A dripping tap (faucet) is annoying, and a tap that leaks under the sink can be the start of water damage. Often the fault is small: a worn cartridge, a tired O-ring or a loose connection. This guide explains where the leak comes from, what you can check yourself and when replacing the tap makes more sense than repairing it.
First, shut off the water to the tap
In the cabinet under the sink there are usually two angle valves (kulmaventtiili), one for cold and one for hot water, with the tap's connection hoses attached to them. Turn both clockwise to close them – some have a small handle, others need a flat screwdriver – then open the tap to check that the water has stopped.
An old angle valve may be seized or start to drip when turned for the first time in years, so don't force it. If it doesn't hold, close the apartment's shut-off valve, or ask the maintenance company (huoltoyhtiö) to shut off the water if there isn't one. A shower mixer often has no valve of its own, so its water is shut off the same way. If water has already reached the cabinet or the floor, see our guide to a water leak at home first.
Where is the tap leaking?
Dry the tap and the sink cabinet, turn the tap on and watch where fresh water appears. Where it shows usually tells you the cause.
The spout drips even when the tap is closed
A few drops right after closing the tap are normal, as water left in the spout drains out. Constant dripping means the shut-off part no longer seals: on a single-lever mixer tap, almost always a worn ceramic cartridge (keraaminen sekoitinosa); on a two-handle tap, a rubber washer or a ceramic disc valve. There are dozens of different cartridges, so the spare part has to match your exact model.
Water around the base while the tap is running
If water collects around the base only while the tap is running, the leak often comes from the O-rings of the swivel spout. Water seeping from under the lever points to the cartridge seals instead. If the tap wobbles, its fixing has worked loose, and water can run through the tap hole into the cabinet.
A leak under the sink
- Connection hoses. A nut can work loose or a washer wear out. Replace a hose if its braiding is rusty or it has been kinked.
- The angle valve. An old valve can seep around its spindle, especially after being turned.
- The dishwasher valve (astianpesukoneventtiili). Check the valve and the dishwasher's inlet hose connection.
- The drain. If the cabinet only gets wet when water drains from the sink, the leak is most likely in the trap, not the tap.
A weak or splashing jet
If the water splashes or flows more weakly than before, the aerator (poresuutin) at the end of the spout is probably blocked. Limescale collects in it, along with sand loosened from the pipes, especially after a water shut-off. Unscrew the aerator, rinse the mesh and soak a scaled-up aerator in vinegar or descaler.
Thermostatic shower mixer problems
A thermostatic mixer (termostaattihana) keeps the shower temperature steady. When it starts to misbehave, the cause is usually one of these:
- The temperature swings or the water won't get hot. The filters in the mixer's connections are blocked, which is common after a water shut-off or pipe work. If cleaning them doesn't help, the thermostat cartridge may be worn or scaled up.
- The shower or spout drips. The flow cartridge is worn, or the diverter between the shower and the spout no longer seals.
- Warm water comes out of cold taps elsewhere in the home. A non-return valve in the mixer may be letting hot water into the cold pipe.
If every tap in the home gives only lukewarm water, the problem is probably in the building's hot water system, so tell the maintenance company. If water runs from the mixer's wall connections, shut off the water, as it can get into the wall. Spare parts are often available for mixers from established manufacturers, but not always for cheap models. A new thermostatic mixer can usually go on the old wall connections if the connection spacing matches.
What you can check yourself
You can clean the aerator and the hand shower yourself, and gently tighten a seeping hose nut by about a quarter turn – overtightening damages the washer. A cartridge can also be a DIY job if you find the right part and can shut off the water. In an old tap, though, a scaled-up part can be stuck tight, and forcing it can damage the tap body.
Repair or replace?
A repair makes sense when the tap is fairly new, there is a single fault and the spare part is available. With an old tap or several problems, replacement is usually the better option.
| Situation | Usually the most sensible fix |
|---|---|
| A fairly new tap drips and the model is known | Replace the cartridge |
| Leak at the base of the spout while running | Replace the O-rings |
| A connection hose seeps or has perished | Replace the hose; with an old tap, often the whole tap |
| The tap body is cracked or corroded | Replace the tap |
| The tap is old and spare parts are no longer available | Replace the tap |
| A thermostatic mixer won't hold its temperature | Clean the filters, then replace the thermostat cartridge or the mixer |
Think about the cost as well. An original cartridge for a branded tap can cost a significant share of the price of a new tap, and the repair needs a visit either way. If the tap is near the end of its life anyway, that visit is often better used for fitting a new one.
Choosing a new kitchen tap
- Dishwasher valve. If your dishwasher is connected to the tap, choose a new tap with a valve, or plan for a separate valve under the sink.
- Height and reach. A tall spout leaves room for large pans, but the tap must not hit the wall cabinet, and the water should land in the middle of the bowl. If the sink is in front of a window, choose a model whose spout can be lowered out of the way.
- Extra features. A pull-out spray takes up space in the cabinet below, and a mains-powered touchless tap needs a socket in the cabinet.
- Type approval. In Finland, taps are required to have a national type approval (tyyppihyväksyntä). Look for the marking on the product, the packaging or in the product information. A tap bought from a foreign online shop may not have it.
What tap replacement costs
Replacing a tap costs a fixed €125.50, including Finnish VAT (ALV) at 25.5%. It covers the labour – removing the old tap, fitting and connecting the new one and checking for leaks – but not the tap, which you buy yourself. Extra fittings and hoses are charged separately, and replacing seized angle valves is agreed separately. For a thermostatic mixer we give a price estimate, because the work depends on the wall connections.
The labour can qualify for the household tax credit (kotitalousvähennys), currently 35% of the labour cost. With an annual threshold of €150 per person, though, 35% of €125.50 is too little for a tap replacement on its own to reduce your tax. Other deductible work in the same year is added together, and the tap itself is never deductible. See our household tax credit guide for worked examples and vero.fi for the current rules.
In a housing company: who is responsible?
Check the housing company's maintenance responsibility table (vastuunjakotaulukko): is repairing the tap your responsibility or the company's? A fault on the company's side is reported to the maintenance company. If you replace a working tap simply because you want a new one, the cost is usually yours, and the tax credit only applies to work that is your responsibility. If you rent, report the leak to your landlord instead of replacing the tap yourself.
Replacing a tap with a similar one on the same connections usually doesn't need a renovation notice (muutostyöilmoitus), but check your housing company's rules. If connections are moved inside the wall, a notice is needed before work starts. Our guide to the renovation notice explains the process.
Summary
- Shut off the water at the angle valves or the apartment's shut-off valve before taking anything apart.
- A dripping spout usually means a worn cartridge, a leak at the base points to the O-rings, and a leak under the sink to the hoses, valves or the drain.
- With a thermostatic mixer, check the filters in the connections first.
- A fairly new tap can often be repaired, but an old, cracked tap or one without spare parts is worth replacing.
If your tap needs replacing, see our tap and shower installation page or get in touch and send a photo of the tap and the sink cabinet. We work in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Sipoo.