For many homeowners, there are many plumbing problems that they face at home each day. Some some of them are easy to fix without having to pay a professional. One of the issues that any homeowner or potential homeowner may have to deal with is a leaking faucet. A leaking valve can be a source of discomfort in your home and you will have to deal with it at some point. A leaking valve can increase your water bill significantly and even cause water damage to your household items if you do not repair it as soon as possible. The dripping sound that you have to bear with can be irritating for many homeowners. To avoid facing the effects of a leaking faucet, you will need to fix it and fortunately with the right tools, and you will not have to pay a plumber to get it fixed.
What might lead to a leaky faucet? There is no single cause for a leaky faucet although various factors might be the causes. Some of the primary reasons for a leaky faucet include:
- Due to the corrosion of the valve seat within your plumbing
- Leakage faucets can occur if the seals and o-rings are worn out
- You are likely to experience a leak if your drains have loose parts
- It can be as a result of buildup on your washers or the faucet’s valve parts
If you get the right tools, you will find it easy fixing a leaking faucet as simple as fixing a leaked water pipe. If you are new to fixing a leaking tap, below are the necessary steps that you can follow in fixing that irritating leaking faucet. The steps involved in repairing a leaking faucet are:
1. Assemble Tools
You will need to assemble the necessary tools. Before you start fixing your leaking tap, you should ensure that you have all the tools that you will require to set it. With all the necessary tools, you are likely to take less than one hour to fix your faulty faucet. Some of the items that you will need include:
- Replacement parts
- Head screwdriver
- Adjustable wrench
- WD-40 or any appropriate lubricant
- Flathead screwdriver
- White vinegar
- Scouring pad
2. Shut Off Water
Once you have assembled all the tools you will need to fix a faucet, shut off the water. Shutting off the water supply is important, as it will prevent your kitchen or bathroom from flooding with water. It also ensures that you limit damaging other household items with the water that might overflow if you carry on with the repairs without having to shut off the water supply. You can do this by ensuring that the valve below your sink is turned off or by just cutting off the main water supply. You should confirm that the water supply is cut off before continuing with the repairs.
3. Remove the Faucet Handles
With the help of your flathead screwdriver, ensure that you detach the faucet handles. Before you loosen the faucet handles, you should hold them ‘on’ position to get rid of water that might be trapped within the grips. You can close the main water supply pipe of the valve below the sink to ensure no water leaks and use a hand towel to dry the sink before opening the faucet. You will need then to use the head screwdriver to loosen the screws that help keep the handles in position. If removing the bolts is difficult due to rusting, apply the WD-40 lubricant to lubricate and relax them. Keep all the handles aside and ensure you note down their position to make it easier for reinstallation.
4. Inspect the Parts
The inspection of the faucet parts. After you have successfully loosened the handles and put them aside, you will need to inspect the faucet parts to determine those that are faulty. Inspect the valves carefully, packing nuts, O-ring, washer, and the stems. This will ensure that you notice any buildup or corrosion. If you find out that the valves or any other part have buildup or deposits, ensure that you clean them appropriately and then put them aside.
5. Valve Cleaning
Sometimes faucet leakage can be due to faulty valves. You should ensure that all the valves are in excellent condition by carefully inspecting them. If you notice the valves have buildup and deposits, use the vinegar to clean the parts that have buildup or deposits. You will sock the affected parts in vinegar for some minutes before you clean them. Vinegar makes it easy to wash mineral deposits and makes it easy to remove any accumulated deposits. With the help of the scouring pad, clean all the parts carefully and rinse the valves by pouring water through them. The water will help in rinsing away any dirt and debris that is within the valves. If the pipes need replacement, consider replacing them.
6. Reassembly
After a thorough cleaning of all the faucet parts, you will need to put them back by reassembling. Ensure that you fix each part to its initial position as it were before reopening it. If you find it difficult to reassemble the faucet parts, you can refer back to where you had noted down their positions. Ensuring that each section is accurately fixed to its position is important to avoid the faucet leaking again after you reassemble it. When reassembling, you should ensure that you fix all the parts tightly to prevent any leakages in the future. Finally, attach the decorative handles to their rightful position and ensure that you tighten them well.
7. Test Things
Turn on the water to determine if the faucet leak is fixed. Once you have fixed your faucet, it is important to test whether the leak has been completely set. This will be possible by turning on the water supply and monitoring your faucet to determine if the tap has been fixed. As elaborated above, fixing a leaking faucet can be a simple exercise if you have the necessary tools and you follow the outlined steps above.
