A plumbing leak is a problem that everyone has to face sooner or later: either the faucet is leaking in the kitchen, or a similar situation is observed in the bathroom. Be that as it may, remember: it’s not just water that flows, it’s your hard-earned money “running away” into the sewer! How to fix a faucet if it's dripping? The solution to this problem depends on what type of plumbing equipment and what is the cause of the leak.

Let's make a reservation right away that such, at first glance, a trifling problem can lead to the most unfortunate consequences - for example, it can completely become unusable or water will break through at the most inopportune moment. Therefore, you need to act as soon as possible. And it’s good that there is nothing extremely complicated here - to find out the cause of the leak, acquire the necessary tools / materials and, in fact, start work.

What are mixers?

Let's start with the fact that, depending on the design features, two groups of sanitary faucets are distinguished.

Important information! The repair process is largely determined by the type of dripping plumbing faucet. But we will talk about this in more detail a little later.

Why does a faucet drip? Understanding the reasons

As a rule, it is easy to determine the cause of a leak by orienting yourself on the spot. Below are the most common causes of this problem.

Table. Why does a faucet drip? Common Causes

Reason, photo	Short description
	If the installation or assembly was carried out incorrectly, with errors, this will inevitably cause a leak (sooner or later). For example, if you tighten the nut very tightly during the process, the sealing gasket will be damaged because of this, which means that it (the gasket) will wear out faster. And the inlet hose, which is not tightly fixed, will cause a leak under the tap.
	The ball mixer has by no means an ideal design - the internal parts, which are fitted very tightly, do not respond well to all sorts of impurities in the liquid. To fix the leak in this case, the valve will have to be completely disassembled and thoroughly cleaned.
	The main disadvantage of the stuffing box (or, as it is also called, the stuffing box) is that it wears out very quickly. It is easy to identify such a problem: if the tap is closed, then there are no signs of a malfunction, but if it is opened, water will immediately begin to flow from under the valves. This suggests that the reason lies in the wear of the gland.
	Any plumbing fixture has a limited life, therefore, over time, users face problems such as thread wear or locking mechanism. In such a situation, nothing can be achieved by replacing individual parts or tightening the nuts - it is necessary to change the entire mixer as a whole.
	Repeated turning on / off of the crane leads to wear of its elements (including gaskets). There is a deformation of the material, a change in its size, cracks appear on it. And if your faucet is dripping in the closed position, then the gasket is probably the problem (it needs to be replaced).

Fixing a leaky faucet

Let's make a reservation right away that in most cases there are no difficulties with replacing a leaking faucet, but beginners still often face some problems. Nevertheless, the preliminary preparation and strict adherence to the step-by-step instructions will help to cope with the leakage and significantly increase the life of the mixer.

Preparation for work

Before proceeding directly to the repair /, you must without fail turn off the water on the riser. Otherwise, the problems with the tap will be aggravated by the flooding of the apartment (not only your own, but also the neighbors below). Only after shutting off the water, you can proceed to further work.

To carry out repairs, you will need the following:

• some vessel (to collect water);
• rags;
• Adjustable wrench;
• sponge;
• silicone seals;
• cleaning agent;
• screwdrivers;
• wrench;
• PTFE sealing tape;
• rubber gaskets (new);
• pliers.

All these tools / materials are quite enough to deal with a leaking plumbing faucet with your own hands.

On a note! If the faucet was purchased recently and you even saved the packaging, then the manufacturer's instructions and even a repair kit can be found in it. In this case, the work will go much faster.

Method number 1. Gasket replacement

In the event that a rubber gasket needs to be replaced, the following algorithm must be followed.

Step 1. To begin with, the valve is disassembled - the plug is removed, then the screw under it is unscrewed and the core is unscrewed using an adjustable wrench (you need to turn it counterclockwise) to remove the axle box.

Step 2 The gasket must be replaced and fixed in the box.

Step 3 At the end, all removal elements are installed in their places.

Prices for bathroom faucets

bathroom faucet

Note! If the faucet is leaking in the shower, then using the same wrench, unscrew the shower hose, replace the gasket, and then fix it (the hose) in place. The gasket under the gander nut also changes.

Method number 2. Replacement of gland seal

If the cause of the leakage of the plumbing faucet is the wear of the stuffing box, then the problem can be fixed in one of two ways:

• unscrew the gland nut, and then replace the gland seal itself;
• make an insert yourself from fluoroplastic tape.

If you do everything correctly and in accordance with our recommendations, the faucet will stop dripping, and the valve will scroll smoothly.

