As any homeowner knows, there is nothing more annoying than dealing with a leaky faucet. Not only will it keep you up all night, but it is furthermore a misuse of necessary assets: water and capital. A dripping faucet will raise your water bill in very quickly.
Good upkeep in addition to inspections of faucets is necessary in residential plumbing and construction plumbing to ensure the proper functioning of your faucets. Using pre-emptive maintenance and inspections you are able to steer clear of having to phone a plumber to mend a faucet that has been neglected.
Residential plumbing needs maintenance and inspections from time to time to keep things running smoothly. If you discover you have a simple leak or low water pressure, you can usually do the repairs and maintenance yourself. The two most ordinary issues with a troublesome faucet is loose nuts or a worn out washer.
You can easily fix a simple problem like water leaking from the base of a handle with nothing more than a common wrench. Take off any decorative coverings on the handle, and find the nut below. Tighten the nut a bit, but be careful not to over tighen. Turn the water on and see if the drip is resolved. If the leak is still there, tighten the nut a little at a time until the leak is no longer present.
Another common source of a leaky faucet is a worn washer. Check out the manufacturers documentation first, as some newer faucets are washerless, such as the Moen one handle faucets. Should this be your case, you can buy a simple repair kit at any hardware store. Otherwise, you can swap out the washer yourself. You will need a screwdriver, a wrench and a package of washers that you can buy at hardware stores.
If you have a leak with a shower or tub, you may require some extra work since valves are commonly located behind walls. Check for an entrance door to the plumbing. If you can’t find an access door, you may have to create one yourself, or, if you are not comfortable creating one, you will require a plumber.
1. Turn off the water supply, which should be located underneath the sink (or behind an access door if in a tub or shower).
2. Verify if to turn the water off by turning the faucet to the on position.
3. Impede off the drain with a cloth to stop things from falling down the drain by placing a washcloth over it.
4. Take out any decorative handle in order to find the nut.
5. Use electrical or masking tape to pad the wrench in order to avoid marring the faucet.
6. Use the wrench to untighten the packing nut that is located inside the handle, make sure to turn counter clockwise.
7. Take out the valve unit by twisting the handle until it comes out.
8. Find the washer, and disconnect the screw located at the bottom of the valve.
9. Match the old washer with one from the package of new washers you purchased. Be positive they are precisely the same size. If there is a separate washer for hot and cold, make certain to use the washer marked for hot or cold water properly.
10. Install the new washer(s), replace the valve, turn the handle back to its correct position, and then tighten the nut(s).
11. Test for leaks by turning the water valves beneath the sink back to the on position and turning on the faucet.
Should you still encounter major problems and/or leaks, it is a good idea to utilize a professional faucet repair plumber.
Faucet repair does not have to be hard with the proper tools and new parts. Preventative maintenance and inspections should hel you deter issues. Dripping and leaky faucets must be repaired without delay to prevent costly water charges and wasting of water resources.
Tags: construction plumbing, faucet repair, Plumber, plumbing, residential plumbing