No matter how tightly you turn the faucet, the water continues to drip, You see dollar signs going down the drain, and your neighborhood plumber wants $75 just to walk in the front door. Sure, you could put a pot in the sink and collect these drips, thinking you can use the water on your plants. But you know you won’t. You’ll just empty the pot down the drain. OR — you could spend maybe a half hour and less than a dollar in parts and repair this wasteful problem on your own. Regardless if you are in the bathroom or kitchen, sink plumbing is basically the same.
You have two water lines coming in, one for each faucet and there is a water shut-off valve in each line allowing for easy repairs.
STEP ONE: Shut the water off to the faucet you wish to repair. A word of advice here is to shut off both valves, turning each clockwise.Though only one faucet may be leaking, the cost involved is so minor, you might as well do some preventive maintenance while you’re at it.
STEP TWO: Remove the faucet handles, because under those plastic buttons that say H and C are the screws securing these handles. Try a fingernail and pop those buttons out and a Phillips head screw should be underneath. With the water turned off, remove that screw and pull the handles off. Now what you see is a water valve stem. Do not be intimidated here, you are in charge. Using a pair of Channel locks, or lacking those, a pair of pliers, wrap a piece of rag around the valve stem and remove the stem from the sink by turning each of these counterclockwise. The rag is to prevent you from screwing up the threads on the stems. Now, with the stems out, you have the root of your problem in your hand. Put each stem nearest the hole you removed it from. On the bottom of each valve is a small brass screw and a round, black rubber washer. The washer is your culprit. The washer is what is allowing water to seep through no matter how tightly you turn the faucet. In fact, as time has passed, and you have turned the faucet tighter and tighter, this has had a negative effect on the washer, and compressed it to the problem point. So now,
STEP THREE: is to remove those brass screws and lift out those nasty washers. Put the washers in your pocket.
STEP FOUR: get in your car, or truck, and go to Lowe’s, Home Depot or any home improvement store. SHow he man in the plumbing section your washers. Follow him to the plumbing parts, watch him open several drawers until he locates the ones that MATCH YOURS. Thank the man (or woman) and go pay for them.
STEP FIVE: Go home. Install the washers, the brass screws and hand tighten the valve stems back into their respective holes. Grab that rag again and cover the threads and tighten the valve stems, clockwise, until they’re seated. You don’t need a ton of muscle here, just tighten them. STEP SIX: Open both water valves.
STEP SEVEN: Place the faucet handles back on the valve stems and turn the water on. If the handles work differently now, that means you put the wrong valve in the wrong hole. DUH! Turn the water back off before correcting this mental lapse of yours.
STEP EIGHT: Turn the faucets on and off several times. Feel your pride swell? See the water stop when you shut the faucet? Feeling good here, pardner? Call the familly, show them what you have done!
STEP NINE: Strut through the house, looking for problems you can correct. Slide those pliers in your back pocket. Consider buying a tool pouch soon.
STEP TEN: Go and relax for a while in your easy chair, thinking of ways to spend your new found wealth. Sleep well.
