Serving Melton, Bacchus Marsh & Melbourne's West
A dripping tap is one of those things that sits on the to-do list for months. It seems trivial. It isn't. Depending on how fast it drips, a leaking tap can waste more water than your entire household uses in a week, and it will show up on your bill.
Quick Answer: Why Is Your Tap Dripping?
- Ceramic disc tap: Cracked or worn ceramic disc. Needs disc replacement or full cartridge swap.
- Jumper valve tap (older style): Worn rubber washer. Cheapest and simplest repair in plumbing.
- Mixer tap (lever handle): Worn cartridge inside the body. Replace the cartridge, not the whole tap.
- Tap dripping from base (not spout): Worn O-ring around the tap spindle. Quick fix.
- Tap dripping from wall or under sink: Loose or corroded supply line. Address immediately.
Most tapware repairs take under an hour. The part cost is often just a few dollars. Leaving a dripping tap is always the more expensive option.
How Much Is That Drip Actually Costing You?
| Drip Rate | Daily Loss | Annual Loss | Approx. Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slow drip (1 drop/sec) | ~27 litres | ~10,000 litres | ~$20-35 |
| Steady drip | ~90 litres | ~33,000 litres | ~$65-100 |
| Thin stream | ~250 litres | ~90,000 litres | ~$180-280 |
Types of Tap Repairs We Do Across Melton and Bacchus Marsh
Kitchen Tapware
- Leaking kitchen mixer taps
- Dripping dual-handle tap sets
- Low water pressure from kitchen tap
- Noisy pipes when tap is opened
- Tap handle that spins freely (worn spindle)
Bathroom Tapware
- Dripping basin taps and mixers
- Leaking bath tap set
- Shower mixer cartridge replacement
- Tapware upgrades and replacements
- Seized or stiff tap handle
Melton Hard Water and Your Tapware
Melton's water has a higher mineral content than much of metropolitan Melbourne. For tapware, this means ceramic disc taps fail faster as minerals score the disc surface, aerators block up with calcium deposits, and cartridges in mixer taps wear prematurely from mineral abrasion.Leaking tap in Melton or Bacchus Marsh?
Most tap repairs are done in under an hour. Free upfront quote, no call-out surprises. 490+ five-star reviews. Book Online - Free Quote Or call 1300 153 869Blocked Kitchen Sink in Melton: Why It Keeps Happening
A slow-draining or completely blocked kitchen sink is almost always a grease and fat problem. Every time cooking oil, butter, or fatty meat liquids go down the drain, they cool and solidify on the pipe walls. Over time, the pipe diameter narrows until the drain is completely blocked.What Actually Clears It
- Remove and manually clean the P-trap (clears most simple kitchen blockages)
- High-pressure drain jetting for stubborn or recurring grease buildup
- Enzyme-based drain treatments as a maintenance measure after clearing
What Doesn't Work
- Chemical drain cleaners - they soften grease temporarily but don't remove it, and corrode pipe joints
- Boiling water alone - no effect on hardened old grease deposits
- Plunging a kitchen sink - rarely effective for grease blockages
★★★★★
"We'd had ongoing drain issues for months and other plumbers kept giving us temporary fixes. The New Image team used their cameras to find the real cause and cleared everything properly. They explained the problem in plain English and even showed me the footage."
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a dripping tap cost in water bills in Victoria?
A slow drip at one drop per second wastes around 10,000 litres per year, costing roughly $20-35 on your water bill. A faster drip can waste 33,000 to 90,000 litres annually. Hot water taps cost more again due to the energy used to heat the wasted water.
Can I fix a dripping tap myself in Victoria?
Replacing a tap washer on a standard jumper valve tap is a permitted DIY task in Victoria. However, cartridge replacement in mixer taps, work on supply lines or isolation valves, and under-sink waste connections all require a licensed plumber.
Why does my kitchen sink drain slowly in Melton?
Almost always grease and fat buildup in the P-trap and drain line. Oils from cooking solidify on the pipe walls and accumulate over time. The fix is cleaning or jetting the line, not chemical drain cleaners. We can clear it same-day in most cases.
How long does a tap repair take?
Most tap repairs take 30-60 minutes. A washer or cartridge replacement is a quick job. Full tapware replacement typically takes 1-2 hours depending on access and the condition of connections under the sink.
My tap makes a loud bang when I turn it on. What is that?
This is water hammer, caused by a sudden stop in water flow that sends a pressure wave through the pipe. It can also be a loose washer vibrating at high flow. Water hammer is resolved with a pressure-limiting valve or hammer arrestor. Both are worth addressing as repeated water hammer can damage pipe joints.