How To Perform A Basic Faucet Repair Job At Home
A leaking faucet wastes a lot of water unnecessarily and can cause your utilities bill to escalate. It can make an annoying sound, especially in the middle of the night, and needs to be fixed immediately to stop it from getting worse.
If you don't have the time to wait for a plumber or you need to try a faucet repair for a temporary job, here is some advice to get you started:
While it is always best to consult a professional for help with plumbing you can do certain kinds of faucet repair on your own. Faucet installations are generally best left to the professionals, unless you are completely confident you know what to do.
What Equipment Do You Need?
You'll need an Allen wrench for this. Buying a small set of different sizes is handy to have for DIY jobs at home; a screw driver and slip-joint pliers will also make it a lot easier. You will need the part to be replaced once you have finished checking for problems.
How Do You Do It?
You first need to establish the source of the leak. Once you have done that, it is safe to turn the water off. Cover the basin or drain hole so you do not lose any small parts during the faucet repair.
Some people find it easier to record themselves dismantling the faucet so they can remember how to put it back together again afterwards. If this is too much hassle, then lay them down in the order you remove them.
As you remove the parts check each one for wear and tear or mineral build up. Old parts that are worn or rusty need to be replaced. You can use a cloth to clean any debris or mineral deposits. Soak clogged parts in vinegar to get rid of stubborn mineral deposits.
If there are any plugged holes in the faucet body, you can clean them out with a screw driver and rinse them.
Make sure you take worn parts along to the hardware store. There are many different brands and sizes available on the market, so this is the easiest way to avoid confusion and buying the wrong component. Ask for help if you are not sure; if you have a custom design, you may have to wait a short while for your parts to be ordered.
Before you put the faucet back together hold a cloth over it and open the water valve to flush out any debris you may have loosened during cleaning.
Other Faucet Repair, Maintanance & How-To Guides
- Basic Faucet Repair Part
- Longer-Lasting Faucet and Sink Tips
- Repairing a Noisy Faucet
- Easy Guide to Removing a Faucet
- Faucet Repair, Installation and Replacement
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