Fix that leaky tap

I've got a leaky tap. It's been dripping for several days now. I haven't had the time to sort it out, but at least it's the weekend now and I can get down to my local DIY store. I was interested to see just how much water I had been wasting so I left a pint jug under the tap. It was full within three hours. That's equivalent to eight pints a day, fifty six pints a week or 364 gallons a year. Imagine how much that would cost if you have a metered bill.

Focus DIY provides info on fixing lots of different tap problems. Looks simple if you've got the right tools.


On leaving the house today I also noticed a drip coming from the toilet overflow. Now, this one I know how to resolve. Take the lid off the cistern. You'll notice that although the cistern is full, water is still coming out of the inlet pipe. You should find a small nut that adjusts the height of the ball-cock valve arm. Give it a twist until the ball arm is high enough to cut off the supply from the inlet. For more info, see this page on Housemouse.

caldini