It is very annoying to hear dripping sound after turning off faucet. And it is more annoying to discover slippery and rusty surroundings of the faucet.
Many of you have thought to kick out this ‘water-water everywhere’ problem. And you may have called a plumber to fix this issue.
But has it ever crossed in your mind that you can fix your kitchen all by yourself, like a pro? Well of course it did! But you don’t know how?
That's why I'm here to give you a complete step-by-step guideline on how to fix a leaky kitchen faucet with two handles, with single handle and a spout as well.
Before starting, you need to know causes of leaking faucet. At first, you need to determine the problem and act according to it.
Troubleshoot that can occur
- If the water is dripping from your double handle faucet, you need to detect which stem is causing the leakage.
- If water dripping from faucet handle, you need to replace the stem of that handle. Same goes for a single handle faucet.
- Oftentimes your faucet spout can cause the leakage too.
Now, it is much cleverer if you buy new parts instead of fixing the old parts. Because they may become rusty and damaged by the mineral substances.
Tools you need
Flathead screwdriver
This will be used to wield the bolts from the handle if it has a flat keyhole.
Crosshead screwdriver
This will be used to wield the bolts from the handle if it has a criss-cross keyhole.
Hex-key
Hex-keys are usually used to wield the bolts that have a hexagonal keyhole. This will be used to remove the spout section.
Wrench
Here, it will be used to drive out the brass stem. If you have a plastic stem you just need to unscrew the top screw and the stem will come out. Do not use any wrench on it. This could break it.
Towel
This is to cover drainage hole of the sink. You can also use drainage hole cover. You don’t want any of the small parts to lost in that hole, right?
If you know how to replace a single handle kitchen faucet, you’ll know how to fix a double handle faucet too. Because same procedure goes for both.
So, let’s dive in!
Replacing a single handle kitchen faucet
If the water is leaking either from the faucet or the handle, you’ll need faucet stem replacement.
Step 1
Turn the main water supply off. Turn on the faucet to drain extra remaining of water inside the pipe. After that place the towel over the draining hole.
Step 2
Remove the aerator of the faucet to release any trapped air.
Sometimes, it is hard to remove the aerator because many mineral substances deposit around it. In such case, aerator faucet cleaning is needed or you can soak a towel into vinegar and wrap it around the faucet head covering the aerator. Leave it for an hour and the aerator will come off just by a twist.
Step 3
Remove the handle of the stem with the help of a screwdriver, unscrew the bolt over it. Use the screwdriver that fits in. Otherwise, it can break..
Step 4
For a plastic stem, it will come off right away when you unscrew the handle.
But if it is a brass stem, then you have to untie it using a wrench. Do not put too much pressure. Because it can cause damage and removing stem will be more difficult.
Step 5
Take the faulty stem to any store, and the salesman will match you a new stem of the exact size. After that put everything into reverse process. But if you know the model, then you can get a new stem before doing this job. Attach the aerator at the final step.
This is all about how to fix your faucet handle. isn't it easy?
Replacing a double handle kitchen faucet
Replacing a double handle faucet is as like as the previous method. You have to follow the same removal procedure of the stem as you did for the single handle faucet. But the question is how would you know which handle is faulty?
Well, let me explain that first. You know that one of the handles supply hot water and other one supplies cold water. If water leakage occurs in one of the handles, you know which one has to be replaced.
But if water leaks from the faucet, you have to find out which stem is faulty. For that,
- Turn off the hot water supply key. If the leakage stops, then the hot water stem is faulty. If not, then the cold water stem is faulty.
Now, turn off both water supplies and start your work and follow the previous method to replace.
Repairing kitchen faucet spout
To fix kitchen faucet leaking from spout you need to replace its rubber seats, springs and O-ring.
Step 1
This is for O-ring replacement from regular faucet type. Using a wrench untie the faucet. At the end of the faucet, you'll find an O-ring. Replace it with the new one and put it back. Your spout s fixed.
However, if you have a valve faucet, loosen the set screw with hex-key and take off the handle. Remove the cap, cam, washer and the ball as well.
Note the placement of the ball because later you have to line it up exactly as it was. Now follow the next step-
Step 2
Slide off the spout and replace the O-rings with new ones.
Step 3
Use hex-key to remove the rubber seats and the screw. And replace them with new ones.
Step 4
Replace the washer and cam individually and reassemble the rest of the faucet. that's it.
Tips for Fixing Kitchen Faucet
- I strongly suggest to put the removed parts in sequence and take a picture of it. So that later, you can resemble them as per order without any confusion.
- Before you attach the aerator, turn on the water for a while to drain off any substance.
- Soak the aerator in vinegar before replacing it.
- It is better if you buy new handles for your faucet if it is rusted too much.
- Always buy an extra set of aerator, springs and rubber seats.
Conclusion
I have enlightened you about all the possible fixing kitchen faucet and gave you a step-by-step guideline on how to fix a leaky kitchen faucet with two handles to fix it.
Some people prefer to change the whole kitchen faucet to give it a new look. And guess what? You also can do it all by yourself. You can click here for the best kitchen faucet under $200. If you are in tight budget the have a look on the article.