There are many things in the world that go unnoticed. Unlike your zipper that was down most of the day, a leaking faucet doesn’t fall into the category of unnoticed. Not only is it annoying, it’s a constant reminder that you are wasting water. Fixing your leaky faucet can be a fairly easy and inexpensive fix. Let’s dive in!
Before You Begin
Before you begin this project, there are a few measures of preparation to take. First, you will need to make sure your water supply to the sink is turned off. Do this by locating the valve under the sink and turning it off. Turn on the sink to allow any excess water to escape the pipes and go down the drain. Finally, use a sink stopper or a towel and cover the drain to prevent any parts or tools from falling down the drain.
*Side Note: Organizing each part in the order it was removed will serve as a helpful guide during reassembly*
Remove your Handles
Now that you have turned off your water source and covered the drain, you are ready to fix that darn leak! Start by removing the handles On the backside of each handle there will either be a hex head bolt or a covered screw.
Hex Head
Use an Allen wrench or hex head screwdriver to remove the bolt.
Covered
Use a flat head screwdriver to remove the top cover over the screw. Once the cover has been removed, use a Phillips Head Screwdriver to remove the screw.
Once the screws from both handles have been backed out, remove both handles and set them to the side
Remove the Stem
With both handles removed, you’re now ready to fix the root of the problem. Most kitchen and bathroom 2 handle faucets have a Cartridge or Stem that allows you to control the Hot and Cold water flow.
By using a wrench, gently loosen the packing nut that is securing your Stem in place
Once loosened, remove the stem by carefully pulling up and out of the assembly.
Replace the Cartridge
Depending on the style of faucet you have, size of the cartridge or stem may vary. Make sure to keep this part handy because you will need to go to a hardware store and buy a replacement of the same size.
Clean the area around the assembly to rid of any grime or build up
Inspect all of the O-Rings within the assembly
Any damaged or worn O-Rings will need to be replaced as well
After buying the replacement cartridge or stem you will need to reinstall it into its original position
Make sure the placement lines up, improper installation can damage the cartridge and the leak will persist.
Return the Handles to Their Rightful Place
Finally! You have fixed the source of your leak. Now it's time to replace your handles and test it out!
By reversing the steps in the first section you will be able to replace the handles back to their rightful place.
Once the handles have been replaced, let’s test our work.
Turn on the water supply from underneath the sink
Allow a few seconds for pressure to rebuild
Turn handles back to on position and run water for 15 seconds.
Turn handles to off and wait another 15 for the Drip
Still Waiting?
Good! If you have yet to see a drip from the faucet you have fixed the problem. Say Goodbye “Drip..Drip..Drip” and high water bills, and Hello to properly functioning utilities!
Thank You!
We hope you enjoyed reading our quick fix for leaking faucets. Stay tuned for new tips, tricks, and DIYs coming each week. Thank You for your continuous support
And As Always
Have a Blessed Day!
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