How to repair a Mixer Tap leaking at the swivel base.

If you have a mixer tap leaking at the bottom swivel joint, this video shows you how to fix it. It can be a right irritation with water running around the base of the tap! For the just the price of a couple of rubber washers from a plumbers merchants, this can be fixed in minutes!! Got your own plumbing or heating problem? Ask Al at: www.dereton33.com
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[@AlexGreyhead]

My mixer tap spout just shot across the kitchen and I was all ready to have to buy a new one. Your video tipped me off to the presence of the grub screw - put the spout back on, replaced the loose grub screw and now everything’s back working perfectly. Thank you fella 🙏

[@dereton33]

No problem Alex.

[@David-x9h1n]

Thank you, Al. This saved me £100+ on a London plumber. Sorted for £2.05 using a small pack of B&Q o rings. Feeling very pleased with myself indeed!

[@dereton33]

Excellent!

[@BillDyehouse]

It's videos like this that makes KZbin a great resource, keep up the good work!

[@dereton33]

Thanks Bill

[@alcooder3258]

Great video Al. Thought that the leaking pillar would not come off and as a last resort searched the net and found your simple and straightforward instructions. Pillar was off in seconds but found that there were no o rings on the pillar ! No matter quickly worked out that a ring was required inside the central housing where the pillar is located rather than on the pillar - there was no ring in place. Overall job done in under 5 minutes. Thanks Al you saved me a new tap and much angst. Simple when you know how

[@dereton33]

+Al Cooder . No problem Al.

[@melvinpugh3831]

Thank you for an excellent video - I had thought that I might have to buy a new tap or call a plumber out or both, but after watching your video I sorted out our leaking mixer tap at a cost of £1.10 for the washers and all in the space I’d 30 minutes, including the trip to the local hardware store! Thank you once again.

[@dereton33]

You're welcome!

[@zimmer651]

Hi I have just fixed my leaking kitchen mixer tap. My tap was the one with the grub screw in the back. I removed the screw and turned the spout to the left but could not pull it out. I did get it out by putting a sharp lever under the base and levering it up. The grub screws only purpose was to stop the spout from pulling out, and there was no need to turn the spout in any particular position to get it out. The reason it wouldn’t pull out was because of the build up of sediment inside the spout. Once out ease off the o rings and try not to damage them. Wire brush and wire wool the spout, then measure the two o rings because I guarantee that you will not have replacements that fit. Next wrap some ptf tape around were The o rings fit, put the o rings back on, smear a bit of Vaseline on replace the spout and jobs a goodun.

[@dereton33]

Thanks for the info.

[@squeezemypimple]

Many Thanks Al for giving up your time and expertise...cured the problem, works like a dream now...Bob

[@aplandells]

Fantastic! My tap's been leaking like this for a couple of months now. Thought I was resigned to spending £££ on a new tap and a plumber callout, but this has solved my problem. Didn't have any suitable washers, so padded the base of the tap with PTFE and re-fitted the existing washers. Tap no longer drips! Thanks for sharing this.

[@dereton33]

No problem.

[@staffs1959]

Well i have had one of these leaking for years and didn't know how to get the darn thing off... THANKS A LOT... Off in seconds, got some O rings on order from ebay and will have a happy, impressed wife in a few days LOL

[@dereton33]

That`s great Steve.

[@ianbaker2227]

Thanks, very useful. Just repaired my tap. My tap had an Allen nut, but still had to move to a right angle to seat it properly. Bought a set of 200 O rings online and found them a bit thicker than the ones on the tap but found using a smaller ring and stretching it worked well.

[@dereton33]

`That`s great good advice to help others Ian.

[@21Ruthin]

Many, many thanks - a really helpful video, exactly what I needed. Kitchen tap fixed in less than 10 minutes (except for the trip to the DIY store to get the right sized o-rings!). I am now added to your long list of subscribers - thanks again!

[@dereton33]

No problem and thanks for subscribing.

[@tonybarrett3698]

Fantastic, exactly as you described and took me less than 15 minutes to repair, now that's saved a lot of cash in calling out a plumber. Thanks Bud.

[@dereton33]

Get yourself a beer with the money you`ve saved. Ha ha. Mines a John Smiths.

[@zebgelatchi]

You de Man, had a leaky mixer for over a year. Thought it would be a dockyard style dismantle job, water off, more leaks, call a plumber . . . ££. £1.30 for "O" ring pack from bee and q, Job done, no leaks. Thank You Sir.

