Out of all the annoying situations you’ve encountered, a leaking faucet is probably one of the worst. Alongside water wastage, the ‘dripping’ and ‘tipping’ sound can irritate you and make you want to pull your hair out.
A dripping faucet is a sign that your plumbing system needs a quick repair, but the good news is that you can fix it yourself if you know specific steps. According to the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States, restoring a house’s leaking faucets can save 10 percent of homeowner’s bills.
Let’s have a look at why faucets drip and how you can fix them quickly.
Reasons a Faucet Drips
A faucet is a valve or stopper that manages the release of a liquid. The dripping faucet’s main reasons include mineral deposits inside its valves, corrosion, or defective internal rings or gaskets.
Tips to fix a dripping faucet step by step
Close the Main Water Supply
Turn the prime valve of your water connection off before repairing a leaking faucet to prevent water’s constant pressure. Conversely, faucet disassembly could lead to flooding situations inside your home.
Faucet’s handle removal
Once the mainline is closed, remove the faucet handle gently. There are minor parts in it, so keep a clean cloth or tissue paper to secure those parts. Also, keep a note of the location of the fixtures for reinstallation.
Flathead screwdrivers easily remove many faucet handles. If the faucet handle or its screws are hard to remove, use lubricating oil to loosen the parts.
Faucet stem or cartridge removal
After faucet handle removal, the inside valve stem looks clear. You need to remove it from the faucet body. It depends on the type of faucet installed in your facility. Refer to online instructions or your faucet manual for cartridge removal.
There are also nuts fitted beside the handle. To unscrew them, use a wrench.
Check the disassembled faucet parts.
Now, carefully inspect the removed parts of the faucet. It exposes the seat washer and O-ring. The washer types and rings vary. Check for the signs of corrosion or defect.
For assistance, take your faucet washer and O-ring to a hardware shop. Buy new ones and discard the defective ones.
Reinstall and Reassemble the Faucet
With all the parts removed, clean the brass surface of your faucet with a nylon pad, which clears away debris and dirt. Then following the reverse order, join your faucet parts back. Turn on the main water supply to check the faucet dripping or leakages.
Do your home plumbing lines leak? Pro Serve Plumbing offers residential and commercial plumbing services 24/7 in Fort Worth. We take care of your plumbing needs, from fixing the leakages in drains and gas lines to mending a commercial water heater system.
Contact our licensed professionals today at +1-817-244-0614 or drop us an email at info@proserveplumbers.com. Get your free quote now.
