How to fix a faucet if it drips - causes of leakage and proven methods

Leaking plumbing is a problem that everyone has to deal with sooner or later: either the faucet is leaking in the kitchen, or a similar situation is observed in the bathroom. Be that as it may, remember: it’s not just water leaking, it’s your hard-earned money “running away” down the drain! How to fix a faucet if it's dripping? The solution to this problem depends on the type of plumbing fixture and the cause of the leak.

How to fix a faucet if it's dripping?

Let us immediately make a reservation that such a seemingly trivial problem can lead to the most tragic consequences - for example, the mixer may become completely unusable or water will burst at the most inopportune moment. Therefore, you need to act as early as possible. And it’s good that there is nothing extremely difficult here - find out the cause of the leak, acquire the necessary tools/materials and, in fact, start working.

How does a kitchen faucet work?

DIY faucet repair

What types of mixers are there?

Let's start with the fact that, depending on the design features, there are two groups of plumbing taps.

1. Single lever. The water pressure and temperature in this case are regulated by just one knob, which rotates in two planes. Cartridges are used here as rotating mechanisms (they can be ball or disk).

   
   How does a single lever mixer work?

2. Double lever (such devices are also called valve devices). Their distinctive feature is that the pressure is regulated by handles located on the sides of the mixer. Special valve axle boxes (they come with rotating ceramic plates or worm-type ones) serve as locking elements here. But we note that the service life of crane axle boxes is half that of the cartridges mentioned above.

   
   Valve mixer

Important information! The repair process is largely determined by what type of dripping plumbing faucet it is. But we’ll talk about this in more detail a little later.

Possible leak locations

Long spout mixer

Why might a faucet drip? Let's understand the reasons

As a rule, the cause of a leak can be easily determined by getting your bearings on the spot. Below are the most common causes of this problem.

Table. Why might a faucet drip? Common reasons

Leak between faucet and sink

Reassembly

Assembly is performed in reverse order:

• The first to return and tighten is the rod bushing;
• After it, a lever or lamb is inserted into place;
• Lastly, the spout is fixed in the tap.

At all stages of assembly, the tightness of the connections is checked , and the free play of the opening lever is made as minimal as possible.

The final fixation of the elements and fastening of the lid is carried out after checking the functionality and tightness of the tap.

Reference. The process of installing a faucet after complete disassembly is not much different from its installation; the same applies to cases of moving it to another location or replacing a sink.

The junction of the pipe with the water supply tube is sealed using FUM tape, worn flat gaskets are replaced with new ones of the same size and thickness.

How to fix a leaking faucet

Let’s say right away that in most cases there are no difficulties in replacing a leaking faucet, but beginners still often encounter some problems. However, preliminary preparation and strict adherence to step-by-step instructions will help cope with leaks and significantly increase the service life of the mixer.

In principle, repairing a faucet yourself is not such a difficult task.

Fault categories

First, let's list the main categories into which common problems with shut-off valves can be classified.

• The valve does not hold water.

Let us clarify: within the framework of this article we will consider only malfunctions of screw valves. Ball ones fail very rarely, while cork ones are actually not used in private and apartment buildings.

• Water is leaking from under the valve stem.
• The faucet or mixer lever does not turn off the water.
• Water does not flow when the faucet taps are open.
• Water does not switch to shower.

Preparing for work

Before you begin directly repairing/replacing the mixer, you must turn off the water in the riser. Otherwise, problems with the tap will be aggravated by flooding of the apartment (not only your own, but also the neighbors below). Only after turning off the water can further work begin.

Water supply risers

To carry out repair work, you will need the following:

• some kind of vessel (to collect water);
• rags;
• Adjustable wrench;
• sponge;
• silicone seals;
• cleaning agent;
• screwdrivers;
• wrench;
• fluoroplastic sealing tape;
• rubber gaskets (new);
• pliers.

Fluoroplastic tape
All these tools/materials are quite enough to deal with a leaking plumbing faucet with your own hands.

On a note! If the mixer was purchased recently and you even saved the packaging, then you may find the manufacturer’s instructions and even a repair kit in it. In this case, the work will go much faster.

Repair kit for mixer (AKVAREM)

Tips and tricks

The water supply system in an apartment or private house is a source of increased danger. Therefore, when operating it, it is necessary to adhere to certain rules to avoid problems. Let's list them:

1. Have the ability to quickly turn off water from the riser.
2. A set of tools for performing repair work should always be at hand.
3. It is necessary to keep in the house a set of replaceable components for faucets and mixers that are in use.
4. Be prepared to urgently call emergency water services in the event of a serious accident.
5. And, of course, you need to know the rules and procedures for independently eliminating an emergency situation.

Method No. 1. Replacing the gasket

If the rubber gasket needs to be replaced, you need to proceed according to the following algorithm.

Step 1. First, the valve is disassembled - the plug is removed, then the screw located under it is unscrewed and the core is unscrewed using an adjustable wrench (you need to turn it counterclockwise) to remove the valve axle box.

Replacing the gasket in the valve mixer

Step 2. The gasket must be replaced and secured in the axle box.

Step 3. At the end of the removal, all the elements are installed in their places.

Prices for bathroom faucets

bathroom faucet

Step-by-step process for replacing the gasket

Valve mixer leak elimination diagram

Note! If the faucet is leaking in the shower, then using the same adjustable wrench you need to unscrew the shower hose, replace the gasket, and then fasten it (the hose) in place. The gasket under the gander nut is also changed.

Unscrewed hose

Mixer body leaking

Changing the coarse filter

Now you can work on filters.

