How to Fix a Dripping Bath Tap Spout

A bath spout that drips with both sides off wastes hot water and leaves a tidemark in the tub. Fixing a dripping bath tap spout is the same idea as any spout drip: renew the washer or cartridge that should be sealing. Bath mixers add a diverter, deck access quirks, and heavier chrome you do not want to round off.

If the whole mixer is corroded or the cartridges are discontinued, replacing the fitting may be cheaper: how to replace a bath mixer tap. For classic washer drips indoors, see how to change a tap washer; for ceramic mixers, see how to fix a dripping mixer tap.

Spout drip vs diverter weep

Do not confuse a short trickle after a hot bath (cooling water in the spout body) with a fault. Time it: a fault keeps going.

Isolate the bath

Close the hot and cold isolating valves that feed the bath (often under the bath panel or in an adjacent cupboard). If there are none, close the main stopcock and open a downstairs tap to drain. Open both bath controls to relieve pressure. Remove the bath panel carefully; modern plastic panels crack if you lever the wrong clip.

Put the plug in and lay a towel in the tub so a dropped screw is not a diving job.

What you will need

Step-by-step

1. Decide washer vs ceramic

Crosshead bath taps usually have rubber washers. Lever bath mixers usually have ceramic cartridges, sometimes one per side. With the handle off you should see either a brass spindle with a washer on the end or a sealed cartridge held by a retaining nut. Washer detail: how to change a tap washer. Cartridge detail: how to replace a ceramic disc tap cartridge. Mixer-focused walkthrough: how to fix a dripping mixer tap.

2. Strip the dripping side first

If only hot drips, start on hot. Prise the indicator cap, undo the handle screw or grub screw, and lift the handle. Undo the shroud with a cloth on the spanner. Replace the washer or cartridge, seating cartridges the same way round as your photo.

3. Check the diverter if the spout misbehaves during shower use

Operate the diverter (button, lever, or twist collar). If selecting shower still leaves a strong spout flow, the diverter seals are worn. Some diverters pull out as a cartridge; others are built into the spout. Renew the diverter kit if sold separately. Do not force a stuck button with grips that crush the spout.

4. Reassemble and open water slowly

Rebuild in reverse. Open isolators gradually. With both sides firmly off, dry the spout tip and watch for five to ten minutes. Check handle bases for weeps. A tiny weep on a tapered thread may need a neat PTFE wrap; do not pack PTFE onto a washer face.

5. Refit the bath panel square

Clip the panel back so it does not rattle against the trap. Confirm you can still reach the isolators next time; stuffing the panel against flexis is how the next job gets harder.

Mistakes that keep the spout dripping

• Changing only the cold washer when hot is the drip (or the reverse).
• Refitting a ceramic cartridge 180° out.
• Blaming the spout tip when the diverter is passing water back to the spout.
• Rounding a thin chrome shroud with a bare spanner.

When to call a plumber

Stop if you cannot isolate, if the bath is an acrylic shell you might crack from below, if the mixer is soldered in without unions, or if water appears under the floor rather than in the tub. Concealed wall mixers with failed cartridges need access tiles or a plumber who will open them cleanly.

Shower-only drips from a hose rose are a different guide: how to fix a dripping shower head.

FAQ

How do I fix a dripping bath tap spout?

Isolate the supplies, identify washer vs cartridge on the dripping side, renew that part, and check the diverter if the spout runs while the shower is selected.

Why does my bath spout drip when the taps are off?

Usually a worn washer or ceramic cartridge. Less often, a diverter that never fully closes the spout path.

Is a dripping bath spout the same as a dripping mixer tap?

Same family of faults. Bath fittings are bulkier, often have a diverter, and need panel access. The repair principle matches other mixers.

Can I fix it without removing the bath panel?

Only if the handles and shrouds are fully accessible from above and you already have isolators you can reach. Many UK baths hide the isolators behind the panel, so plan to take it off.