Fix a leaky faucet yourself.
A leaky bathroom faucet is annoying, and plumbers are expensive. Most leaks are the result of one or two faulty seals that you can easily replace. Local hardware stores should carry all the parts you need to fix a leaky bathroom faucet. Bathtub or sink faucets generally begin leaking because of worn out O-rings or damaged stems, both of which are simple to fix. With a few basic tools, you can stop that dripping faucet without calling a plumber.
Instructions
Replacing O-Rings
1. The shut-off valve may look similar to this.
Find the shut-off valve for the bathroom water. This should be beneath your sink or behind an access panel for your bathtub. Look at the water lines in either of these locations, and locate a small handle on both the hot water and cold water lines. Turn each handle as far as you can to the right to shut them off. If your home is older or a is not present, you will have to turn the water off at the meter.
2. Drains are magnets for screws and small parts.
Place a stopper in the drain on your sink or tub. The parts you are working with are tiny in some cases, and you do not want to worsen the situation by dropping one down the drain.
3. Locate the center screw to remove the outer faucet handle. A screw head should be visible in the top center of the plastic handle; if you cannot see it, a center beauty cap covers it. For T-handle faucets, the retaining screw is in the end of the handle. Remove the beauty cap, unscrew this tiny screw and pull the handle straight up. Some may require gentle prying with a flathead screwdriver to dislodge, but most will not. T-handle faucets will come off the same way, straight up.
4. Assortment of washers and seals
Run the tip of the screwdriver gently around the base of the faucet stem to pry up a rubber washer/seal, or the O-ring.
5. Stretch the replacement ring gently over the faucet stem to position it at the base. This should be a tight fit, but not so tight that it stretches your O-ring to the point of breakage. If it looks as though the rubber ring could snap at any moment, try a larger ring.
6. Reattach your faucet handles, and check for leaks. Turn on the water at the shut-off valve, and watch for drips. Turn the faucet handles on full force, and then shut them off again for a full test of your new seals. If you still have a leakage problem, you need to replace the faucet stems.
Stem Replacement
7. Shut off the water to the faucet, and remove the handles. Beneath the handles you will see the stem, the apparatus that your handle sits on that opens and closes the water flow.
8. Unscrew the faucet stems with your C wrench. These should be tight, so it may take a little effort to loosen them. It is best to replace both stems even if you are sure it is only the one side leaking, because most of the time when one gets weak, the other is not far behind.
9. Locate a rubber seal or seat beneath the stem, and remove it with a small flathead screwdriver.
10. Replace the seal below the stem, if present, by firmly but gently pressing it into the small recess. You may need to use the tip of your screwdriver to get it into place correctly. Seals will vary slightly depending on manufacturer, but as a rule they should fit snugly in place and, in the case of an O-ring, be barely visible.
11. Wrap a small amount of plumbers tape around the screw threads of the stem. Be very careful to not get the tape on the very end of the stem, because this can interfere with proper function of the faucet. Line the stems up straight, and tighten them firmly but gently first with your fingers and then with your wrench.
12. Reattach the faucet handle covers, and tighten the retaining screw snugly. Turn the water back on, and check for leaks. If at this point you still have a leaky faucet, the problem could be deeper in the faucet and requires replacement of the entire piece or the services of a professional plumber.
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