Is it time to finally fix that leaky faucet?
Leaky faucets are a common maintenance item for homeowners.
If not taken care of soon, the drip, drip, drip of the water can quickly add up to big, big, big dollars on your monthly water bill.
Sometimes, this is an easy fix, and sometimes, you may need to call a professional to get the issue resolved.
If you want to give this a try, I’ve outlined the steps needed to accomplish this.
First, gather the tools that will be needed for the project. Some tools I would suggest would be:
Flat head screwdriver
Hex wrench
Basin (sink) wrench
Crescent wrench
Pipe wrench
Drain stopper
Adjustable pliers
Rags
First things first.
Try to determine the source of the leak. Is it coming from the base of the faucet? If so, it may be coming from the base of the faucet it’s most likely the seal or the o-ring. If the drip is coming from the faucet, chances are there is a damaged part in the faucet that needs fixed.
Before you start the repair, be sure to turn off the water. If it’s a sink that is leaking, there’s usually a stop valve underneath the sink. Depending on your sink, there may be more than one valve, one for hot and one for cold. If it’s taking you too long to find the valve, don’t waste time continuing to look for it. Alternatively, you can just shut off the water for the entire house. Open your faucet handle to remove any remaining pressure in the lines. Place a rag over the drain hole to protect and prevent losing any parts.
Next, take off the faucet handle using the hex wrench and remove the metal cap.
If the base is leaking, slide the spout off and replace the damaged o-rings.
If the faucet spout is leaking, remove the faucet, handle, cap, and take apart the internal parts, or cartridge. A helpful hint – put the parts in order on the counter and take a picture of them with your phone, so you remember the order that they need to be put back together.
Once you get these parts laid out, take a look at them. What needs replaced? Damaged parts are typically rusty, broken or may be warped with use.
Now that you know what parts need replaced, it’s time to go to the hardware store and buy new ones. I would suggest taking the parts with you to the store so you know exactly what to get. It may be that you want to replace all of the internal parts, which is what I would suggest. You don’t want another part going bad soon and have to do another repair. If all the parts are new, you know you will have a good life left in this faucet.
Once you purchase the new parts, go home and replace them in the faucet.
The parts should come with instructions on how to install them. Remember to use that picture on your phone as a reference if needed. Once you’ve got all the new parts installed in your faucet, open the faucet handle and slowly turn the water back on. There may be some air that needs to work out of the line, and you will see that in the force that pushes the water out. This shouldn’t take too long to get the air out of the lines.
Once this is done, turn the faucet handle off.
How did you do?
If you are still experiencing a leak after this, it would be wise to call a professional and have them come and repair this for you. Sometimes, it is just something minor that may not have been done correctly that an experienced handyman like myself can diagnose and fix. After all, I’ve repaired hundreds of these!
If you don’t have any interest or desire to learn how to fix a leaky faucet, or the time to do this…no worries!
Skip the instructions listed above and make a call to us your first and only step.
515.669.1176.
Call CHS and call it done!
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