How to fix bathroom tap leaking at base?

ivanptr

Good day!

The base of the faucet on the sink is leaking, causing water to drip into the cabinet under the sink.

Please advise how to fix it.

Thanks in advance.

EricL

There are three possible points where the tapware has failed. First is on the base ring, this is the round ring at the bottom of the basin tap. Underneath that metal ring is a rubber washer, and if the washer has failed it will need to be replaced.

I suggest bringing the old O-ring with you so that you can compare it to the generic sets available at the store.

Next is the body O ring set, these are the O rings that are inside the body of the tap, specifically situated where the spout swivels. If these have failed, you'll need to get the O ring body set for that particular tap. Repairing it is involved and if you get the wrong O rings it will not work properly. If this is the case, it's better to replace the entire tap with a new one.

Just a friendly reminder that if you go for this option, I suggest engaging the services of a registered plumber as it is technically a new installation.

The final point would be a failure of the O ring set from the flexi hoses. The small threaded portion of the flexi hose has small O rings attached to it. Sometimes when the flexi hose is tightened too much it tears the O ring, but you rarely see it as it seals the hose temporarily until the O ring fails. It can be replaced with a new O ring, but the hoses will need to be completely removed.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric