How do I fix a tap leak under the sink?

[gavin16]

Hello buddies, 

1) I am trying to fix a leak under the sink of my bathroom tap as the picture attached. I m not sure how to replace and/or buy the parts. Can you suggest a cost effective way to do that? Much appreciated!

2) Secondly, my hot water tap attached is jammed how do I fix that?

Thank you!!

Community manager's note: Check out How to replace a tap washer for expert advice.

Gavin

[pstq]

If it's the middle part that's leaking, it might just be spilled water dripping through from the top. The white bit at the base of the faucet looks like there's a gap under it. Can it screw down till it's tight against the basin?

Does it leak all the time, or only when the tap is running?

 If the hot tap won't turn on, is it possible it's a quarter turn tap and you're just turning it the wrong way? Probably not, but just checking. Otherwise, maybe it was dripping, and someone turned it off really hard.

[Jason]

Hi @gavin16,

Great to see you have received a helpful reply from @pstq.

Let me see if @JDE, @LePallet and @EricL might also be able to share their thoughts about how to address the leak.

Thanks,

Jason

[EricL]

Hello @gavin16

Thank you for sharing your question about how to fix a tap leak under the sink.

My apologies for the late reply. Leaks usually happen when there has been a part failure. Let's start with your stuck hot water spindle and work our way around the suspected broken part. If your spindle has seized it may need replacing. Your handle is fixed on with a grub screw somewhere on the body of the handle. You may need a Trojan 8 Piece Metric Hex Key Set to remove the grub screw.

Before removing the spindle please make sure that your mains water has been turned off outside the house. Turn on your cold tap to make sure that the pressure in your system has been released. Once you have the handle off, unscrew the flange cover and use a  Craftright 250mm Adjustable Wrench to remove the hot spindle.

Bring your spindle to the nearest store in your area and compare for height and width. Once you have your new spindle simply re-install in the reverse process.

Here is a handy guide: 

Please note that the video is only a guide and the parts for your spindle may vary. Once you've repaired your hot water spindle observe the fitting for a few days and see If you're still getting a leak. If there is still a leak I will suggest another repair option.

Please keep us updated, we look forward to seeing your tap repaired.

Eric

[gavin16]

Thanks pstg, I only felt the leak when the tap is running. I guess it wont leak when tap not running. I will try to screw down the white cover. 

The hot water tap, not sure if its quarter turn as we haven't used it before. 

GAvin