Kitchen faucets and bathroom faucets are generally engineered to last at least a decade, depending on the type of faucet installed and how hard the water is.
There are various types of faucets (not just kitchen faucets or bathroom sink faucets).
- Compression faucet
- Cartridge faucet
- Ball faucet
Of course, the worst kind of faucet is a leaky faucet! Often, homeowners change their faucets for aesthetic purposes or functional purposes (such as going from or to a single handle system) while updating or remodeling. But sometimes a faucet will have enough damage where the performance is affected so that that a replacement is necessary, such as when:
- The threads on the spout or aerator are corroded or worn out – a condition that can make aerator replacement a difficult task beyond the standard DIY faucet repair (including not being able to stop the leaky faucet from dripping with a new aerator/gasket/o-ring/etc).
- When the finish has worn off, and the faucet handle has cracked or discolored.
- The internal parts have worn to the point where replacing washers, o-rings, clips, or screws won’t resolve the problem, and the only way to fix the dripping faucet is to replace it with a new faucet.
Common Signs of a Broken Faucet:
If you are having leaky faucet problems with your kitchen or bathroom faucet, you may not need to replace it; there may be a simple solution. If you are experiencing any of these issues, a good faucet repair job may do the trick:
- The faucet screeches when you run the water
- You hear a clanking or clicking sound
- The handle is squeaky
- The bathroom faucet spits rather than streams
- The kitchen sink sprayer dribbles instead of sprays
- You can’t remove the tub spout
- The constant dripping in your bathroom faucet is keeping you awake
- The water from your bathtub drains once it’s filled
- The water coming out of your faucet is way too hot
Whether the culprit is an old rubber washer in the valve seat, a cracked part, a worn faucet stem or shutoff valve, a clogged aerator from sediment buildup or a water heater thermostat that’s on the wrong setting, we’ll figure it out and get it working and restore the flow of water as fast as possible so you can go back to your normal routine!
How to Repair a Faucet
In order to fix a leaky faucet, you’ll need some tools, some patience, and a little DIY home improvement know-how. Some of the tools you’ll need will be:
- Pliers (needle-nose pliers are very helpful for certain knobs, grabbing dropped set screws or handle screws)
- Flathead screwdriver
- Adjustable wrench
- Hex wrench (allen wrench)
Something else to consider is parts. If you did not buy a repair kit from the hardware store for your leaking faucet, you would want to ensure you have all of the replacement parts you need for when you reassemble the faucet. Things such as new springs, gaskets, o-rings, packing nuts, retainers, or other parts that may need to be replaced as you disassemble the sink or bathtub faucet.
Disassembling includes accessing the set screws, which sometimes may have a decorative cap over it (which can be forgotten when someone reassembles the faucet/faucet handles)
If replacing a faucet, follow these basic steps:
The first step is to locate the water shutoff valve and shut off the water supply to the faucet (make sure to do both cold water and hot water shutoff valves).
You’ll remove the faucet connections to the water supply lines.
After you’ve chosen a new faucet, you’ll set the faucet into place, reconnect the water lines, and turn the water supply back on.
Call A-1 Sewer & Septic To Repair Your Broken Faucet
If your faucet just isn’t working right, or if you have an issue that can no longer be ignored, contact A-1 Sewer & Septic Service Inc. to schedule a service appointment with one of our Kansas City plumbers! We offer emergency and same-day service, and we answer all of our calls 24/7!
