Why a Drip Is Never Just a Drip

A tap that drips once a second can waste thousands of litres of water a year, and the damp patch under your sink is rarely content to stay put. Left alone, a slow leak soaks into cabinet boards, lifts floor tiles, stains ceilings and gives you a mould problem that costs far more to sort than the original fault. The good news is that most household leaks are within reach of anyone with a few basic tools, a bit of patience and a willingness to switch the water off first. Keep an adjustable spanner, a screwdriver set, a roll of PTFE tape, a spare selection of tap washers, a head torch and an old towel together in one place — a "plumbing box" saves an enormous amount of swearing.

Find Your Stopcock Before You Touch Anything

Every repair starts here. The internal stopcock is usually under the kitchen sink, sometimes in a downstairs loo, an airing cupboard or a cupboard by the front door. Turn it clockwise to close it, then open a cold tap to confirm the water has actually stopped. If the valve is stiff or seized, do not force it — a snapped stopcock spindle is a genuine emergency, and that one you really do need a specialist for.

Before draining anything, look for smaller isolation valves on the pipes feeding a tap, a washing machine or a toilet. These usually have a small screwdriver slot, and turning them closes just that branch of the system. It is far less disruptive than emptying the whole house. If you live in a flat or a converted building, ask your landlord or managing agent where the communal stopcock is, and write it down somewhere you will find it at 11pm with water spreading across the floor.

Sorting a Dripping Tap

There are two families of tap and they need different treatment: traditional ones with a rubber washer, and modern ceramic cartridge or quarter-turn types.

• Turn the water off, then open the tap fully to drain what is left in the pipe.
• Put the plug in, or lay a cloth over the plughole, so small parts cannot disappear.
• Prise off the decorative cap on top of the handle — often marked H or C — with a thin screwdriver, then undo the screw beneath it.
• On a traditional tap, undo the headgear nut with a spanner, lift out the jumper and swap the washer. Take the old one to a hardware shop to match the size exactly.
• On a ceramic tap, the cartridge is usually replaced as a whole unit. Note the make and model, or take the old cartridge with you.
• Wrap the threads with PTFE tape before reassembling, and tighten firmly rather than brutally.

If the water appears at the base of the spout rather than from the outlet, the fault is usually an O-ring or gland rather than the washer, and the repair is slightly different.

Leaks at Joints and Connections

Under the sink you will most often find compression fittings: a nut, a brass olive and a pipe. A drip here frequently means the nut simply needs a quarter turn. Stop there. Over-tightening crushes the olive and makes the leak worse. If tightening does not solve it, isolate the water, undo the nut, check the olive is sitting square, wrap PTFE tape clockwise around it and reassemble.

For a weeping pipe, self-amalgamating tape stretched tightly around the leak and overlapped in three or more layers performs far better than duct tape. A rubber patch held in place with a jubilee clip can get you through the night on a pinhole or small split. Treat both as stopgaps and plan a proper repair.

Never ignore water near electrics. If a leak is anywhere close to a socket, light fitting or boiler, switch the electricity off at the consumer unit and call someone qualified.

Slow Drains and Smelly Traps

A sluggish plughole is nearly always hair, soap and grease. Fit a strainer, and never pour cooking fat down the sink.

• Pour a kettle of hot — not boiling — water down slowly, then follow with half a mug of bicarbonate of soda and a mug of white vinegar. Leave for fifteen minutes and flush through with hot water.
• Use a plunger with the overflow covered; a wet cloth held over it gives the suction somewhere to work.
• Unscrew the bottle trap or U-bend under the sink with a bucket beneath it. Clean it out and check the washers sit correctly when refitting.
• For bath and shower wastes, a plastic drain snake or a straightened coat hanger will pull out most of the blockage.
• Avoid caustic chemical cleaners on older pipework — they damage seals and are hazardous for anyone working on it later.

Knowing When to Put the Spanner Down

Step back if water is coming through a ceiling, you cannot isolate the supply, the leak sits on the mains side of your stopcock, or a boiler or gas appliance is involved — gas work is legally a job for a registered engineer. And if you have had two goes and it is still dripping, the money you save by persisting is rarely worth the damage.

If you rent, your landlord is responsible for repairs to the structure, pipework and heating. Report faults in writing, keep a copy, and if nothing happens, contact your local council's environmental health team. Do not withhold rent over disrepair, as it weakens your position. If you are worried about losing your home, speak to your council's housing team or a local advice service early — there are far more options available before an eviction notice arrives than after.