How To Fix a Leaking Faucet

10/15/2019 (Permalink)

A dripping faucet can cause severe water damage to your Cedar Creek, TX home

How To Determine What Type of Faucet You Have

On the surface, a leaking faucet may not seem like a big deal. Yet if the problem persists, it can cause severe water damage to your Cedar Creek,TX, home. Luckily, there are steps you can take to repair the leak before it causes a major issue.
First, however, you must determine what type of faucet you have. There are four main kinds:

• Ball
  
• Ceramic-Disk
  
• Cartridge
  
• Compression
  
  

No matter what type of faucet you have, you should start the repair process by turning off the water supply underneath the sink. You also need to plug the drain closed before you get started.

Ball Faucet

As its name implies, a ball faucet includes a ball bearing. You can find everything you need to fix this type of leaking faucet in your local home repair shop. You then just need to replace the valve seats, cam washers and springs and then put the faucet back together.

Ceramic-Disk Faucet

If your faucet has a ceramic cylinder, it is even easier to fix. Just remove the cylinder and take out the exposed seals. Clean the cylinder with white vinegar, and replace the seals with new ones if necessary.

Cartridge Faucet

To fix a faucet with a cartridge, start by removing the handle and any clip holding the cartridge in place. Remove the cartridge spout and use a knife to take out the old O-rings. Replacing these should fix the leak.

Compression Faucet

While the above faucets all have one handle that can be used to adjust the temperature of the water, a compression faucet has separate handles for hot and cold water. If the handles of this faucet are leaking, simply replace the O-rings. If the faucet itself is leaking, replace the seat washer.
A dripping faucet can lead to higher water bills, and, in more severe cases, major flooding in your home. If you are unable to stop the leaking faucet in time, or if a fixed leak returns and causes even more harm, water damage repair specialists can restore your home.