Changing a Tap Washer 

I’m a 72 year old lady cocooned 6 weeks .. my tap has been running day and night I would not love anybody into my home to fix it ..I found some washers in my drawer and decided to try DIY.. I checked out RU-vid and found yours was nice and simple to follow .. so I did as you explained what to do step by step .. and it worked !! I now have a peaceful kitchen ! Thank you so much ! 🌈

Thank you - I have been able to replace the washers on my taps! I quoted £45 quid from a plumber to do this and am so happy that I found this site :)

So glad I watched this. I couldn't get a plumber to come out for such a small job. I just took my time; watched this video in stages and got the job done. Thank you so much.

Haven't changed a washer since I moved in 15 years ago and this video was a big help . The small screw was rotten but found one on ebay

Spot on - well explained and easy to follow. Just replaced the washer in my bathroom as instructed and worked perfectly.

Thank you SO much for this video. It gave me the confidence to change the tap mechanism without causing damage!

Very useful - had the same problem as other people, the cartridge was incredibly stiff to remove - I used a socket on a T-bar to hold the tap, and the socket set wrench and 17mm socket - I was using more force to undo it than I thought was healthly, but it did come apart without any problems or damage. Hope this tip, along with the video, can help someone else out. Thanks Owen, this sort of basic but really useful video can be a life-saver for us non-plumbers.

Thank you very much, i followed your instructions and my tap is working fine again, God bless 🙏🏽

Thanks Owen, what a great video, the Plastic Tube to hold the tap worked great, now in my tool box. Cheers.

Thank you so much for this. I just managed to change my tap levers. It was most helpful and I’m very grateful.

Thanks all the way from Jamaica, just used this video for instruction to remove the valve seat and clear out some debris that had the colour of pipe cement

Thankyou. Gave me the info I needed to try and now I know what to ask for when I go to the DIY shop 👍

Good video, thank you for taking the time to make it. I'll use this knowledge tomorrow and fix my Mum's tap. Cheers👍

Very helpful, thanks. I have few tools, but was able to (carefully!) use the plastic extension pipe from my vacuum cleaner to give me leverage on the tap.

Hi there thank you for this video. I have now successfully changed my ceramic washer. Many thanks.

Thanks for the video, just changed the valves in both bath taps and it was simple after watching this 😁😁

Great advice. I didn’t know about a re-seat tool. 👍👍

Very good. Calm, well explained and lots of 'pro tips'.

Top notch m8, easy to understand and helpful. Just fixed my kitch hot tap with this which is a life line in my house. Thanks again

My issue was the valve had come lose, thus when you turned the tap open more than 60% water spurted out and the tap head came off! Tyvm for the video, saved me getting a plumber in!

Excellent and helpful guide - we now have a fully working tap. Thank you,

Thanks for this, a school caretaker a must to learn a few things

Brilliant clear instructions. Followed it and managed to fix my leak tap. Thank you.

Thanks for posting. When we saw what should happen in the servicing of a normal tap by a normal person, we realised that we should stop as the tap we had was identical but abnormal. . It had corroded inside, invisible to us, it was impossible to un-wrench the top of the tap. . Under the basin it had come lose and then, the whole tap was 'moving about'. . . So, we left it to for a plumber to come and fix; he'll have to replace the tap as it is cheap and nasty. . Cheers,. from del-boy

Thanks Owen I am going to have a go you are a brilliant teacher.

IMPORTANT UPDATE...! Further to my own researches (better known as 'actually DOING the job') I have found that, in some cases, the washer at the bottom of the cartridge just slips AROUND the retaining 'lug'. There was no nut or screw to undo. You just fit it between the lug and the base of the cartridge, and press it down around the base of the cartridge to ensure a proper seal. I still could not have changed the tap without this video though...

Nice job Owen, Straight forward 'Old School' logic with a couple tips thrown in, Thanks.

Brilliant video, Mate - it's especially useful in that we both have exactly the same style of tap...great post!

Excellent, thank you, that was extremely helpful.

Thank you for posting, this was very helpful.

Excellent video and very easy to follow instructions

Thank you very much for sharing this sacred knowledge. I used a piece of 41 mm unistrut (41 x 41mm Galvanised Steel Plain Channel) for the tap support, helped to unscrew. This Is England :)

Toilet roll tip works a treat. No scratches. Cheers

Check this guy out. He gives different senarios... Top bloke

Ohhhhhhhhhhh sir, you ARE a wonder! Thank you ... but my oh my, what a hassle just to change a little ol' rubber thingy! 🤣

Excellent no nonsense video 👍🏽

The care and attention to protecting the tap is a good idea, prepare in advance so your less likely to get heavy and scratch up the tap in the process

many thanks for this. i got stuck (literally) when trying to get the lid off. prising with a screwdriver didnt help. i worked out that there was a thick layer of corosion inbetween the outer and inner tap sticking it together. so i scraped the corrosion out with a small flat headed screwdriver. i tried the tap without replacing the washer and found that it works much more smoothly now with no dripping

Good video, but if you find the headnut is stuck fast, look out for the easy tapslitter, makes it so much easier.

Very clear - I will now hopefully do the job without incident!

brilliant no nonsense video thanks for posting . that's exactly the same tap as the one im try to fix

Very good video , easy as 1 2 3 , Thanks.

Thank you. Very helpful

STEP 1 - PUT THE PLUG IN THE SINK!

thank YOU !! great info. saved me a fortune .

