Keep your faucets working by replacing cartridges as needed.
You rely on the bathroom faucet daily and take it for granted-until it develops a leak. A damaged or leaking faucet starts out annoying and gets worse as days go by. The bathroom faucet contains a cartridge that houses the faucet stem. Replacing the cartridge stops the leak and is fairly easy to do with a few household tools.
Instructions
1. Turn off the main water supply at the shut off valve, then turn off the hot water supply at the hot water shut off valve near the water heater.
2. Open the faucet to relieve the pressure and drain any water. Cover the drain with a piece of cloth or rag to prevent screws or small items from falling in.
3. Pop off the cover plate with a small pocket knife or screwdriver to expose the screw underneath. Remove the screw then lift the faucet handle to expose the front of the stem cartridge.
4. Remove the decorative plate that covers the stem. Apply a little quick-penetrating lubricant spray to the stem nut and loosen it using an adjustable-end wrench. Adjust the wrench to have an exact fit in order to avoid deforming the brass fitting.
5. Pull out the cartridge with a pair of pliers. If it does not come out right away, try (gently) moving it up and down and side to side until it comes loose.
6. Apply a little petroleum jelly to the new cartridge you purchased. Put a small piece of thread seal tape on the threads of the cartridge nut to help them go together easier and to provide a seal that can help prevent water leaks.
7. Install the new cartridge into the faucet and reassemble the faucet by following the above steps in reverse order.
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