Video - How to repair a mixer

Method number 3. Ball valve repair

If the problem lies in the ball valve itself, then it must be disassembled and thoroughly cleaned, and, if necessary, a complete replacement of the locking mechanism. In this situation, you should act in this way.

Step 1. To begin with, the screw is unscrewed and the lever is removed.

Step 2 Then the threaded screw is unscrewed.

Step 3 The dome of the mixer is removed (together with its plastic part).

Step 4 The ball is taken out and carefully examined. If any defects or damage are found, the ball must be replaced.

Step 5 The seals are removed and checked for wear and tear, and whether there is any plaque on them.

Step 6 Dirt and plaque are removed from the seals, after which a special lubricant is applied.

Step 7 All parts are installed back. Connections are checked for tightness.

If the faucet is assembled correctly, there should be no leaks, the water temperature will be regulated by lightly turning the lever.

Method number 4. Cartridge replacement

We have already mentioned above that cartridges are more convenient to use than axle boxes, but if they break, then, alas, you will have to change the entire mechanism at once. The algorithm of necessary actions is given below.

Step 1. First of all, the plug on the lever is unscrewed, after which the fixing screw is also unscrewed.

Step 2 The decorative elements are removed, then the nut that presses the cartridge is unscrewed.

Step 3 The mechanism is removed and carefully examined (you need to find out what the condition of the gaskets on its end is). Note that you can replace them.

Prices for kitchen faucets

kitchen faucet

Step 4 If it is impossible to replace the seals, a new disk element is inserted into the valve.

Step 5 All elements of the crane are assembled back.

What if a new faucet drips?

Sometimes even the mixer, which was installed relatively recently, starts to leak. In such situations, the reason, as a rule, is simple to the point of banality - the device has a factory defect, which is difficult to identify during an external examination.

Important information! Cracks and chips inside the structure can hardly be eliminated on their own - even an experienced plumber will not be able to do this. That is why the only right decision is to return the faucet to the store and ask the seller to replace the defective model.

In the end, we note that the faucet in the kitchen or bathroom can start to drip at any time. To solve this kind of problem, you can go one of two possible ways - to attract a qualified specialist to work or try. However, if you know the exact cause of the leak and how to fix it correctly, then no difficulties should arise.

Note! To prevent a leak from appearing at the most inopportune moment, regularly carry out preventive measures - change gaskets in a timely manner, check the condition of the locking mechanisms. All this will significantly extend the life of the crane!

Video - Do-it-yourself faucet repair

If the faucet is leaking, it is not necessary to call a plumber and pay for his work. In our article, we will figure out how to disassemble a single-lever mixer and do the repair yourself. To carry out work, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the device of this sanitary appliance and prepare the necessary tools.

If it flows from under the lever

Experts attribute the appearance of water from under the faucet lever to the failure of the cartridge. In this regard, we will need to disassemble the device and replace the cartridge.

At the initial stage of work, you need to remove a small rounded decorative cover. Usually on this plate there are two multi-colored dots (red and blue) indicating the turn of the tap lever to add hot or cold water. If the direction of the liquid supply does not match, the lid is turned over to the opposite side.

When the decorative cover is removed, a screw will be exposed inside the hole that holds the lever in position. This latch can be unscrewed with a regular or Phillips screwdriver. There are times when a hexagon is required to remove the tap.

Note! If you cannot unscrew the screw with a screwdriver (the lock is rusted or the thread is broken), then in this case you need to pull the lever with force. In this case, the base of the screw should come off the plastic cap.

After removing the lever in one way or another, remove the decorative cover. It happens that this part is also impossible to remove in the usual way. The insert can be loosened by hand; to improve the effect, a soft, dry cloth is placed at the place of application of the force. If the cap could not be removed by hand, then to pull it out, you can use:

• Pipe wrench;
• Pliers.

To protect the surface, the working part of the tool must come into contact with the part through the fabric. After several rotations in different directions, you can quickly remove the decorative cup.

Tightening or replacing the cartridge

After removing the protective lining, we see the cartridge in front of us. Now you need to unscrew the ring nut and you can remove the mechanism for supplying and mixing water. After pulling out this part, on the bottom you can see the mounting grooves that are used to install the device in its working position.

Slots for cartridge installation

If, after removing the cartridge, metal corrosion was noticed, then the mixer can be replaced with a new one. In some cases, water leakage from under the lever is eliminated by tightening the nut.

Note! To resuscitate the mixer, you can cover the sinks in the metal with silicone and wait for this substance to dry, after which the cartridge itself is installed according to the marks.

