Simply Thrifty

How to Fix a Leaky Faucet

by Noel on February 6th, 2007

Here’s how you can save money through not contracting a plumber to fix your leaking faucet:

Fix the leaky faucet yourself!

Found this resource on how you can fix that bad faucet:

Of course, this is for those intermediate DIY-ers who already know some basic repair steps. You don’t want to actually spend more instead of saving your money just because you actually don’t know any of the tools or the processes in fixing just about anything, right?

TOOLS: Adjustable crescent wrench, screwdriver, hex wrench set, washers, O-rings or a seal-and-spring replacement set.

HOW: A drippy faucet is annoying and costly. It’ll keep you up at night as the drip-drip-drip sends money down the drain. To remedy, turn the hot and cold water off at the shut-off valves, usually under the sink or inside the vanity cabinet. To prepare for dismantling the faucet, Gary Dymski at Newsday suggests spreading an old towel on the floor. Then, place the parts on it in the order in which you take them off. That should help with reassembly.

Open the faucets to drain the water. Locate the handle screw, sometimes covered by a plastic cap, or accessed via a tiny inset screw. The stem or faucet body is now exposed.

Use the crescent wrench to remove the retainer ring or lock nut, which holds the stem in place.

To stop the leak, replace the O-ring on washerless faucets. On lever faucets, the leak will stop after the rubber-coated seal-and-spring cartridge is replaced.

More do-it-yourself home repair tips from the Charlotte Observer.

image from tanashabitat.com

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POSTED IN: Around the House, Doing it Yourself, Finances, General