Many homeowners don’t realize how much money they lose in monthly water bills due to dripping faucets. A single dripping faucet in your home can waste dozens of gallons of water a day, especially if it’s a large faucet. This can put a major dent in your wallet. So, you need to learn how to fix dripping faucets in your house. This article teaches you how to fix a dripping faucet.
How to Fix a Dripping Faucet
You can save yourself a few bucks by fixing the dripping faucets in your house. Here are some quick tips on how to fix a leaky faucet.
Turn off the Water
You can stop your faucets from dripping by turning off the water at the shutoff valve. You just need to find the valve and turn its handle clockwise. If your plumbing system doesn’t have a shutoff valve, turn off the gate valve. You should also check the valve to be sure that the water is off by turning the faucet on. No water should come out of your faucet if the gate valve is properly turned off.
Take Apart the Faucet Handles
How you take apartyour faucet handlest depends on the type of faucet you are dealing with. For a standard faucet, you simply use a flathead screwdriver to take out the caps on top of the handle to reveal the screws. Then, unscrew the fixtures and pull the handles out.
Detach the Valve Stem
When you remove the handles, the inner valve stem or cartridge becomes visible. A compression faucet comes with a brass valve stem that needs to be unscrewed. A cartridge faucet doesn’t have screws, so it should be pulled out. If you are unable to remove the valve stem, refer to the owner’s faucet manual or manufacturer’s instructions.
Check the Parts of Your Faucet
Once you’ve disassembled your faucet, inspect its parts to see what needs to be replaced. Pay close attention to the rubber washers, seals, and O-rings.
Replace the Broken Parts
If any part of your faucet is damaged or worn out, replace it. Luckily, there are many reliable online stores where you can purchase the replacement parts and receive them at your door on the same day. When you place an order, check the specifications provided on the website to make sure the part is compatible with your faucet. For more information on faucets, talk to 1-800 Plumber of CT.