by Joe Brooks

Created on: January 08, 2011

A dripping faucet is an annoyance of legendary proportions, often celebrated in cartoons and sitcoms. A steady drip is also a classic torture method. A dripping faucet may be funny as a cartoon scenario, but it is not amusing when it is happening in your own home. A drip is not only annoying, but can be expensive as well. The constant drip is counting your pennies running down the drain. With the price of water being as high as it is, a leaking faucet can cost you up to a hundred dollars a year.

There are several types of faucets. The older faucets are most likely of the compression seal type, with a washer forming the seal. Those older type faucets are the most likely to be dripping. Fortunately, they are also the easiest type to fix. In preparation, you can either have a pack of assorted washers available, or warn the other occupants of the home that you will have the water off to the sink while you run to the store for a replacement part.

With the washer assortment ready, or the family prepared to be patient, your next step is to turn off the water supply to the sink. In most cases conveniently located handles can be found under the sink. If you have separate hot and cold water handles, you can turn off the hot water supply first, and try to figure out which side is causing the problem. Really, though, you will be better off to just replace both while you are at it. If one has gone bad, the other will not be far behind. With the water off, open the tap to drain the water and ease the pressure. Next you should cover the drain to prevent loose parts from going down the pipes.

After you have the water off and the drain covered, you need to remove the handle and the inside parts until you get to the washer. You may need a screwdriver, an allen wrench, or slip-joint pliers, at the least. Screws and fasteners may be covered by decorative covers. You will need to pry these off in order to get at the screws. When you have reached the washer at last, you can either head out to the store for a replacement, or start matching your washer to a replacement in your assortment pack. One great thing about the handy washer pack is that it will likely have a small assortment of the most common types of screw as well. You will need one if you have damaged the screw in removing it, or have ignored the suggestion to cover the drain and watched the little screw vanish into the opening. Replace the washer with an exact match. Close will likely not be close enough. You would not want to go through all this and then still have the leak when you get the faucet back together. In reverse order, go through the steps you accomplished to reach the washer. Then you are ready to turn the water back on and test your work.

If you go through this process and still have your leak, or if your faucet is of a more complex type, you may be better off to call in a plumber and get the job done right. The price of an expert repair will be offset by your savings in wasted water. A competent technician will quickly restore you to a state of drip-free peace of mind.

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