Reassembly

The assembly of the mixer begins with the installation of a new cartridge. After that, we tighten the circular nut, install a decorative cup. Next, install the lever or flag and fix its position with a screw. If the fastener was rusty or had a damaged thread, then the lever must be firmly mounted on the cartridge holder.

Important! Before buying a new cartridge, you should understand the design of the old model. The diameter of this part can be 35 or 40 millimeters, but there are devices with an additional o-ring. That is, if replacement is necessary, the design features of the old cartridge model must be taken into account.

If it leaks after replacing the cartridge

The main reason for such a fairly common phenomenon is the corrosion of the metal in the seat. We have already said that you can try to cover such areas with silicone, but if this does not help, then you will need to change the entire mixer.

If the lever goes down

Spontaneous lowering of the mixer lever usually tells us about its breakdown. When you click on the flag, water can be supplied in a thin stream or not at all. Many believe that the main reason for this behavior of the lever is cartridge failure, but this is not always the case.

All residents of a city apartment or a country house use plumbing differently. Some open the taps carefully, others, for example, children, sharply pull the flag. In the latter case, damage to the inner part of the lever, which is put on the head of the cartridge, is possible. In case of damage, the walls of the square insert diverge to the sides, which leads to a certain amount of free play of the part; when lifted up, the crane begins to fall.

Note! To determine the breakdown, it is necessary to remove the round decorative insert, unscrew the screw and remove the lever. After that, they look at the inside of the flag: if it is damaged, then install a similar part from the old mixer. In the presence of quality plumbing, lowering the lever may be caused by wear on the cartridge, which will need to be replaced.

If it leaks from under the shirt

In some cases, water may leak from under the faucet jacket. The main reason for this phenomenon is considered to be damage to the gaskets, and the liquid can leak both in the upper and lower parts in the area where the circular nut is located.

In this regard, during the installation of a single-lever mixer, you need to properly tighten the circular nut. This part is often unscrewed or loosened during product shipping, resulting in a small gap. Such a gap is quite enough for water leakage.

If the nut is well tightened, then the cause of the leak will be a faulty gasket. . To fix the problem, unscrew the nut, remove the nylon washer (serves to form a working gap between adjacent rotating parts of the body). Next, remove the mixer spout along with the shirt and carefully check the installation sites of the gaskets.

There should be no signs of corrosion, shells, etc. In this case, the only solution to the problem will be to replace the gander from the old faucet, in the worst case, you will have to replace the mixer completely.

The second reason for water leakage from the shirt is the wear of the gaskets.. Such parts are made in the form of a horseshoe, and their working, most part faces the water chamber. It is quite difficult to buy a new faucet gasket, but you can repair the faucet.

Disassembly of the mixer to eliminate leakage from under the shirt

To do this, several layers of fum tape are laid in the seats, which will increase the diameter of the seals and improve their tightness. Next, put on gaskets, install nylon washers, assemble the rest of the mixer.

Before installing the valve in a permanent place, check its tightness. If the repair work is done correctly, the water does not flow, then the mixer can be fixed on the sink.

The main thing that needs to be done is to identify the cause of the leak and determine how to eliminate it. All breakdowns are classified according to the place of occurrence.

Troubleshooting rotary valves:

• water runs from under the gander.

Before we get started, turn off the water. To fix the leak, you will need a set of adjustable wrenches and a screwdriver. If the valve does not hold water, most likely the seals on the faucet box have become unusable. Armed with spare seals, we proceed to repair:

If you're tired of the sound

• remove the decorative plug with a screwdriver;
• unscrew the fixing screw and remove the valve handle;
• removes the crane box;
• we replace the sealing gasket;
• when reinstalling, we use fum-tape to seal the joints.

Faucet leaks under valve.

In such a situation, remove the handle and determine the place of leakage. If moisture drips from under the thread, unscrew the crane box and apply several layers of fum-tape to the thread, after which we reinstall. If water flows through the pin of the crane box, unscrew the clamping nut and put a new seal, after which we wind the winding layer, having previously removed the old insulation.

Video instruction - Do-it-yourself faucet repair

As a rule, such repair involves the replacement of the cartridge. To do this, remove the decorative cap, and then unscrew the fixing screw. Next, remove the lever and unscrew the nut that holds the cartridge. We remove the old cartridge, and install a new one in its place. We pay special attention to the correct placement of the element. Repair of a ball mixer may be limited to washing the cartridge.

The mixer is leaking at the point where the gander lever is switched to the shower

The cause of such a problem is most often the wear of the sealing gasket between the shift lever and the device body. If the faucet in your bathroom is leaking, you can fix the broken faucet as follows:

• lower the water switch housing;
• unscrew the fixing screw (if any),
• remove the lever
• replace the worn gasket with a new one,
• screw the lever onto the thread or fix it with a screw.

