How To Fix A Dripping Faucet or Tap

A leaky faucet should be repaired quickly because the leak will slowly increase the water bill. Although most repairs are challenging, repairing a leaky faucet is a simple task.

Preparing For The Project
The faucet should be turned off. To shutoff the water, inspect the pipes under the sink. There should be a handle on the pipes. The handle will turn off the water.
The next step involves plugging the drain. Use a sink plug or a rag for this task. Plugging the drain will block items so that they will not drop down the drain.
There are various kinds of faucets. A compression faucet has a handle for hot and cold water. Other faucets will have a central device that swings from cold to hot. In some cases, a faucet may need to be taken apart to determine how it functions because the mechanisms may have different operational features.
A cartridge faucet has a cartridge. The cartridge’s materials will vary. A ball faucet is another option. It has a ball bearing. If the faucet is a ceramic-disk faucet, it will have a ceramic cylinder.

How To Fix A Compression Faucet
The first step involves removes the handles. If the faucet has a decorative cap, use the proper procedures to pry it off. After the cap is removed, remove the handles by unscrewing the screws.
A wrench will be needed for the next step. The faucet has a stem; it is found near the O-ring. The O-ring is located near the seat washer. Usually, the seat washer is made of rubber. After a while, the rubber can gain wear and tear. If the rubber is damaged, it is causing the leak.
The stem must be removed. After it is removed, locate the O-ring. The O-ring is not very thick; the seat washer, however, is thick. The faucet should not be replaced if the handles are leaky. Instead, replace the O-ring because it is causing the leak.
Next, the seat washer must be removed. An upside-down brass screw holds the seat washer in place. Seat washers are sold in various sizes. To get the proper match, take the old washer to a part store; an employee will recommend the proper replacement. The new washer must be coated with plumber’s grease before it is installed.
After the proper replacements are installed, use the proper tools to reassemble the handles.

How To Repair A Cartridge Faucet
Remove the decorative cap to remove the handle. In some cases, the retaining clip must be removed too. The retaining clip is a threaded piece of plastic. It keeps the cartridge in place. To remove the clip, use an efficient tool, such as pliers.
The cartridge should stand up after it is removed because the cartridge uses this position when the water is used at full blast. After the cartridge is removed, remove the spout. The O-rings should be set aside. New O-rings will be needed to fix the leak. However, plumber’s grease should be applied to the rings before they are used.
After the O-rings are installed, the faucet should operate without any problems.

Charlie Teschner started MESA Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling in 1982. Charlie has a journeyman and master plumber’s license. He was raised with a strong work ethic and he now applies those values to tasks such as Boulder heating repair.