How To Fix A Leaky Faucet

How To Fix A Leaky Faucet – This article was co-authored by Dave Jones and staff writer, Eric McClure. Dave Jones is a Professional Plumber and the Midwest Regional Vice President of Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup. In 1992, Jones joined Roto-Rooter as a drain service technician at the age of 18. Since then, he has risen through the ranks to positions of increasing authority. Dave served as general manager of Roto-Rooter’s Charlotte, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia branches before being promoted to Contractor Area Manager and later to Regional Vice President. Dave holds Master Plumber Licenses in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia.

There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

How To Fix A Leaky Faucet

This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and verifying the authority of its sources.

How Do I Stop My Kitchen Faucet From Leaking?

If you have a drippy faucet or a handle that spews water every time you turn it, you may be tempted to call a plumber. But what if you could solve the problem yourself and save money in the process? It’s easy to fix a leaky faucet yourself. We’ll help you figure out what type of faucet you have and then guide you through the repair step by step, so read on to learn more.

Turn off the water in the sink and put a rag in the drain. Disassemble the handles by finding a small screw slot and removing the fastener. If there is no slot, remove the handle by hand. Depending on the style of sink, you may need to replace the rubber O-ring inside the valve or replace the entire assembly.

Thanks for reading our article! If you want to learn more about faucet repair, check out our in-depth interview with Dave Jones.

This article was co-authored by Dave Jones and staff writer, Eric McClure. Dave Jones is a Professional Plumber and the Midwest Regional Vice President of Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup. In 1992, Jones joined Roto-Rooter as a drain service technician at the age of 18. Since then, he has risen through the ranks to positions of increasing authority. Dave served as general manager of Roto-Rooter’s Charlotte, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia branches before being promoted to Contractor Area Manager and later to Regional Vice President. Dave holds Master Plumber Licenses in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia. This article has been viewed 2,362,401 times.

How To Fix A Leaking Bathtub Faucet (diy)

To fix a leaking faucet, first turn off the water in your faucet by turning the valve under the sink. If there is no valve, turn off the water supply for your entire house. Turn on the faucet to clear any water from the pipes, and plug the drain so nothing falls into it while you work. If there is a set screw on the back of the faucet, use an Allen wrench to remove it, then remove the handle. Alternatively, if there is a top screw cover on the handle, remove it with a flathead screwdriver, then remove the screw under it and remove the handle. With the handle off, use a wrench to unscrew and remove the nut on the handle. Pull the cartridge handle up and out of the sink. Use a cloth to wipe off all loose parts and the area around the handle. If the O-ring looks old or damaged, replace it. Get a matching replacement for the old cartridge, then insert the new cartridge back into the sink. Now tighten the nut back in place with the wrench and reattach the handle. Finally, turn the water back on and check that your faucet is no longer leaking. If you need to learn how to fix a compression or cartridge faucet, keep reading! If your single-handle bathroom faucet is leaking, don’t worry, because it’s usually easy to fix. Most homeowners, even those with little plumbing experience, can fix a bathroom faucet on their own in just a few minutes with the help of the right tools. By doing the repair yourself, you can save money on plumbing costs and fix the problem within an hour. In addition, how to fix a leaky bath faucet will also be discussed in this article later.

To begin with, you need to check where the leak is coming from. If you find that the spout is the source of the leaking water, there is probably something wrong with the internal valve, it may not turn off the water completely, and you need to replace the faucet cartridge.

Homeowners should identify the source of the leak properly before removing a single-handle bathroom faucet. Because under different situations, there are different requirements for repairing leaks. Next, the article will discuss the various causes of leaking faucets.

If your brass bathroom faucets have two separate handles for hot water and cold water, this is a type of faucet that uses a cartridge to control the flow of water. The cartridge is a valve inside each handle that regulates the flow of water to the faucet spout. A leaking brass faucet in the bathroom indicates that there is something wrong with the cartridge.

Common Reasons For A Leaky Sink

The most common reason for faucet leaks is that the washers are damaged. Washers are attached to the valve seat, and after some time, the constant pressure can wear out, and leakage occurs. Improper installation or the wrong washer size can also contribute to the leak.

If you have observed that your single-handle bathroom faucet leaks only at certain intervals or when the handles are manipulated in a particular way, the leak may be caused by the water pressure in your residence.

Inside the sink faucet, there is a small disc called an O-ring that secures the faucet handle in position by attaching it to the stem screw. O-rings, like washers, can corrode or loosen over time. If your bathroom faucet is leaking, this is probably the cause.

If water is leaking from the spout of your faucet, the issue may be due to the valve seat. The valve seat connects the faucet to the spout, and the accumulation of sediment can cause the seat to rot, resulting in leaks.

How To Fix Leaking Moen High Arc Kitchen Faucet Diy

Tools are essential for repairing leaky brass bathroom faucets because they allow you to disassemble and reassemble the various components of the faucet. These tools enable you to remove old or damaged parts, replace them with new ones, and reassemble the faucet to restore its proper functioning. 

In addition, the use of tools will help you avoid damage to the faucet during the repair process. Having the right tools and knowing how to use them properly can make the repair process easier and more effective, ensuring that the faucet is repaired properly and will not leak again in the future. Here’s what you need to fix a leaking faucet:

Turning off the water at the supply valves under the sink is the first thing you should do. To stop the flow of water from your bathroom faucet with a handle, locate the hot and cold water valves located under the bathroom sink. Rotate the handle of both valves clockwise.

Next, turn on the faucet to remove any remaining water in the water lines and faucet. In the case that there are no shutoff valves under your faucet or the water does not turn off completely, you can turn off the water supply to your home tire at the main water shutoff.

How To Fix A Leaky Faucet

After turning off the water supply, you need to remove the single-handle bathroom faucet. To do this, locate the small set screw located near the base or back of the handle. Although each brand is different, these screws are always hexagonal, which means you need the right size All wrch to remove them.

After unscrewing the set screw, lift the handle and remove it. Because different brands may have different designs of a faucet without a sink, the inner parts of the handle may appear different.

After removing the faucet handle, you will find the inside of the valve or cartridge, which also needs to be removed. For compression faucets, you can unscrew the brass valve stem, while for cartridge faucets, you can pull it out directly. If you encounter any difficulties, you can consult your faucet manual or find instructions online.

When all the components are removed, examine them carefully to determine which ones need to be replaced to fix the leaky faucet. Among the parts you’re likely to run into are rubber washers, O-rings, and seals. If any of these parts appear old or damaged, replace them.

Step By Step Guide On How To Fix Leaky Faucets

You can find the necessary parts by visiting a nearby hardware store. To ensure that you get the right parts for your faucet, it is recommended that you bring the old ones and request the exact products.

Make sure the faucet is not running, and activate the water valves located under the sink. Allow the water to run for a few seconds, checking the faucet for any signs of leaks. Afterwards, turn off the faucet and check that it is not leaking.

If you know the components that make up your faucet hardware, you can categorize your faucet and find a suitable one.