[@dereton33]

No problem Ian.

[@pikricky]

Searched everywhere for a video on this particular tap as its the original one on our 21 year old kitchen and has the same problem as you have demonstrated,thank you so much for that as I had no clue how to take the spout out,I have watched a few of your videos and really enjoy them and glad you are still making them as I've just subscribed to your channel

[@dereton33]

Thanks very much.

[@dereton33]

No worries pleased you got to the bottom of it and saved yourself some money on new taps. Kind regards, al.

[@danielsuperchef]

Very handy video thanks, I nearly got a plumber around to change my entire mixer tap until i saw this video! Anyway Im now off to the plumbers merchant with me spout to match up some washers, Thanks again!

[@dereton33]

Some do not have a screw but do need extra humph to pull off . First position the tap spout to the left side as you look at it before pulling , if that does not work then try the other way . A rare few are fixed in which case new taps are the only answer . I do have a video on my channel on how to fit them. Kind regards, al.

[@RashidRaja]

thank you, just saved me the hassle of getting a plumber out to do this, noticed my taps leaking from the neck yesterday, will be doing this hopefully during the week.

[@dereton33]

No problem Rashid.

[@dereton33]

They are pretty much standard as you have to streech them over onto the two recess on the tap, which means they could be slightly smaller and still do the job. A lot of pound shops do a bag of rubber washers of all sizes it`s where i got mine from. Regards, al.

[@clumsyme6]

I just moved into a new place and have this problem... since the landlord isn't taking care of it I decided to take matters into my own hands. Thank you for this, I got as far as getting the tap off but didn't know what to do next!

[@dereton33]

The rubber washer ring on the end of the spout will need renewing.

[@dereton33]

clumsyme6 No problem..

[@prender77]

Cool,im about to do this as ive removed the spout several times. Never thought of just replacing the washers. Fingers crossed.

[@dereton33]

Hi Willy , sometimes getting the right size can be a problem , if you know the make of your taps you can always get in touch with them and they will send the correct ones, as it sounds like the standard plumbing supply shops may not stock the correct size for your taps. Good luck with it Kind regards, al.

[@stevebedson9253]

Brilliantly useful. This saved me a lot of head-scratching, and possibly a new tap.

[@dereton33]

No problem Steve. Al.

[@johnspinks3656]

thanks heeps, mine had a little screw at the back. Had just come loose after 25years . So happy it was still there. Funny when it came off it the water squirted the misses all over plus scared the shit out of her. NOW she listen when I tell her to stop turning water taps on FULL bore. thanks again

[@dereton33]

A win win there then John. Ha ha.

[@baz5973]

Hi Al, Just to thank you for the time /effort and of course experience. I have watched a fair few of your vids and have found them highly informative but above all even when things go slightly wrong, you leave the camera running, sweet. Thanks a lot, cheers

[@dereton33]

Thanks Baz ,

[@Handel9000]

cheers Al! saved my Dad buying and installing a whole new tap!

[@dereton33]

+Chris Clarke No problem. Al.

[@fclancy2724]

I have just done this for a monobloc tap. I had to remove the tap from the sink and unscrew the metal ring on the base of the tap to get it open. I ordered some new 1231R tap seals on the internet which fitted OK, although if you know the make of the tap it's probably best if you find the instructions on the internet and order the correct part. These seals are not symmetric so I expect you are meant to fit them the correct way round.

[@thefunfairvip]

Cheers. Its only simple when one see's it done. Many thanks for this saved me a lot of expense.

[@RichardSmith-gm7cr]

Thanks for your video, we have now successfully fixed our tap.

[@orsoncart9441]

To stop the O-Ring leaking. Take the O-Ring off the tap as shown, then get some cotton and wrap it around the tap 20 times where the O-Ring would go. That makes the diameter bigger. Then put the old seal back on and it will have stopped it leaking. It is best to get new O-Rings but getting hold of the correct size can be difficult. Hope this helps.

[@dereton33]

Thanks Orson.

[@maggielonergan2194]

Just had this tap fitted but it has been lying around for some time so washers perished. Thanks a million x

[@dereton33]

no problem.

[@sschofs]

Many thanks for the great video, found the screw at the back and cured the problem with new O rings.

[@dereton33]

No problem Stuart.

