Fix Dripping Faucet

Faucets are an essential part of every household because they help in controlling water flow. Since they are used very often, they are likely to spoil easily as well. A leaking or dripping faucet is an indication that some component in it is faulty and requires repairing or replacement.

Dripping faucets not only result in wastage of water, but you also get fed up constantly cleaning up the whole area around the leakage. The good thing is that the structure is simple and you can easily repair it by yourself, instead of calling and waiting for a plumber to come and do it for you.

Fixing a Leaking Kitchen Faucet

Before you begin, keep the following tools and material at hand:

• Kitchen faucet replacement kit
• Adjustable wrench
• Flat-head screwdriver
• Plumbing putty
• Piece of old cloth

Step 1
To start with, turn the water supply to the kitchen off. Some sinks have their separate turn-off valve. Locate the valve and turn it off. In case there is no separate valve for the kitchen sink, you will have to turn the entire house's water connection off.

Step 2
Using an adjustable wrench, completely open up the faucets and allow all extra water to come out of the pipes. Clear the excess water so that you have a dry area to work in. Find the retaining screw that has kept the faucet in place and use a flat-head screwdriver to open it.

Step 3
Loosen the screw and try not damaging the sink or counter top area. Place pieces of old cloth on and around the faucet, so that they work as cushions, preventing any damage being caused to them by the screwdriver.

Step 4
Remove the old faucet set and clean the area properly. Examine the area to see if any of the pipes require to be fitted or cleaned, and if any of the water lines need repair.

Step 5
Take out the new faucet from its package. Read the instructions that have come with the kit and find out whether there is a need to perform any pre-installation assembly before fixing the dripping kitchen faucet.

Step 6
Using the plumbing putty, smear ¼ inch near the base of the new faucet. Fit it into the existing holes and allow the plumbing putty to take care of sealing it in place.

Step 7
In case your new faucet requires you to install any screw covers or bolts, then go under the sink and install it along with necessary washers. Tighten the washers and screw covers or bolts up to the base, so that your new faucet is held firmly in place.

Step 8
Follow the instructions that came with the new faucet so that you are able to fix the hot and cold water lines in the right manner. Turn on the water supply and slowly turn the handle completely. This will help you know if the flow and pressure is right or not. If everything seems proper, it means you have successfully fixed a dripping faucet.

Fixing a Leaking Shower Faucet

Make sure you have the following tools and materials at hand:

• A pair of pliers
• A set of screwdrivers
• A piece of dry cloth or a rag
• An adjustable wrench
• Washers
• Pocket knife
• Sealant
• O-rings
• Grease
• Cartridges

Step 1
To start with, cut off all water supply to the shower. In case you are unable to locate the knob for that specific water pipe, cut off the main water supply of the entire house instead.

Step 2
After you have shut off the water supply, open the shower faucet to allow any remaining water in the pipe to drain out through the shower head. Once all water has been drained out, move on to the next step.

Step 3
Next, you need to take out the faucet handle. The faucet handle will have a retaining screw which you will have to locate. With an adjustable wrench, gently unscrew the faucet handle. To protect the handle for getting any scratch marks, cover the tip of the wrench with duct tape.

Step 4
After you have removed the handle, examine it thoroughly. With a dry cloth, clean the insides of the handle and remove all traces of grime or collected dirt.

Step 5
Carefully examine the insides of the faucets. In most cases, dripping is caused due to any of the following - worn out rubber washers, worn out O-rings, loose valves, worn out threading, or major wear and tear of internal components.

Step 6
You need to look at all the possible reasons one by one. First, examine the valve. If you find it a little loose, tighten it with pliers. Re-attach the faucet handle by fixing the screw and test the faucet. If the dripping has stopped, your work is done. If not, move on to the next step.

Step 7
Examine the rubber washer. Majority of dripping faucets are due to worn out washers and threads. On looking at the washer itself you will realize whether it is in good condition or not. Replace this worn out washer with a new one similar in size and thickness.

Step 8
In case you notice the threading to be loose or worn out, take it out and replace it with regular plumbing threads. Ensure that you wrap the threading tight around the stem or else it could get entangled with few other internal parts. Also check the O-ring. If it appears to be worn out, replace it with a new one.

Step 9
As a precaution, apply a coat of sealant on the valve threads when you put it back in place. Also, apply a thin coat of petroleum jelly to the faucet handle threads before putting it back on. This will ensure the threads do not wear out easily and minimize chances of a dripping faucet anytime soon.

Step 10
Give the sealant an hour to dry. Turn on the shower and check whether the dripping still persists. If you have done everything correctly, there should be no problem.

Reading the above instructions, you would have realized it is not a very tough job. A little bit of patience, the right tools and basic knowledge about faucets is all you will need for the repair job. Whenever you are replacing any part of the faucet, ensure it is of the correct size and is of genuine quality.