Kitchen Tap Loose or Wobbly

What's happening?

A mixer tap is held to the sink or worktop by a threaded tail, a washer set between the tap and the sink, and a nut or clamp underneath. Every time you move the lever, the tap is levered a little. Over months the nut backs off, a rubber washer compresses, or a plastic locking nut cracks, and the tap starts to rock. A swivel spout that wobbles at the joint is a separate problem: the spout is loose on the body rather than the body on the sink. A loose base lets water seep under it into the worktop, so tightening it early protects the unit. The fix is under the sink, not at the handle.

What usually causes it?

• The mounting nut under the sink has worked loose
• A rubber or plastic washer between tap and sink has compressed or perished
• A cracked plastic locking nut, common on cheaper taps
• A grub screw on a monobloc tap that never held the body tight
• A stripped thread on the tap tail or the clamp
• A sink or worktop with a hole too large for the tap, so the washer cannot grip
• A swivel spout whose retaining ring or O-ring has worn

Is it dangerous?

No. If the tap leaks at the base while it wobbles, water under it can swell a chipboard worktop and the cupboard beneath, so tighten or isolate it. Do not keep forcing a loose tap on its pipes, which can crack a flexible tail.

Can I fix it myself?

Look in the cupboard under the tap. Shut the isolating valves if you can, and find the nut or clamp that holds the tap down; a basin wrench or a tap spanner reaches it in tight spaces. Hold the tap steady from above, ask someone to help, and tighten the nut by hand, then a quarter turn with the tool. If the tap still moves, remove it and look at the washers: replace a flat or perished one. If the tap tightens from above with a grub screw, nip it with the lever in the off position. Overtightening a plastic nut cracks it. If the sink hole is too big, a larger washer or a fixing kit from the maker closes the gap.

When should you call a plumber?

Call a plumber when the nut is out of reach or rounded off, when the thread has stripped, when the tail or flexible hose is damaged, when tightening makes the tap leak, or when the sink or worktop needs removing to reach the fixing.

What will the plumber actually do?

• Isolate the supply and free access under the sink
• Fit a basin wrench or specialist tool to tighten the tap fixing without twisting the tails
• Replace the washers, locking nut and clamp with the maker's fixing set
• Replace the tap tails or flexible hoses if damaged and check the connections
• Test the tap for movement and leaks under pressure

Who fixes this

• Tap and shower repair

Questions people ask

Sources & References

1. WaterSafe: how to tighten a loose tap
2. The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999, Schedule 2 (watertight and supported fittings)