Believe it or not, repairing a leaky faucet is actually as simple as changing a lightbulb. Whether it’s a kitchen faucet, a bathroom faucet replacing the faucet cartridge is a quick solution for those leaks.
Here’s how you can do it in eight easy steps.
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Faucet Cartridge | 8 Easy Steps for a Quick Leaky Faucet Repair
Faucet Cartridge Repair Materials:
- Set of replacement cartridges
Faucet Cartridge Repair Tools:
- Crescent wrench
- Flat blade screwdriver or a utility knife
- Phillips screwdriver
- Cloth
- Pliers
Step 1: Drain the Faucet
Regardless of the type of faucet – whether it’s a single handle cartridge faucet or a double handle cartridge faucet – worn-out cartridges and O-rings are some of the most common reasons behind those leaks. The first step in fixing them is simply to drain the faucet.
Start by turning off the sink’s water supply by closing the shutoff valve. Often, you can find this directly under the sink made up of a small handle and valve.
Afterward, turn the faucet on to completely drain the lines and relieve it of any pressure that may have built up.
Step 2: Plug Your Sink
Fixing a leaking faucet often involves tiny nuts and screws. The last thing you want is to turn this easy process into a complicated one by accidentally dropping one of those screws down the drain.
Avoid this by plugging your sink. If your sink doesn’t have a stopper or a basin plug, even a small piece of cloth is fine.
Step 3: Remove the Handles
With your flat blade screwdriver, pop the decorative caps off to expose the screws underneath that hold the handle in place. Now, remove the screws using a Phillips screwdriver before removing the handles from the cartridge.
Step 4: Take Off the Bonnet Nut
Some faucets have a bonnet nut that secures the faucet cartridge in place. If yours has one, remove it with your crescent wrench.
Step 5: Remove the Cartridge
With the bonnet nut off, you can now proceed to removing the faucet cartridge by simply pulling straight up.
If you have to, you can use pliers to pull on the stem for extra leverage. Just make sure to use a rag or tape to avoid damaging the other parts of the faucet.
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Step 6: Install the New Cartridges
Soak up the water in the faucet shank using a rag before installing your replacement cartridge.
Try to go for a solid-brass faucet cartridge replacement if it will fit in your sink. These are far better and more durable than the plastic alternatives.
Install your replacement cartridge by aligning the tab on it with the slot on the faucet. Push it into place as firmly as possible.
Once done, screw the bonnet nut back on and tighten it using a crescent wrench.
Step 7: Put it Back Together
Reinstall the handle and pop the caps back on.
Step 8: Test for Leaks and Check the Water Flow
Turn your water back on and test your faucet for any leaks. Check the water’s flow as well. Your hot and cold adjustments should be working properly.
With single-handle faucets, the water should not turn hot when the handle is turned to cold. If it does, fix it by removing the handles again and rotating the cartridge by 180 degrees.
With everything working perfectly, replace the decorative caps and give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done.
If the faucet cartridge isn’t the problem, then maybe the seats and springs is. AMRE Supply shows you how to replace them in this video below:
With leaking faucets being very easy to repair, a leaking one shouldn’t be something any DIYer has to put up with. Replacing the faucet cartridge is one of the quickest and most common ways of fixing this problem.
Aside from replacing the faucet cartridge, are there other ways of fixing a leaking faucet that you know about? Share them with us in the comments section below!
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The post How To Repair Leaky Single And Double Handle Faucet Cartridges appeared first on DIY Projects Craft Ideas & How To’s for Home Decor with Videos.
