Tossing your faucet merely since it is leaky is wasteful and
costly. Tons of brass, steel, silicone, chrome-plated plastic, and die-cast zinc
annually end up in land fills due to
the fact that faucets are old and have reached the end of their lifespans. But numerous other heaps are
unnecessarily disposed of due to leaks that property owners did not think could be repaired.
Hanging onto a leaky faucet is costly, too. The United States
Environmental Protection Agency approximates that the typical U.S.
household wastes 9,400 gallons of water each year from
household leaks. This suffices to run 300 loads of laundry. Leaks alone represent nearly one trillion gallons of wasted water throughout the U.S. annually.

Water is a progressively dwindling resource.
Considered that the regular monthly rate of water for
a typical U.S. household increased by 52% from 2010 to 2017, this is a pressing concern that goes beyond just a matter of an irritating drip at night.
Be part of the solution by repairing your own dripping faucet, both
for your own sake and for the good of the earth. This article will help you
repair any of the four many standard types of
home faucets. It may be simpler than you
assume, and it typically will be cheaper than buying a new faucet.
Prior to You Begin Your Repair
Faucet repair uses relatively few tools, much of which you may currently have on hand. Prior to you start
your repair, you will wish to have all tools and materials nearby.
Tools and Materials
Screwdrivers
Allen Wrenches (Hex Wrenches).
Pliers.
Channellock-Style Pliers.
Container.
Clean Towel.
Clean Plastic Bin.
Egg Carton, Optional (ideally Styrofoam).

Duct Tape.
Distilled Vinegar.
Numerous Cleaning Up Implements: Q-Tip, Scouring Pad, Cloth
Rags, Old Toothbrush.
Plumbing technician's Grease.
Utility Knife.
Parts Specific to Your Kind Of Faucet.
Preparation and Shut-Down Procedures.
Shut Water Off: Shut off water at the faucet.
Location Container: Put container listed below sink, near the water
supply lines. This will gather drips after you detach the
supply lines.
Disconnect Water: Shut off the two supply of water lines
under the sink (cold and hot). Disconnect supply of water valve
to sink under the cabinet. Let water drain into bucket.
Close Drain: Close with stopper. Ensure that no parts drop the sink by
sealing the sink drain with a few strips of duct tape.
Safeguard Components: Use duct tape to plier jaws to prevent
scratching fixtures. One excellent recommendation is
to cut off the fingers from an old pair of gloves and slip the fingers onto the plier jaws. For the
supreme in protection, purchase soft-jaw pliers at your local hardware
shop.4.

Prepare Collection Area: Set out bin, towel, and optional egg container beside
sink to assist in parts removal. Styrofoam egg cartons work best,
given that they are not affected by water.
Prepare Cleaning Items: Location distilled vinegar and cleansing
implements near bin to get rid of mineral deposits on parts.
How to Fix Leaky Compression Faucets.
The easiest and earliest type of faucet, the compression faucet is
distinguished by its different hot and cold controls which
need you to turn them clockwise to turn off the water.
Time Allotted: thirty minutes.
Tools and Materials: Channellock-type pliers; flat-head and Phillips screwdrivers; replacement
washer; plumbing technician's grease; O-ring (optional).
Remove the faucet handles with pliers and flat-head screwdriver.
Get rid of the screw that attaches the handles to the valve stem with your
Phillips head screwdriver.
Pull the handle up to remove it.
Get rid of valve stem assembly cover, then eliminate the assembly
itself.
With your soft pliers or wrench, eliminate the hex-nut section of the valve stem
assembly by turning nut counter-clockwise.
Unscrew the hex nut the rest of the method and eliminate.
Find the stem washer, which will be found at the bottom of the valve assembly. It
may be worn down and in need of replacement.
Eliminate brass screw securing the stem washer in place.

Clean the washer holder location with vinegar and toothbrush to get
rid of mineral deposits.
Eliminate old washer and use this as your model for when you go to the
shop for a replacement. If the O-ring appeared to be worn, you can change this too.
Reassemble: push the new washer into valve seat, then connect with the
brass screw and the brand-new or existing O-ring.
Coat with plumber's grease.
Reassemble rest of faucet assembly.
How to Repair Ceramic Disk Faucets.
Double-control ceramic disk faucets have separate hot and cold controls. The
device that starts and stops water circulation is a cartridge
including a set of highly sleek ceramic
disks. Sometimes, only one side of this assembly may be
dripping. Test this out by at the same time shutting down the
water system below the sink to see which side is
stopping working.
Time Allotted: 45 minutes.
Tools and Materials: Pliers; flat-head screwdriver; replacement cartridges; plumber's grease; O-
ring (optional).
Open the plastic or metal cover plate that covers the handles.
The faucet body is protected to the cartridge generally by a Phillips
head screw, though in some cases by an Allen screw. Remove the
fastener and separate the faucet body from the cartridge stem.

Remove the locking nut with Channellock-type pliers. In some models, you
might also find a brass screw on top of the cartridge. If so, remove it and hold
onto it, as you may require it when you set up the brand-new cartridge.
Move out the retaining clip (or locking ring) with pliers, then lift out the cartridge. Take the old
cartridge to a hardware store for a precise replacement.
Soak staying parts in vinegar, then brush off to get rid of deposits.
Reassemble the faucet in reverse. If you saved the brass screw from earlier and it is required,
install this now.
Turn on your supply of water. Evaluate the system
for leaks.
How to Fix Single Cartridge (Sleeve) Faucets.
Cartridge faucets, frequently found in kitchen areas,
usually have a single lever that satisfies a wide,
round base. The lever pulls up to start the water flow. Side to
side motion manages the hot and cold functions. The optional one-
for-one replacement of the self-contained cartridge means less fussing with
little parts.

Time Allotted: 45 minutes.
Tools and Materials: Allen wrenches; screwdrivers; Channellock-style pliers;
cleaning products; replacement cartridge (optional, if existing cartridge can
not be cleaned).
With your Allen wrenches, unscrew and loosen up the set screw, then eliminate the handle.

Raise the ornamental cap straight off. These are typically
fragile, so beware. Use your hands, not pliers.
With pliers, thoroughly pry the cartridge loose and eliminate even more by
hand. The cartridge will have seals on the bottom that you can pry out with the flat-head screwdriver.
With your cleansing implements, clean the seals and the area where the seals rest. To
do this, soak in vinegar and brush off deposits with a Q-tip or old tooth brush. If the
deposits do not free quickly, buy a new cartridge.
With your screwdriver, remove the O-ring from the faucet, coat with
plumbing's grease by hand, then re-install in the faucet body.
Replace the cleaned old cartridge or brand-new cartridge, tightening up with
the Channellock pliers.
Carefully replace the ornamental cap.
Re-install handle, tightening the set screw with the Allen wrenches.910.
Faucet & Leak Repairs in Sherman Oaks
How to Protect Your Home From Leaky Faucets in Sherman Oaks