Tap leaking from underneath

[Alfie25]

Just found that my kitchen cold tap is leaking from underneath. All advice ive found relates to it dripping from the spout but my prob is definitely underneath. The water is running down the thread of the tap, and its doing this with the tap off. No leaks from the spout, just underneath. Even my DIY book doesn't cover this area! Its not spilled water from washing up as the tap is tight in place with washer underneath so it must be the internals of the tap.

Can a part be replaced or is a new tap needed?

 

[calorific]

Have you tried tightening the nut under there?

 

[Charnwood]

Monobloc?
How old? Maybe a flexi tail has worked loose, or the rubber 'O' ring is past its best.

 

[Alfie25]

OK, I've left it a few more hours and it's stopped dripping. From further testing it does appear to be from where splashed water from the base of the tap (on the top of the sink) is making its way under the base of the tap, then dripping down the threads of the tap (the 'tail'?) underneath the sink.

The plastic backnut under the sink is tight and there's a rubber washer in place. The drip is a slow one and running down the threads (the gold shiny bit in the pic below). It doesn't do it on the hot tap which is strange as it's the same arrangement.

As you can see from the pic, the tap is fixed directly to the feed pipe. There's no flexi hose. Is the way to go to unscrew the backnut and add some thread sealer?

Untitled

• Alfie25
• 9 Oct 2012
• 1

 

[Charnwood]

There really ought to be a top hat washer in there:

You can retro-fit Split Klick top hat washers without removing the supply pipe:

Is there a washer between the tap body and the sink top?

 

[Alfie25]

Hi Charnwood, what advantage does the split klick washer/top hat washer have over what I've got at the moment? Do they close right up on the thread compared to the standard washer I have on at the moment? My tap doesn't have a square shank so I can't understand why a top had would be needed.

Incidentally, on the sink top there is no washer between it and the tap, so that won't be helping.

 

[Charnwood]

There should be at washer between the tap body and the sink.

S/S sink tops are only 0.6 to 0.9 of a milimetre thick. Top hat washers add some 'bulk'.

You could use an Essex Fix-a-Tap kit, as recommended here.

 

[HERTS P&D]

New 1/2 fibre washer is needed.

Andy

 

[Charnwood]

New 1/2 fibre washer is needed.

The water is running down the thread of the tap

Or not, as the case may be.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Dam you shop boy!

I new I should have read the whole thread!

But if you are undoing the tap connector then it is always best to fit a new fibre washer.

Andy