"Click to Play Video Above: How to Repair A Kitchen Faucet"
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How to Repair A Single-Handle Bathroom Faucet
Before you consider calling in for commercial help to
repair,
kitchen faucets look at what is involved in repairing the faucets you
have.
The first challenging issue you face when working on
a
home
faucet repair is to open the faucet mechanism itself. To do this you
have to remove the
Allen screw that holds the faucet mechanism all together. If you can't
unscrew
the Allen screw to remove the faucet handle from the main rotary ball
on the faucet. Don't worry,
you should not consider giving up and going to buy a completely new
faucet? No. Don't
let that 15c screw force you into buying a $100 faucet replacement just
yet!
Normally you will have to remove the faucet handle to get to the worn
rubber seats
that caused the drip in the first place. First try wetting the screw
with penetrating oil
every day for a few days. Then try loosening the screw again to see if
it'll
come loose or not. If this doesn't do the trick, or if you finally
strip the
head of the Allen screw, next you will need to attempt to drill out the
screw. To do this use a bit
about the same size as or slightly smaller than the screw and work
gently or you'll
destroy the faucet handle and have to replace it, but it's well
worth the try it if you can save the faucet valve inside. As a last
resort attempt, you can
actually unscrew the cap with the faucet handle still connected.
If the Allen screw is stuck, or if you damage it so it
won't come out, remove the cap with the faucet handle still in
place. You can't grab the flattened edges with the faucet handle in
place. Instead, cushion the plier jaws and grip the round edge below.
This is difficult, because you can't easily grab the
flat edge of the cap, with the part that's shaped for the pliers.
Make sure that you protect the jaws well when you grip the smooth,
rounded
body of the cap. It is best to use rubber tape, because then you can't
squeeze
the cap too hard. Gently move the cap counter clockwise to unscrew it.
The
assembly that you remove will now contain the faucet handle, cap, cam,
packing and ball.
The next step is to release the ball from its stem. The
Allen screw clamps onto the stem. Try holding it with the pliers and
twisting it gently. The goal is to separate the parts so that you can
salvage and
reuse the cap again . You'll still have to buy a new faucet handle and
a
faucet repair kit that will include a new ball.
If this doesn't work, the only alternative is
to replace the entire faucet faucet. Don't get discouraged, this is a
challenging fix.
More guides coming soon to help with repair of a pegaus faucet, delta
kitchen faucet, peerless faucet, grohe kitchen faucet, american standard
faucet and fisher faucets.
Want to learn more about Kitchen Plumbing Repair and Kitchen Faucets Repair?
