That Leaking Tap Is Costing You More Than You Think

A dripping tap is easy to ignore. It's not an emergency, it's just a minor annoyance — right? Well, yes and no. A leaking tap won't flood your home, but it will quietly drain money from your pocket and add unnecessary wear to your plumbing fixtures.

How Much Water Does a Dripping Tap Waste?

A tap that drips once per second wastes around 30 litres of water per day — that's over 10,000 litres a year from a single tap. If it's a hot water tap, you're also paying to heat water that goes straight down the drain.

For households in Port Macquarie, that adds up to a noticeable difference on your water and energy bills every quarter.

Why Do Taps Leak?

Most leaking taps come down to worn internal components. The most common causes are:

Worn washers or O-rings — every time you turn your tap on and off, the washer presses against a valve seat. Over time it wears down and stops sealing properly.

Damaged cartridge — mixer taps use a cartridge instead of a washer. When it wears out, the tap drips or becomes stiff to operate.

Loose packing nut — if water is leaking from around the base of the tap handle rather than from the spout, the packing nut may just need tightening or the packing replaced.

Corroded valve seat — if sediment builds up on the valve seat, it stops the washer from sealing and causes a drip even with a brand new washer.

Can You Fix It Yourself?

Replacing a washer is a task some handy homeowners tackle themselves. However, in Queensland and New South Wales, any work that involves connecting or disconnecting from the water supply must be carried out by a licensed plumber. This includes replacing tap internals in many cases.

Getting it wrong can also cause more damage — if the valve seat is corroded, simply replacing the washer won't fix the problem and you'll be dripping again within weeks.

The Right Fix

At WickyLeaks Plumbing, a leaking tap is usually a quick job. We'll identify the root cause, replace the right components, and make sure it's done properly so you're not calling us back for the same tap in six months.

Stop wasting water and money. Call Tom on 0416 705 086 or book online.