Plumbing Repair Tips: How to Fix A Dripping Faucet

You may not notice the constant dripping during the day, but once night falls, and your house is no longer bustling with noise, the water steadily leaking from your sink faucet is impossible to ignore. Although annoyance is reason enough to fix a dripping faucet, saving money and helping the earth are even better reasons to eliminate a leak. Fortunately, fixing a dripping spout is usually an easy DIY plumbing repair that simply requires replacing the faucet's seats and springs. Here are some helpful tips provided by Hopatcong NJ plumbers.

What You'll Need

• Allen Wrench
• Needle-Nose Pliers
• Screwdriver
• Tongue-and-Grove Pliers
• Replacement Seats and Springs

DIY Directions

• Before starting, shut off the hot and cold water supply valves which are located underneath your sink. Once they are in the off position, turn on your faucet to drain any remaining water left in the water line.
• Remove the screw cover from the faucet's handle. Next, using either an Allen wrench or a screwdriver, loosen the screw and completely take off the handle.
• With your needle-nose pliers unscrew the adjusting ring and carefully lift it off.
• Next, cautiously remove the dome-shaped cap, which is covering the faucet's seats and springs. To do this use your tongue-and-grove pliers. A build-up of mineral deposits might make the removal a bit challenging. If you are having a hard time take a rag and soak it in vinegar. Wrap the vinegar rag around the cap and let it sit for a few minutes before loosening and removing the cap with your pliers.
• Once the dome-shaped cap is removed, you'll see a metal stem. Pull that and the metal ball attached to it out. Underneath, you'll find the seats and springs that need replacing. The seat is the small circular part and beneath that is the spring, which you won't be able to see until you pull both parts out.
• To remove both the hot and cold water seats and springs, simply insert your Allen wrench into the small hole located in the center of the seats. Slightly tilt the wrench to hook both the seat and spring before slowly pulling the Allen wrench up with the parts hanging from the tool.
• Now grab your new set of seats and springs and place them in the holes your old ones once occupied. Threading one set at a time onto your Allen wrench and carefully sliding them into place is the easiest way to replace the parts.
• Once the new seats and springs are in place, replace the parts of the faucet you removed to reach them. Now you can turn the water valve back on and test your handy work. If the drip has stopped the job was a success; however, if the leak is still present it's time to call a professional plumber.

If you're experiencing a more serious plumbing leak and don't know how to stop it, contact your local Greendale WI plumbing repair expert.