[@2227jenny]

Many thanks for this. Armed with your advice, I found the small screw at the back and after a quick trip to B&Q for a mixed pack of 'o' rings, I was soon up and running again. I would like to stress about the importance of putting some silicone grease on the 'o' rings before putting everything back together again.

[@dereton33]

Yes a good idea.

[@johnbull984]

i have lost the screw at the back what size do i need to replace it.

[@kangzhendong1915]

Really helpful and learned a lot. Thank you so much.

[@dereton33]

You're very welcome!

[@The4thDensity]

Thanks for showing the hidden grub screw at the back. I've been pulling my hair our trying to get the spout off. Excellent video.

[@dereton33]

No problem

[@dereton33]

I am sure you will be ok it`s a simple job. Kind regards, al.

[@tracypirozzolo7766]

brilliant talk and video. Did exactly what you showed and my mixer is still leaking. I left the little screw off at the back and it's only trickling from that hole, but if I put it back then it just leaks everywhere again.

[@dereton33]

You will need to get hold of a slightly bigger washer for the stem.

[@tracypirozzolo7766]

Ok thanks. I'll give that a go. :)

[@mrgrandejuan]

Thanks very much a really helpful video. I was all ready to remove the base of the tap from underneath the sink and it turns out you don't even have to turn the water off. Won't tell my wife that of course!

[@sarahroe3379]

Thank you for this video I have that leak and its quite bad as I've left it as can't afford plumber. But it's an easy fix so I'll try myself.

[@dereton33]

Have a go Sarah you have nothing to loose.

[@Richard_Barnes]

Thanks for this! 🙂👍🏻 Ours has just started to seep out and watching this was a big help. We’ve not done bad since the tap’s been in since 2008 so time for new o-rings 👍🏻

[@dereton33]

Glad it was helpful!

[@dereton33]

Sorry you cannot find it prender77 , there is rather a lot to trawl through . You will find it a lot easer to find if you go through my web site . Kind regards, al.

[@quentinsf]

Brilliant! Thanks - I wouldn’t have known to start by looking for the little screw at the back!

[@dereton33]

No problem.

[@jamesfranklyn8547]

Perfect, thanks for the video and advice, I've benefited many times from watching your channel.

[@dereton33]

Glad to help

[@tayash1977]

Thanks as always. Straight forward simple explanation which once again has helped me. 👍🏽

[@dereton33]

No problem.

[@B3EStC0DPLAY3R]

Amazing, thank you! Just fixed my tap that has been leaking for years!

[@dereton33]

No worries Stan , kind regards,al.

[@sinexag]

Cheers buddy, very helpful. Gave me the confidence to pull my tap off!

[@dereton33]

Yes drill it , but do not drill too far into the brass body of the tap , otherwise you will make a hole right through into the waterway of the tap . Note you may have to retap the thread also . So steady as she goes. Good luck, al.

[@dereton33]

Thanks Mal , I will look into doing a vid on the tap handles , many thanks, al.

[@wendyfisher6669]

Just repaired ours, so easy when you know how. Thank you for your help

[@dereton33]

No problem Wendy.

[@richardtuffnell9886]

Excellent, best channel I've come across.

[@dereton33]

Wow, thanks!

[@richardreece7360]

Great video- thanks very much! Thought I was going to have to buy a new tap!

[@dereton33]

No problem.

[@dereton33]

In that rare situation I think new taps is the only answer, but before giving up try pulling in every angle you can manage. Regards, al.

[@bobflyman]

Thanks, you just saved me a load of unnecessary work by saying turn the spout 90 degs. I was going to remove the whole thing!

[@dereton33]

No problem.

[@dereton33]

There is no need to turn any water off when doing this job as long as the taps are off you will only get the small amount of water that is in the spout when you pull it away.If ever you need to turn off the water for anything else the main stoptap is usually but not always, under the sink and the hot gate valve in the airing cupboard ,if you have a combi boiler just turn the main off,if you have no valve it may be in the loft by the header tank.Otherwise drain down it will empty the whole tank .

[@kaylagregory4818]

Great video, watch him every time

[@dereton33]

Thanks Kayla.

[@jameswright2036]

once again you have fixed my problem, cheers fella

[@dereton33]

No problem.

[@vortensis]

finally, i can fix the leak in my kitchen.... thanks a bunch!

[@dereton33]

No problem Fred.

[@TK42138]

Good vid, just done my monobloc tap but it had unusual O-ring seals. Had to pack it out with PTFE cord until I can track down correct seals.

