How do you fix a leaky bathroom faucet? How much will it cost? How long will it take to get the job done? How can I avoid getting water all over my floor while I wait for the repairman to show up? How do you know if your faucet is actually leaking or just making a funny noise that sounds like water running when no one is using it. What if there’s not enough hot water coming out of my cold tap, and does that mean anything serious about the plumbing in my house.
These are just some of the questions that come up when people start noticing things wrong with their plumbing system and they need answers before they call a plumber. This article provides clear answers to those questions, as well as some additional information a homeowner is likely to find helpful.
The heart of any bathroom is the bathtub. Without it, we would feel pretty naked when taking a shower or bath. Many people don’t give too much thought to their tub faucet, other than turning it on and off to get the water temperature they want. However, if you are discovering water damage around your tub faucet, you need to pay closer attention to it. This can lead to a bigger problem and cause many other issues with your bathroom over time. However, with our help, you will not only be able to spot the signs but we’ll show you how to fix the problem before it becomes a major disaster. Lets get started.
Find the leak
First, you need to locate the leak. How can you do this? Well for starters, look for water on the floor or wet spots where none have been before. Look at your tub and see if there are any drips coming from it when it’s not in use. If you notice only a small amount of water, don’t worry; they’re often easy to fix. If this happens every now and then you can check back with an expert; however, if it is a constant issue, take the time to call a plumber right away before you cause any more water damage.
Remove the spout and handle to expose the faucet stem.
Take a look at your faucet and see if there is a special tool that you can use to remove the spout. How do you get one? Well, you may have to go out and purchase it specifically for your faucet type. If this is the case, make sure you take note of what kind of faucet you have. Next question is usually, how do you know if your spout is removable? Well, thats simple, if it has a screw on cap at the top, or if there are just two screws that hold the spout in place then it should be simple to replace.
You will need to take off this cap and pull out the faucet stem from inside the tub. Pulling it out will allow easier access to tighten any parts that may have loosened and become damaged.
Disassemble the faucet by unscrewing all of its parts
Most likely you will need a screwdriver to remove the stem from the faucet cap. Unfortunately, you probably won’t be able to tell if there is a leaky seal inside of it unless you take off the faucet stem cap. However, you can check the gasket on the interior of the faucet cap to make sure it is still intact.
Pro Tip: How to find out if there is a leaky gasket? Just put some water into your tub and turn on the hot water tap (if it’s a cold-water leak, follow the same procedure, but reverse the water symbols). If there is a leaky gasket your entire tub will fill up with water.
If changing the faucet stem doesn’t stop the leak, try replacing it.
Unfortunately, if you cant fix the faucet stem then replacing it is probably your best bet so, in that case, simply purchase a new one.
Apply pipe tape around any leaking areas and replace with new washers or O-rings as needed .
5. Reassemble the faucet handle and test for leaks again, to make sure all water flow has been stopped. If there are more small leaks, remove and inspect the faucet stem cap again. How do you know if it is cracked? Check all around it; look at the rubber gasket for cracks as well. How can you repair a cracked faucet stem cap? It’s easy; just replace it with a new one.
Try to tighten the spout in place by hand, first and then use pliers if need be. How do you know if there is too much resistance when trying to remove or install the spout? It may be that you just need to apply pressure. How do you remove the faucet spout? Sometimes it’s easy to pull out by hand, but if you can’t get it off no worries; they come apart easily with a screwdriver or pliers. How do you know if there is water damage around your tub faucet? Look closely at the area and see if there are any signs of mold or mildew. How do you prevent damage like this in the future? Once you have removed and reassembled your faucet, take a look at all the rubber parts to make sure none have become dislodged. How do you know if is has been dislodged? How can you repair it? One of the most common problems is that the rubber washer becomes loose and falls into the tub or sink. How do you check for it? They’re usually located right below the faucet stem cap. How do they get dislodged? The best way to make sure this doesn’t happen to you is to perform maintenance on your faucet. How do you do this? How can you keep it in place? You simply tighten the stem cap back into place and replace any missing rubber washers or gaskets. How often should you perform maintenance on a tub faucet? How can you prevent leaks from occurring? How many times have you tightened the faucet stem or spout only to find it still leaks? How can you repair this type of leak? How many times should you replace the o-ring or rubber washer that rests around the stem cap? How do you know if you need new parts for your faucet? How often should you replace these parts?
Reattach parts in reverse order from how they were dismantled .
How do you know if all your pieces are in the right place? How do you keep track of which part goes where and which way it needs to be facing? Personally I like to take a quick photo using my cellphone so that I can refer back to it later if I have to.
Turn on the water supply valve before turning it off again may save you some time by avoiding leaks! How do you know if your faucet is leaking? How do you check for leaks? How can you tell if the leak is coming from the water supply, or within the faucet itself? Sometimes it’s hard to tell! How can you fix a leak in either place? How should you store unused plumbing parts? How often should you
When you’re done, feel free to use our guide on how to fix a leaking tap as a reference and the next time your faucet is dripping water or leaks from under the handle, no need to call for a plumber. Simply follow these steps and dont suffer stress or damage!
