What should We Do if The Faucet Leaks

Causes of water leakage

In order to know why a faucet leaks, you first need to know how the faucet works. The inside of a typical faucet consists of two main parts, a spool that controls the flow of water and a faucet gasket.

When you turn the handle to open the faucet, the washer is pulled up from the seat and pressure forces water through the washer and out the spout through the hollow faucet.

When the faucet is tightened, the rotating shaft pushes the gasket back into the valve seat and water in the pipe cannot pass through.

Therefore, when the gasket inside the faucet is worn or damaged, a watertight seal cannot be formed inside the faucet. A small amount of water comes out of the break and becomes a continuous, distracting drip.

How to Replace Gaskets Manually

Step 1: Protect the bathtub, sink, or drain

Before you start, always put the stopper back in the sink to prevent screws and other small parts from falling down the drain. And a towel should be placed in the sink or tub to protect the ceramic surface from being scratched by metal tools. Of course, if the local profiteer wants to take the opportunity to buy a new basin or tub, he or she can ignore this issue.

Step 2: Turn off the water

Use the isolation valve under the faucet to shut off the water in the pipes. If there is no valve, you can simply turn off the tap water supply. Then open the faucet to drain the remaining water. If you are concerned about remaining water in the pipes, you can also open the kitchen faucet to help drain the pipes.

Step 3. Remove the top

First, use a fruit knife to gently pry open the protective piece on the handle. This small piece is usually affixed or glued on. Second, use a flathead screwdriver to unscrew the set screw on the handle. The handle engages with the longitudinally toothed sleeve, and with a little force you can pull it straight out, with the washer on the underside of the shaft.