A leaky faucet is a nuisance
every homeowner has to contend with at one point or another,
but it can be more than just annoying. With every little
drip that escapes from the faucet over the course of a day,
you're wasting money - you'd be surprised how quickly those
droplets add up over time. This project will help you
through the process of fixing a leaky faucet without calling
in the professionals.
If the faucet leaks from the handle, you will have to remove
the stem in order to get to the main cause of the problem.
If you own an older home, you may find that the top of the
spindle has packing wound around it, so that water won't
seep out of the top. If this is what you find, don't worry
too much - old material such as this is replaceable and any
new packing you add will last a long time. In a newer home,
you will probably discover an O-ring. Once you have taken
out the stem, simply inspect the rest of the faucet and make
a judgment as to what needs replacing.
Step-by-step
 Before you begin, remember to shut off the water
supply.
 Wrap new packing string on the spindle. Again,
this only applies if you have an older faucet that has
packing material around the spindle, just under the packing
nut. Before wrapping on the new material, however, you must
take off all the old packing and clean the spindle. After
cleaning, wrap Teflon tape or strand packing tightly around
the spindle, leaving enough room to screw on the packing nut
before you insert the stem.
 If your faucet has an O-ring, this will need to be
replaced instead of packing. Take off the old O-ring and
purchase a new one that fits perfectly on the spindle. After
installation, lightly lubricate the O-ring with heatproof
grease. Now you can place the stem back in place.
These two simple procedures should fix your leaky faucet -
it's a very simple way to keep your home in tip-top
condition. Of course, if your home has leaks anywhere else
that may be a cause for concern, call a professional plumber
to look into the situation. |