Fantastic video...good explanation Thank you very much ....😊

very helpful, thank you. ok so its a day later. important to say l know nothing about plumbing. l decided to look at the stuck hot tap on the bath, well no isolater valve on the bath so turned off at mains but of course that has nothing to do with the hot tap. l decided to change both valves which meant removing one to get it matched at the plumber shop. so l removed the cold tap valve and remembered that there is a cold water tank in the loft so had to wait for that to drain, then got 2 replacement valves and fitted, simple except with no obvious way of turning off the hot water l had to quickly swap the new valve with hot water coming out as didnt want to wait while all the water drained out of the tank. so then turned on the water again at the mains and water at kitchen sink but nothing upstairs at all, then remembered tank needs to fill, hour later still nothing, looked at tank, checked ball valve which came off in my hand, fixed that and noticed the flow is very slow, pressed little valve in and out and it got better, then noticed there is an overflow running outside but cant see why. the tank for what might be the toilet is not overfull and neither is the main water tank so wheres it coming from?

Well, I got half way thru the video: tried to unscrew to top of the tap to get to the washer and couldn’t do it for love nor money. Still got a dripping tap. Feeling utterly gutted, dejected, fed up with the situation, just wanted to change the washer myself as my bloke has no idea but can’t even do that! Now gotta spend money on a plumber ffs! Blisters all over my hands Thank you for your help, if I could get the top of the tap off, I wouldn’t end up back in debt again cos my man is a scrub.

This video is great, really helpful

Excellent video, thanks. My tap actually looks identical.

Very helpful and job done! Thanks.

Cheers Owen! Helped me sort it!

nice one owen,now i will have a go on mine.!

Brilliant instructions and advice. My tap didn't have a screw holding it in place, it was just a type to pull off literally. To any novices, take your time, don't rush. One tip would be to have a glass of water so you can rinse off any dirt/debris as I found.

Thank you... i will now go and change my washer

I can’t replace the washer or the tap! 😂 It’s a nightmare sod being a plumber. Feel like smashing the bath to bits

So what do you do if the valve won't come off, no matter how long you unscrew it, for you to take it out and get at the washer ? I couldn't lift mine off like that to do the next stage despite it turning continuously ! Same tap exactly as well.

Very helpful useful guide, thank you Owen.

Thanks Owen I'm off to do this now..

This was so helpful!:)

thanks Owen - very helpful

This assumes the nut on the top will budge even when forced. they make it look so straightforward in these vids.

Thanks fella 😊 tried to turn my tap off in bath last night after thinking my girl left it slightly on only to have it leak alot more when I actually turned it off lol . Hopefully I'll be successful with this 😊

Thank you.

Thank you. Helped me

Got the same problem but cant take it off i have put w40 still no luck

Perfect, cheers mate.

Very helpful video. Thanks very much. I see what you mean about the corrosion problem though!

I see that your tap is a 'Cold water tap'. My problem involves the 'Hot' one, which unwinds almost all the way till a low pressure flow comes out. NOW--the bloody thing just goes round and round with NO water. This is the bathroom basin. We have recently had a new 'Combi ' boiler fitted (it's in the Garage) where do I turn off the hot water--to do this job please?

Thank you! X

Thanks a lot Owen ...Great stuff ...Is the hot tap any different procedure

Thank you sir

Good and needful informative

Could not get the top off after removing the screw. Then I started to worry when I put it all back - what if I never put the water pressure on the tap high enough when I turned the water back on. Could that affect the water heaters, or plumbing in the bath room?

Thanks a lot

Awesome, My sink washer was cracked and hard. It didn't have a screw, the washer just pulled off. The top cover that you levered off on my tap is cracked, can i get a new one. I can't seem to find anything on google other than the full top part including the valve ?

Thankyou.

My cold tap has the top part well and truly 'stuck' on... tried putting a screwdriver underneath to prise it up but it just breaks the base of it... any suggestions?

I have this exact same tap and the cold tap does indeed have the brass mechanism that you can lift out but the hot tap doesn't. How do you get to the washer on the hot tap?

I have exactly the same basin taps but the cold water has stopped flowing completely. I got as far as removing the top cover disc but the screw under it refuses to budge. Tried soaking in penetrating oil but no luck. Any ideas other than a new set of taps?

I took the centre screw out but the head would still not come off the tap ?

thanks, able to fix mine rather than calling a repair man. yep stay on topic & keep it simple

Will this work for a seized tap? one that won't turn open and let water flow

hi the top of my tap has actually broke off is it fixable ?

Lol on my tap the brass valve at 3.50 is so firmly stuck it might as well be welded on.

Thanks Owen. Explained in leymans terms. I'll have a go.

I have the same problem the big nut won't budge tried wd40 still no go

My tap washer is held in by a brass stud, no nut or screw. How does this work?

Cheers Owen.

Thankyou sir 🙏

Can you imagine, the point where you should see the washer he doesn't show it.

Thank you

The symptom with my tap is no water coming through at all ie not dripping. Got the decorative cover off but the inner armature will not shift, somI can’t inspect the washer etc. I’m concerned I’m going to need so much force that the ceramic sink will break. Anyone got any ideas, tips etc ?

if the screw has rusted n its surface area is become plane so how can i open it plz help me out .reply

Hey Does the tap washer always need one screw to stay attached ? When i try to open the tap ..it usually left in the water and i have to take it out since it havnt got screw on it ( not sure if it was always like that or lost the screw lately)

Can u add a swivel tap to your sink tap for shower effects by adapters reply

nice job

If they are corroded is there anything we can do to loosen them?

Good Video, But to overcome the head removal problem, have a look out for the EasyTapsplitter, Videos on here to make this task a Doddle.

What size is the washer?