A dripping tap or a toilet that hisses all night is rarely urgent, but it is not harmless either. A slow drip wastes a surprising amount of water and, on a metered supply or a private supply with a pump, it costs money every day. A continuously running toilet can waste more water than the rest of the household uses.
This guide is honest about which of these jobs a confident householder can do and which ones tend to cost more when attempted twice. Nothing here involves gas or the boiler.
Dripping taps: usually a washer or a cartridge
Traditional taps with a rubber washer drip when the washer hardens. Modern quarter turn and monobloc mixers use a ceramic cartridge instead, and cartridges are usually model specific, which is where DIY attempts stall. Identify the tap type before buying parts.
Isolate the supply first. Many modern installations have small isolating valves under the basin or sink, which turn with a flat screwdriver. If there are none, or the stop tap is seized, stop there and call us. A seized stop tap is worth replacing on its own merits, because it is the thing you will need in an emergency.
- Older Borders properties often have high pressure supplies that are hard on washers and seals.
- Hard water areas fur cartridges faster, and descaling rarely restores them properly.
- If the tap body itself is worn or pitted, replacement beats repair on cost over time.
- Kitchen mixers with a pull out spray have a separate hose that fails independently of the cartridge.
Running toilets: fill valve or flush valve
If water trickles into the pan continuously, the flush valve or flapper seal is passing. If the cistern overfills and water goes to the overflow, the fill valve is at fault. Both are commonly replaceable parts and both are made in dozens of variants, so take the old part with you or photograph it.
Concealed cisterns, wall hung pans and pneumatic push button systems are a different matter. Access is restricted, the parts are proprietary, and forcing a panel off can cost more in tiling than the repair. We see this often in newer builds and in holiday lets fitted out to a spec the owner did not choose.
The small jobs where a plumber is genuinely cheaper
- Anything requiring the main stop tap when the stop tap does not turn.
- Concealed cisterns, pneumatic flush systems and wall hung sanitaryware.
- Mixer showers losing temperature stability, which is usually a thermostatic cartridge and often a pressure balance question.
- Any joint on a plastic push fit system that has been disturbed and now weeps.
- Waste and trap leaks under a fitted unit, where the damage happens out of sight.
Why we happily take small jobs
Some firms will not turn out for a tap. We will, because small jobs are how long relationships start and because the person with a dripping tap this year is often the person needing a new boiler in three years. We also tend to catch other things while we are there, such as a corroded flexible tail or an isolating valve that has failed shut, which is exactly the kind of problem you want found before it floods a kitchen.
Frequently asked questions
- How much water does a dripping tap actually waste?
- A steady drip can waste several litres a day, and a continuously running toilet very much more. If you are on a metered or private supply it shows up on cost as well as on your nerves.
- Can I replace a tap cartridge myself?
- Often yes, if you can isolate the supply and you have identified the correct cartridge for that tap model. If the isolating valve does not hold or the stop tap is seized, stop and call a plumber before you find out the hard way.
- Why does my toilet only run sometimes?
- Intermittent running usually means the flush valve seal is not seating consistently, often because of debris or limescale on the seat. Cleaning it can buy time, but the seal is the real fix.
- Do you charge a call out fee for small jobs?
- We quote clearly before we start, so you know the cost of a small job before we begin. Call 07747 002334 and describe the fault, and we will tell you what it typically takes.
Small job, done properly
Taps, toilets, isolating valves, wastes and shower cartridges. Tell us what is dripping and where, and we will book it in.