Fix Leaky Faucet

Welcome to fixleakyfaucet.org! Learn how to fix a leaky shower faucet or a faucet in your bathroom.

Fixing a faulty faucet isn’t half as aggravating as letting it drip

If there is one thing that can drive a person mad, it is certainly a leaking faucet of any kind. When that leaking just so happens to be coming from your shower head, it can truly be aggravating. First off, the shower walls act like an acoustic recording studio allowing the dripping to reverberate and echo throughout the area. Plus, the fact the drips have 5-6 feet to fall before banging off the bottom of the shower means the racket will be even louder than most other faucet leaks. Heaven help you if there is an empty shampoo bottle lying underneath the dripping!

This leaking needs fixed as soon as possible. Not only is it driving you mad, it is probably running an already too high water bill even higher. So with that being said, turn off all the water to the shower, if possible without turning off the entire house. If you can not turn the water off to just the bathroom, then go ahead and turn it off to everything.

Next, go back in the bathroom and turn on a faucet, letting any water left in the lines to bleed out. On the “just ‘n’ case” there may still be water in the line, take a hefty towel in the shower with you. Take your hand and try to unscrew the head from the water pipe sticking out of the wall. If it is too tightly secure, use a wrench if needed.

Once you removed the head, look inside the screw threads for a black or white, rubber/plastic gasket called an “O-Ring”. From time to time, these gaskets become old and worn out due to old age or just from drying and cracking. Take a flat head screwdriver, or maybe a butter knife from the kitchen, and pull out this O-Ring. Does it look old and worn out? Hold it up to the light. Has it got any cracks or breaks in, or around, it at all? Now take and hold it for a side view. Slowly turn It around and around. Do you see any area where the O-Ring looks thinner than the rest?

If there is any of these problems with your gasket, or O-Ring, then you have more than likely found your problem and the gasket/O-Ring should be replaced. However, if the gasket looks superb and there is no sign of damage at all, your problem is elsewhere.

Look inside the shower head threads. Are they worn? Does it appear to have been cross-threaded and the grooves chewed up looking? Is there a crack or break anywhere on the plastic shaft where the threads are? If you see any of these things, or damage of any sort to the shower head itself, then this is the issue and your shower head can not be fixed and needs to be replaced. Unless of course the thread shaft and shower head are detachable from one another.

Now if there is no problem with the gasket, and the shower head appears to be fine, then turn your attention to the pipe sticking out of the shower wall. Take a flashlight and look closely at the threads. Are they ok? If you see any issue with the threads to the pipe, this too can easily be replaced. Simply remove the inspection panel on the back side of the shower, take a wrench and remove the pipe and take it to the hardware store to purchase a replacement.

The problem has to be one of these three areas. You only need to figure out which one it is, remove the problem and replace it with a new, quieter version. Remember, a leaking faucet can be noisy, but it can also be expensive if you continue to allow it to drip and spray water everywhere every time you turn it on to bathe.

Different Types of Bathroom Faucets

Bathroom faucets come in many ways to fit the bathroom and give it a customized feel. Choosing the right bathroom faucet can be difficult, it is important to take into consideration the features and functionality of one. You must select the style and finish of the bathroom that would complement the style of your bathroom. In order to determine the bathroom faucets available, it is important to have a basic knowledge about the different types of bathroom faucets.

Although you’ll see them in a variety of shapes and finishes, there are four basic types of bathroom faucets. Faucet design and technology is changing but still, when you look under the sink or grab a screwdriver, you’re most likely to view them in basic configurations.

Disc faucets are a relatively current design that uses a central cylinder and two ceramic discs that control water flow and temperature. This faucet style is reliable and long lasting and takes care of leaks. This may be expensive but typically comes with excellent warranties.

Ball faucets use a swivelling handle and contain a ball joint that’s mounted on a central post.  The handle turns to control water flow and temperature. It’s one of the faucets to lose a washer both seen in kitchens and bathrooms. This type of faucet contains many little a parts inside that’s prone to developing leaks.

Compression faucets have two handles each with a valve to regulate water flow and a washer to create a pressure seal. This style can take abuse and updating a deteriorated washer becomes a pain but water maintenance is easier than it looks.

Washer less faucets eliminates the need for washers by using a stem cartridge to control water delivery.  This has been marketed as the answer to leaky washers and is less prone to drips but still have seals that can wear out.

Home Remodeling 101

Remodeling could be scary at first especially when it is your first time making this big decision and a large investment to your home.  It also became an alternative to moving.  Adding something new to your home could be very tiring but it will give that comforting feeling when it’s all done and tidied up.  Home renovations or simply remodeling some parts of your home can spice things up without altering the whole structure of your home.  It could be lawn improvements, adding of swimming pools on your backyard, gazebos and garages whichever you desire.

Renovations can bring comfort to your home like when you upgrade your heating systems, your basement or simple maintenance and repair projects.  It could be for expansion, having extra space or extension of your house.

Plan everything out.  Make sure to be very specific in explaining ideas before working on the project. Tell your electrician where your jacks and outlets you want to be.  Tell them where specifically your furniture go and where you want to keep the outlets.   Make sure the painters save you some paint in case of touch ups and duplication.  There are a lot of areas where you can buy high quality inexpensive materials for your home.  Be in control.

Remember that home remodeling can transform your simple home into your dream house.  After the renovation, your home would be visually satisfying and financially rewarding.

How to fix a leaky bathroom faucet

Bathroom faucets are usually very costly to buy and install, so when there is a leak there is a problem. It is possible to waste 3 gallons of water per day if a leak occurs, plus said leak will also create water stains in the base of the sink. To get this leak repaired by a professional plumber can turn out to be quite expensive. So, follow the steps below to learn how to fix the faucet by yourself and save money and time.

For fixing a faucet one usually needs: different sizes of washers, screwdriver, and an adjustable wrench. By using six easy steps you can learn how to repair a leakey faucet:

1 Step: First turn off the sink’s main water supply. You will notice a shut off valve located under the sink basin, sometimes its inside a floor cabinet.
2 Step: Loose the nut of the sink by turning it in a counter clockwise. The packing nut is located just below. Twist or turn the entire valve unit, by using the faucet handle until it pulls free.
3 Step: Under the valve unit, the old washer is located, by holding the valve unit you should place the old washer and remove the screw, which holds the old washer.
4 Step: Replace the new one in the place of the old washer, which is of equal size. Now put back the screw in its original place.
5 Step: Restore the valve unit back into the faucet, and make sure that the nuts are tightened before spining the handle to its correct place.
6 Step: Last step is to tighten the packing nut and release the water back in the sink.
After doing these things and if your faucet starts to leak again, then try to replace your old washer with the new one of a different size.

Tips while repairing the faucet:
* Make sure to close the drain before trying to repair any faucet. This will stop parts from slipping down into the drain.
* Lubricate threads with grease to boost the seal.
* Notice the order of your removing parts, so that you know how to reassemble them again.
* Washers placed on the hot controlling temperature handles tire out twice as fast as those controls cold temperatures.