First, we will look at the condition of the coarse filter:

One nut needs to be unscrewed. For this procedure we will need Swedish women. Before doing this, take care of a container where you will need to drain the remaining water from the filter. You need to take a container such that it can be placed directly under the filter (Ideally, a cut-off plastic bottle, which you will see below, is suitable).

So, take the Swedes and unscrew the nut:

Turn it counterclockwise as shown in the picture. Swedes won't have to work for long. Next, you need to carefully unscrew the nut by hand, placing a container to drain the water:

Then the water will continue to drain for some time and you need to wait. It is even recommended to secure the container for draining, as it may take several minutes.

But finally, the water has stopped flowing and you can examine the filter from the inside:

We see with you not a very good picture. First of all, the inside is completely rusty. Secondly, the filter contains a replaceable mesh. It needs to be removed:

What to do next? In a good way, it is better to replace the mesh (buy a new one). The rust inside the filter needs to be washed off. If there is a lot of rust, then it is worth replacing the filter itself. You may ask, how to clean if the water is turned off? Everything is correct, you need to stock up on cold water in advance and dilute it with hot water, which is not turned off for you. In general, you can handle it.

And this is what the new mesh for the coarse filter looks like:

install it in the filter and screw it back onto the pipe.

Method No. 2. Replacing the stuffing box seal

If the cause of a leaking plumbing faucet is wear of the seal, then you can fix the problem in one of two ways:

• unscrew the stuffing box nut, and then replace the stuffing box itself;
• make the liner yourself from fluoroplastic tape.

Another solution to the issue is to change the oil seal or the entire faucet.
If you do everything correctly and in accordance with our recommendations, the faucet will stop dripping and the valve will turn smoothly.

Video - How to repair a faucet

Method number 3. Ball valve repair

If the problem lies in the ball valve itself, then it must be disassembled and thoroughly cleaned, and, if necessary, the locking mechanism must be completely replaced. In this situation, you should act this way.

Schematic structure of a ball model of a kitchen faucet

Step 1. First, unscrew the screw and remove the lever.

Step 2. Then the threaded screw is unscrewed.

Step 3. The mixer dome is removed (along with its plastic part).

Step 4. The ball is removed and carefully inspected. If any defects or damage are detected, the ball must be replaced.

Step 5. The seals are removed and checked for wear and whether there is plaque on them.

Step 6. Dirt and deposits are removed from the seals, after which a special lubricant is applied.

Ball mixer disassembly diagram

Step 7. All parts are installed back. Connections are checked for leaks.

Touchless faucet with motion sensor

If the mixer is assembled correctly, there should be no leaks; the water temperature will be regulated by light turns of the lever.

Stages of installing faucets in bathrooms

Method number 4. Replacing the cartridge

We have already mentioned above that cartridges are more convenient to use than axle-box cranes, but if they break, then, alas, the entire mechanism will have to be replaced at once. Below is an algorithm of necessary actions.

Changing the cartridge

Step 1. First of all, unscrew the plug on the lever, after which the fixing screw is also unscrewed.

Step 2. Decorative elements are removed, then the nut that presses the cartridge is unscrewed.

Step 3. The mechanism is removed and carefully inspected (you need to find out what the condition of the gaskets at its end is). Note that they can be replaced.

Prices for kitchen faucets

kitchen faucet

How to remove a cartridge

Step 4. If it is impossible to replace the seals, a new disk element is inserted into the tap.

Step 5. All elements of the crane are put back together.

Scheme for self-installation of the cartridge in the mixer

Difficulties

The above actions will be meaningless or ineffective when:

• Significant wear of parts due to corrosion (rust-covered plumbing needs to be completely replaced);
• Lack of gaskets and seals of the appropriate size or failure to lubricate them during assembly.

The work becomes more complicated when it is necessary to repair combination faucets that simultaneously supply drinking and tap water or models with two valves that supply regular and mineralized water from filters. Such models have two or more valve heads; to determine the problem, owners must sequentially shut off the supply tubes or completely rebuild the tap.

What to do if the new faucet is dripping?

Sometimes even a faucet that was purchased and installed relatively recently begins to leak. In such situations, the reason, as a rule, is simple to the point of banality - the device has a manufacturing defect, which is difficult to identify during external inspection.

Important information! Cracks and chips inside the structure can hardly be eliminated on your own - even an experienced plumber will not be able to do this. That is why the only correct solution is to return the faucet to the store and ask the seller to replace the defective model.

New faucet
Finally, we note that the faucet in the kitchen or bathroom can start dripping at any moment. To solve this kind of problem, you can go one of two possible ways - to involve a qualified specialist in the work or to try to do everything yourself. However, if you know the exact cause of the leak and how to properly eliminate it, then no difficulties should arise.

Note! To prevent a leak from appearing at the most inopportune moment, regularly carry out preventive measures - change gaskets in a timely manner, check the condition of locking mechanisms. All this will significantly extend the life of the crane!

Leak at the connection point of the shower hose and shower head

Even during the operation of the mixer, leaks often form at the connection points of the flexible hose to the mixer and shower head. Gaskets are installed in these places, which become deformed and fall in over time. If a leak occurs, disconnect the hose and replace the gaskets.

The hose is connected to the mixer using a hex nut. You need to unscrew it and change the gasket.

To replace the gasket where the shower hose connects to the faucet, you will need a wrench.

The connection between the hose and the shower head is made using a conical relief nut, which can be unscrewed without a tool and even a girl can do it. There is a gasket on the pressure hose that needs to be replaced with a new one.

Note! The hex and flare nuts for connecting the shower hose are very thin, so you should not use much force when tightening them, as they may burst.