my stop tap is leaking from the nut shaped piece near the tap head any advice please

rich, January 2008

You can unscrew the gland nut with the stop tap still in place on the pipe without the stop tap leaking. Unscrew the gland nut push it up to the head or top of the spindle. Apply a few rolls of PTFE tape to the bottom of the spindle then, push the PTFE into the stuffing box, the bit the spindle goes into, and replace the gland nut. That's it.

CARL MIDDLETON, May 2008

Either simply tighten the nut up, but a better way is to undo the nut, slide it up the spindle towards the tap head and pack the space beneath the nut (the gland) with some PTFE string or tape together with a little vaseline and then screw the nut back down again. You don't need to turn the water off for this and you may get a few drips, but DONT undo the large tap body nut or you'll get a flood!

John, January 2008