Common household issue could be wasting thousands of litres of water a year - and costing you money

Lots of us often have a small list of odd DIY jobs we need to do around the home. They might not take long, but often we end up putting them on the backburner for another day.

But new research suggests that could be a mistake. One small job in particular could be wasting you money and seeing thousands of litres of water needlessly going down the drain.

Fixing a dripping tap it could be adding an extra £30 to your water bill every year, according to experts. Jennifer Shaw, an expert at bathroom specialist Plumbworld, says that leaving a leaking tap could be wasting up to 5,500 litres of water annually but has revealed a quick and easy way of fixing the costly problem.

“With the right equipment, mending a dripping tap should be very straightforward and I am urging homeowners to give it a go,” she says. “The cost of a dripping tap might not seem huge, but with bills as high as they are at the moment, every little counts.

“First things first, you’ll need to assess why your tap is dripping. Most of the time this is down to general wear and tear, such as a dirty or broken ceramic disc cartridge.

“If you find it’s something more complicated, though, we recommend contacting a professional plumber for advice. But if you feel happy it’s a quick fix then all you need to do is follow the steps below.”

How to fix your dripping tap

• Locate the stop tap to turn off your household water supply (usually found in the cupboard underneath your kitchen sink).

• Turn on your leaky tap to let any residual water run out.

• Plug your sink to prevent any screws from going missing when dismantling your tap.

• Locate the small screw on your leaking tap, which is typically on the underside of the handle/lever. However, this depends on the style of tap so you may need to do a quick check to find it.

• Undo the screw with an Allen key or screwdriver, depending on the size, and slowly remove the tap handle.

• Remove the tap cartridge with an adjustable spanner (keep a cloth or old rag handy for any slight leakage).

• If the cartridge has a build-up of limescale, clean it with a descaling solution and refit the same cartridge if possible.

• Use a solution of one part white vinegar to one part warm water. Soak the cartridge for 10-15 minutes.

• Rinse the cartridge clean and dry with a clean cloth before fitting again.

• If the cartridge is beyond repair, fit a replacement cartridge.

• Screw your cleaned or new cartridge back in using an adjustable spanner.

• Some taps might have an additional screw to be inserted with a standard screwdriver.

• Reattach the tap handle/lever, ensuring it's level before screwing in the small fitting screw (not too tightly).

• Turn the water back on and test your handiwork.

Jennifer adds: “Eight times out of 10 this should solve the problem of a leaky tap. However, some taps have just seen better days and might need replacing completely.”