Sink Faucet Repair.
A leaky sink faucet is more than a minor irritation. Even a slow drip can waste hundreds of gallons of water a year, a real energy waster on a hot water faucet. Leaks can also stain sinks. And with time, the leak will only get worse.
The compression faucet as shown in this sink faucet repair is common among older faucets, but many other types exist. Be prepared to shut down the sink for a while to take the stem to the hardware store to find exact replacement parts.
- SHUT OFF THE WATER SUPPLY. Look under the sink for the hot and cold shut-off valves for the faucet.
Shut off both. You may need to wrap the handle with a rag and use channel-lock pliers to crank on the handle. If you can’t find the valves, shut off the water to the entire house. - REMOVE THE HANDLE. Using a putty knife, pry off the plastic cap atop the handle. Remove the screw that holds the handle. Gently tap each side of the handle with a hammer and pry the handle off with a slot screwdriver.
- REMOVE THE RETAINING NUT. Using an adjustable wrench, loosen and remove the retaining nut. Grab the top of the stem with pliers and pull it out.If one stem goes bad, the other is likely to follow. Make a proactive repair and replace the washer, O-ring, and seat of both.
- REPLACE THE WASHER. Using a screwdriver, remove the rubber washer. Clean the bottom of the stem and install a replacement washer.
- REPLACE THE O-RING. With a slot screwdriver, gently pry off the O-ring. Clean the groove and install a replacement O-ring.
- REPLACE THE SEAT. A worn washer can often damage the faucet seat it seals against. Fit a seat wrench down into the faucet body and turn it counterclockwise to unscrew the seat. Replace the seat, reassemble the faucet, and test.