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Dripping, dripping, and dripping from a leaky faucet is not only annoying, but if it persists, it can cause higher water bills and other headaches. But repairing a leaking faucet is a simple and cheap repair method that can be repaired in just a few hours. If you find a problem with the source of the problem, you need to pick up a faucet repair kit or individual parts. Faucets often leak due to mineral accumulation or aging gaskets.
Repairing a leaking faucet requires the use of tools that can easily slip off the faucet parts, as there may still be wet parts. First turn off the water from the tap. The shut-off valve is usually located under the faucet, but if you can't find it, find your water main and close it.
Before the parts start to fail, the service life of the faucet is usually 10 years, so be sure to write down the existing faucet and the date of repair in the home repair manual so that you know when to perform the repair. Please note that ceramic disc faucets are usually provided with a lifetime warranty by the manufacturer because they are very durable and rarely require repairs.
You can buy seals and gaskets, or just a faucet repair kit. Buying a faucet repair kit will include everything you need and save you more trips to the hardware store, so this is an easier way.
Locate the shut-off valve of the faucet to prevent water from flowing through the faucet. In most cases, the shut-off valve will be located under the faucet. If you cannot find a closed position, you must close the water main. If you don't know where your water mains are, you may need to call a professional. After turning off the water, cover the drain pipe so that you will not lose any parts in the drain pipe.
To start repairing a leaking ink cartridge faucet, you need to tape the jaws of the sliding joint pliers to prevent any damage to the faucet. In addition, put some distilled white vinegar and a soft scouring pad in the bowl to remove any mineral deposits on any faucet parts.
After removing the cover on the top of the faucet handle, unscrew the handle screw, and then tilt the handle back to pull it off. When you remove the faucet parts, you want them to stay in order. You can label the parts, or use your mobile phone to video or take photos of the parts to remember the order of replacing the parts.
If the leaking ink cartridge faucet has threaded fixing clips, you need to take some needle-nose pliers to remove it. After removing the fixing clip, pull the ink cartridge straight up.
The replacement kit comes with a wrench cover, which you need to cover on the ink cartridge to remove it. Clamp the wrench cover with sliding joint pliers and twist it back and forth to remove the ink cartridge.
Hold the ink cartridge with pliers and pull it straight up and out of the ink cartridge. Then began to replace worn parts. Remember to use distilled white vinegar and a scouring pad to clean any parts with mineral deposits. Cut the old O-ring with a utility knife and apply the new O-ring with plumber’s grease.
Compression faucets usually leak due to seat cushion failure. The disassembly of the compression faucet is the same as that of the plug-in faucet.
Use a screwdriver or utility knife to remove the handle cover to get the screws.
Use a screwdriver to remove the handle screw, and then pull the handle down.
Take a crescent wrench to unscrew the sealing nut, and then use an adjustable wrench to loosen the valve stem from the faucet body.
There is a rubber gasket at the bottom of the valve stem, you need to remove and then replace the seat cushion. Before placing the gasket, remember to apply plumber's grease on the gasket.
Remove the stem from the packing nut and find the O-ring that needs to be replaced. O-rings are usually the cause of faucet leaks, but their size range is ⅜-⅝ inches, so please pay attention to the O-ring size or take the damaged O-ring to the hardware store to find a suitable match. Before replacing the O-ring, apply plumber grease to the new O-ring.
The holder is a circular concave disc containing a washer. If the retainer is damaged, you need to grind it flat and add a replacement retaining ring. If the faucet is still leaking, the seat may be dented. To repair any pitting, remove the valve stem and sand the top of the seat with emery cloth to make it smooth.
Push the faucet handle back to find the fixing screw. Use an Allen wrench to unscrew the fixing screw, turn it counterclockwise, and then remove the handle. Then unscrew or loosen the cover.
Remove the fixing screws on the disc case, and then take out the disc case.
There may be some mineral accumulation in the cartridge, so take some time to clean up the mineral accumulation with distilled white vinegar and a scouring pad or cloth. Then turn the ink cartridge over and replace the rubber seal.
Remove the plastic disk and replace the O-ring seal under it. Check the faucet body holes and clean them if they are blocked. When completing the repair, please pay attention to whether there is an older ceramic disc faucet, because the early ceramic disc faucet is more fragile and may break due to a compressed air explosion. To avoid this, turn on the tap when you turn on the water again. The air will escape and wait for the water to flow smoothly before turning off the faucet.
Ball faucets contain more parts than other types of faucets, so it is important to pick up a replacement kit before starting. Leaks may come from several places, so it is better to replace them all instead of trying to find one place.
Lift the handle and remove the cover to get the Allen screws. Use an Allen key to turn counterclockwise to loosen the Allen screws. Turn until it is loose enough to lift the handle from the valve stem. Check if there is water leaking from the bottom of the handle. If so, the solution may simply be to remove the handle and tighten the adjustment ring. Use the wrench tool in the repair kit to turn the adjusting ring clockwise. If the faucet drips from its outlet, you need to replace the valve seat and spring.
Take some sliding joint pliers and wrap the jaws with tape to prevent any damage to the faucet when the pliers are turned counterclockwise to unscrew the lid.
Lift up the plastic cam and packing, and then remove the ball. Check whether the ball is damaged. If the ball is cracked, frayed, or scratched, replace the ball.
Turn on the water again to look for leaks. If you find a leak around the club, use a wrench tool to tighten the adjustment ring. Replace the faucet handle to complete the work.
If the leak persists and you are not sure, then it is time to call the plumber. For leaky faucets, plumbers usually charge between US$125 and US$350. Plumbers usually charge between US$45 and US$150 per hour, with a minimum fee of US$50 to US$100.
Nick is a content creator with a background in DIY home improvement, maintenance, repair and trends. When he is not writing, Nick likes to restore retro or kitsch furniture for his home.
Samantha is an editor, covering all home-related topics, including home improvement and maintenance. She has edited home repair and design content on websites such as The Spruce and HomeAdvisor. She also hosted videos about DIY home tips and solutions, and launched a number of home improvement review committees equipped with licensed professionals.