How to Repair an Old Faucet to Stop Leaking in the Bathroom
- 1). Turn off the water to the faucet. If it is a sink faucet, turn off the angle stops under the cabinet. If it is a bathtub or shower faucet, you may have to look in the basement or crawl space for the shut-off valve. If you can not find it, turn off the main valve for the house.
- 2). Remove the handle(s) from the faucet. Unscrew the nut(s) with a screwdriver or Allen wrench and lift off the handle(s).
- 3). Replace the washers on both valves if it is a two-handle faucet. Faucets with two handles are compression type, and the washers are located on the bottom of the valve mechanism. Unscrew the nut holding the valve stem in place with channel-locking pliers. Then lift the valves out and unscrew the nuts holding the washers to the bottoms. Remove the washers and screw on new ones, replace the valves and tighten the nuts.
- 4). Remove the handle from a single-handle faucet and examine the mechanism. If it is a cartridge-type faucet, the cartridge may be held in place by a nut or a pin. Unscrew the nut or remove the pin with channel-locking pliers, then lift the cartridge straight out of the valve seat, paying close attention to the orientation of the cartridge in the valve seat. Inspect the O-rings and replace them if worn. Buy a new cartridge if the old one is worn, chipped or corroded. Replace the cartridge in the same orientation it was in when you took it out, then replace the pin or nut and the handle.
- 5). Unscrew the holding nut on a ball-valve faucet and lift it off. Examine the ball, valve seat and inlet seals for signs of wear. Replace any components that are worn or chipped. Re-assemble by setting the ball back on the valve seat and positioning the spring so that the ball is seated correctly. Then screw on the holding nut and the handle.
- 6). Unscrew the valve assembly from a disk-type faucet after you remove the handle and inspect the inlet seals for signs of deterioration. If you do not find any, replace the whole disk assembly.
- 7). Turn the water back on and check for leaks.
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