[@dereton33]

***** Don`t worry that PTFE tape will last for years. Al.

[@malmalhi007]

Hi Al.. thanks for that video..another thing you could put in how the tap handles can be removed.. there are so many types.. ive got one that looks like a dome with no visible way of removing it to change the washers thanks Mal (hope it doesn't run u out of business)

[@andrewpeacock7584]

Cheers.....great demo 👍

[@dereton33]

Thanks for watching!

[@dereton33]

Well if your tap is letting by a small amount ie it needs re-washering then yes it is the same fix. Regards, al.

[@baza7008]

nice one! cheers captain that certainly helped me out.

[@dereton33]

No problem.

[@dereton33]

Thanks Mal. Kind regards, al.

[@dereton33]

ok well done , saving money is what it`s all about. regards, al.

[@jimheriotspence5649]

No slicone grease? Just wondering is all Thank you for the video.. I never knew about the location lug at the back.

[@dereton33]

No need

[@monkcat6235]

Palpatine in the flesh!! Great video.

[@oldgeorge1939]

Very helpful, thanks. Even better smeared with silicone grease.

[@dereton33]

You're welcome!

[@dereton33]

Glad you could fix it alright. al.

[@CarolineFraser]

So grateful. Just remind people to make sure the tap is in the of f position when they take the tap off.......I go a fateful of water!

[@joemorris86]

I have removed the screw but I think a bit of the screw may of snapped off inside as It will not come off at any angle. Could I attempt to drill the screw out or will I do more damage to the inside of the tap? Thanks

[@paulbullock4705]

easy to follow vid. However when I try and lift the spout I can get it as far as the first washer then there seems to be a metal rod inside and I'm unable to lift the central spout any further to remove the whole piece

[@dereton33]

Some taps are made not to be fixed .

[@cathyknowles4977]

Wonderful. Do I need to turn off the supply to the tap?

[@dereton33]

Not if you are just doing the spout.

[@HektorBandimar]

Hi, really helpful video, can I ask, do all those type of tap pieces pull out if they aren't screwed in place? Cause mine doesn't want to come out and I don't want to damage it.

[@dereton33]

Yes most

[@HektorBandimar]

@@dereton33 Thanks. 👍

[@thesparky1212]

Oh thanks. Now I think about it mine is leaking all the time not just when running, is it the same fix?

[@MrRocketmanbkk]

Hello, did you turn both hot & cold water off to do this job? Also, if there are no isolation valves under the sink, do you turn the hot off in the airing cupboard for example? Lastly, if you do turn the hot off in the airing cupboard, when you empty the tap, will the whole tank drain? Thank you

[@prender77]

Thanks al, cant find it on ur channel, u have some selection of vids its brill ill be an expert diyer in no time d mrs will be well impressed. Im followin ur channel, i love it keep up d good work. Roy.

[@picklesmad5367]

Thanks for the video did exactly as you said, problem now solved 😬😬

[@daviddb2528]

Easy when you know how! Thanks!!

[@dereton33]

No problem.

[@sunkat76]

Thank you!

[@dereton33]

You're welcome!

[@Captincolosus]

You may have just saved me buying a whole new tap, could you tell me are these washers standard are differnt sizes?

[@trishsykes449]

I've just left this same comment on someone else's plumbing video......shame you couldn't find a mate to do the filming! Still, I guess it showed just enough to get the job done....

[@dereton33]

Cant afford mates these days Trish , still as long as you did it ok , that's all that's needed.

[@alisonwoodingswayaheadtuto1052]

+dereton33 It's spot on, Al. I've followed 3 of your videos in the last 2 days, changed a tap gland, repaired a leaking radiator and fixed the leak on my swivel mixer tap. Thank you so much!

[@dereton33]

Thanks Alison.

[@garybutler7219]

great video when your taking the top bit off do they all just pop out ?

[@dereton33]

Gary Butler Yes, they all just pull away. Al.

[@chris53small]

i did try a repair like that recently but it never worked problem was the replacement o-rings fitted nice and tight and protruded a little just like the old ones but i could get the Tap back together with a bit of force but the neck was too stiff to turn easily Didnt know who made the tap so couldnt contact anyone.

[@dereton33]

Some times it is best just to renew the taps.

[@dereton33]

Glad i could help. al.

[@antoniogalluccio4213]

Why not adding a bit of plumbing grease around the o-ring to help prevent wearing due to movement?

[@dereton33]

Can if you want too.

