checking separately.