Plumbing

Plumbing

How to Repair a Bathroom Faucet

How to Repair a Bathroom Faucet

Like anything else, your bathroom faucet, or at least the washers inside the faucet will wear and it will begin to drip. This one drip alone could run your water bill up like you wouldn’t believe, not to mention the fact that the dripping sound can become annoying. Here are a few tips on how to repair that leaky bathroom faucet easily and quickly.

First Things First

  • The first thing that you want to do is turn off the water under the sink and close the drain stopper.
  • Place some duct tape or other heavy type tape on the jaws of your pliers so that you don’t scratch up the fixture.
  • Clear a spot so that you can lay out all the parts in the exact order that you removed them.

Step 1 – Figure out Which Type of Faucet You Have

Basically there are four different types of bathroom faucets on the market today. These types are:

  • Compression – uses rubber washers to seat the valve
  • Cartridge – Washer-less faucet. When it develops a leak, the o-rings must be replaced, or the entire assembly.
  • Ceramic Disk – This one is a washer-less faucet as well, and like the cartridge type, if a leak develops then the o-rings must be replaced, or the entire assembly.
  • Ball – The ball type is washer-less as well. Same with the others, if a leak develops either the o-rings must be replaced, or the entire assembly.

 

Step 2 – Obtain the Necessary Parts

Gather the parts that you need for the type of bathroom faucet that you have installed and then complete the steps under “first things first”.

Step 3 – Disassemble the Faucet

Take the faucet assembly apart. Most faucets today are the decorative type, and so the handles or knobs must first be removed. They are usually attached with a set screw in the back part of the handle.

Continue taking the assembly apart according to the type of bathroom faucet that you have. Make sure to lay the parts out in the designated area, in the order that you removed them from the assembly. This will be a big help when putting the unit back together. Make sure to take only one side of the bathroom faucet apart at a time.

Install the new parts, either washers or o-rings as the case may be and reassemble the bathroom faucet. Follow the same steps for the other side.