[@brettly3924]

Thanks Al legend.

[@dereton33]

No problem Brett.

[@michaelwilson3844]

Hi AI unbelievable I watched this video couple of days ago just random then few days later got up to notice a lot of water around marble near tap , still didn’t think nothing of it until next morning and more water appeared , felt around swivel area at tap and could see all wet , as I’ve got a service package with British Gas that covers leaking taps went to app to book a appointment , managed to get one for next day , but later that day they called me to say they have someone available that could be out within hour, after watching your video I got my iPhone and took a picture of the back of the tap and could see it was a screw , when the chap game in to my house looked at the tap seen where it was leaking from , said can’t do anything with that , needs replacing , said we don’t give out taps like yours “ to be honest we give out cheap tap which sits much lower than yours. I said can’t you change the O ring “ sorry no way of changing it” I said it’s got a normal screw in the back , showed him the photograph I took , he said it’s a Allen screw , away he went to his van to get a O ring and Allen keys , said you are right it’s a screw , managed to get the screw out the back using a small ratchet with Phillips head as very little room between back of tap and window sill , he was trying to pull it straight out just about to give up and one last pull it came free ( no location like this video) it took him all of 5 minutes to change a single o ring , if I hadn’t of seen this Video wouldn’t have had a clue thanks AI always learning from you , he also at the same time fixed leaking stop cock by putting the white PTFE around the bottom of the nut , job done brilliant .

[@dereton33]

That`s great Mike.

[@prender77]

No luck, replaced all washers and still leaking. Have 2 get new mixer tap. Might chance it myself is it a straight fwd on off job once i turn d water off cant afford a plumber. What type of spanners etc wud i need 4 opening the nuts under d sink. Any help wud b great :)

[@elizabethholmes8194]

Maybe a strange question , did you turn the water supply off first?

[@dereton33]

Not necessary for that leak.

[@0xxelitepredatorxx0]

Thanks for that. Just the job!

[@psbsoham]

Great video, sure this will help me. Just checking, do I turn off rising main stop cock before removing it? Thanks

[@dereton33]

No if is leaking on the swivel base as in the video.

[@psbsoham]

@@dereton33 thank you

[@astridjordan4785]

My tap has 3 holes (one large and 2 small) in the base on the inside when I take of I the top. The top has 3 blue plastic rings which are part of the plastic inner. I figured it might not have been aligned properly, therefore creating a leak, but no matter what I do and how many times I re-position the top, it keeps leaking a great deal. Is the tap faulty you think?

[@dereton33]

Yes a faulty one.

[@ragingocker]

Hi, Al. I have the problem of a leak where the spout of our kitchen mixer tap swivels. The sink itself is Franke but there's no maker's name on the tap. The thing is that the two washers that need to be replaced don't have the usual circular cross section, they are flat instead. My local plumber's merchant only had round washers, so I tried a couple of pairs of these but found that the spout wouldn't drop all the way down in its housing. So, I put the original washers back on and wrapped some PTFE tape around them and so far, so good as a temporary fix. Can you shed any light on what kind of washer it is I should be looking for to make a permanent fix? Many thanks.

[@dereton33]

Hi Stan, you will be very lucky to get any washers for those taps, flat ones have to be exact, whereas round rubber ones do not.

[@ragingocker]

Just my luck :( I gave the fitting one wind of PTFE tape and that seems to be holding out for now. Maybe it'll give me enough time to find the correct washers, although I don't know what they're called, making searching a bit difficult. Thank you for your very prompt reply,band keep up the good work.

[@leongidden254]

Another great video

[@dereton33]

Thank you. kind regards, al.

[@waltersobchak926]

I love your videos but im not sure if you could help me? I have a fairly old mixer tap in the bathroom where water started leaking from the stem where you connect the hose. I thought just replacing with a new hose would solve th problem but it still seems to be leaking. It was a fairly cheap hose so I wondering if the standard washers included are just not up to the job or would there be another reason for the leak?

[@dereton33]

The taps wear and the washers are no longer a snug fit.

[@malmalhi007]

thank you .. that was great.. to the point.. good one mate!!

[@malmalhi007]

that would be absolutely brilliant!!

[@lloyd6751]

The old washers had grease all over them. Did you replace the the grease on the new ones? if so what grease did u use?

[@dereton33]

I never replaced the grease.

[@tabzr]

Excellent. Thank you

[@paulforrest1059]

Thank you, great video!