Repairing A Leaking Tap
Older style taps are fitted with a gland nut holding in leak-proof packing around the spindle. These taps may leak in between the spindle and the cover if the gland nut has ended up being loose. To treat a similar issue on modern taps, or to heal a tap which drips, refer to washer replacement
Tightening the tap gland nut
Undo the small screw holding the cross head in place (this may be concealing under a plastic cover in the top of the tap) and eliminate it.
Undo the leading cover of the tap by unscrewing. This may be a metal type with a hexagonal base, in which case you must cover some cloth around it before undoing with a spanner. The cloth will avoid it being scratched. Make sure to prevent the tap itself from turning whilst doing this.
With the cover got rid of, tighten up the gland nut at the base of the spindle with a spanner.
Hold the tap (wrapped in a rag) with a pipe wrench to avoid it turning.
Prior to reassembling, inspect that the nut is not so tight about make it hard to switch on the tap. This can be done by replacing the cross head temporarily without the fixing screw and testing the tap.
Repacking the tap gland
If this fails to treat the issue, turn off the water, eliminate the gland nut and repack the gland. Remove the old packing with a small screwdriver. Change it with specially produced packing or, if you are unable to obtain hold of this, utilize string coated with petroleum jelly. Reassemble and check the function of the tap.