Do not wind the fum tape on the thread too thickly, 2-3 layers are enough.

This failure may occur due to wear of the gasket placed between the mixer and the hose or the watering can and the hose.

We take pliers and unscrew the clamping nut with their help. It is better to carry out these activities through the fabric. This will prevent scratches on the surface of the product. Next, we remove the unusable gasket and put a new one in its place. We carefully clean the thread from the old winding and wind the fum tape. We twist the clamping nut to the watering can or mixer.

Flowing faucet with two taps in the kitchen

Repair of this type of equipment is even easier than repairing breakdowns in lever models. If the cause of the leak is not damage to the body (often such a nuisance happens with cheap mixers), then the breakdown is most likely caused by wear of the stuffing box located in the valve. The easiest way to solve this problem is to tighten the nut until it stops. However, if such a measure does not bring the desired results, and the oil seal is worn too much, it will need to be replaced.

To do this, follow a series of steps:

• dismantle the union nut;
• remove the stuffing box bushing, and put a seal in the resulting gap. Using sealing materials, we process the stem, after each turn, gently pressing the seal against the thread. When winding the sealing material, be sure to leave a gap - it is necessary to accommodate the sleeve;
• put the sleeve in place and fix the union nut;
• connect the water and make sure the connections are tight.

As you can see, if a faucet is leaking in the kitchen or bathroom, you can solve this problem yourself.

A bathroom is a room where a large number of plumbing and household appliances are concentrated. For comfort, a modern person needs not only, but also a sink with a washing machine. All these devices are quite reliable, but as you know, nothing can work flawlessly forever, so sooner or later there will be any leaks.

In an emergency, it is important not to get confused, quickly figure out what to do if the faucet in the bathroom is leaking. According to experienced plumbers, every homeowner should know the algorithm of simple steps, as well as have the necessary tools to help repair the current faucet or faucet.

Causes of leaks

So, you have noticed that a faucet is leaking in the bathroom, a shower or faucet is digging in, or maybe water is oozing through another place. A leak is a dangerous situation that needs to be quickly detected and eliminated on your own or with the involvement of professional craftsmen. The most common causes of various kinds of leaks are:

Important! When a bathroom faucet leaks, it is important to determine the nature of the leak. If there is a lot of water leaking, then the situation is emergency, then you need to urgently turn off the water, and also call professional plumbers. You can repair a slightly leaking one with your own hands.

Consequences of leaks

Often people simply turn a blind eye to the dripping faucet in the bathroom for years without taking any action. In fact, "chronic" leaks tend to lead to much bigger problems. Therefore, a leaking shower faucet or faucet can lead to an emergency and a massive leak. The most negative consequences of plumbing leaks in the bathroom are:

Remember that in the event of a leak, you must first accurately determine the location and cause of the breakdown, and then promptly shut off the hot and cold water supply to reduce water loss. Then you can quickly purchase all the necessary parts and replace them yourself. If you have determined that the faucet is dripping in the bathroom, but you don’t know how to fix it with your own hands, it’s better to call the master.

Actions in case of a leak

Any plumbing fixture has its own service life or margin of safety, so sooner or later it fails, and bathroom taps are no exception. In this situation, it is important not to panic, but to clearly understand what needs to be done to quickly eliminate the emergency. The service life of the faucets is indicated by the manufacturer, but it also depends on the intensity of use, the correct installation and the quality of tap water. When answering the question of how to fix the faucet in the bathroom, we recommend that you proceed according to the following plan:

Please note that if, before you repair the faucet in the bathroom, you dismantled it and found several problems at once, for example, cracks in the body and a clogged cartridge, then it would be better to replace the device completely, since most likely it just worked out its resource.

Preventive measures

If you have determined that the faucet in the bathroom is leaking, but you don’t understand how to fix it yourself, and the leak is of an emergency nature, just turn off the hot and cold water, and then call an experienced craftsman. In the future, to extend the life of plumbing fixtures and prevent leakage, it is better to apply preventive measures to protect them. To keep your faucet and faucet as long as possible, follow these tips:

Important! According to statistics, most often leaks from a faucet occur precisely due to improper installation of equipment, in particular, due to a mismatch in the diameters of pipes and seals. Therefore, before you do the installation yourself, think about whether you can cope with this task with high quality.

Video instruction

Active use of the kitchen faucet every day and the presence of impurities in the water over time lead to the fact that the device becomes leaky and the liquid begins to constantly ooze out. Moreover, this can happen either through the traditional outlet of the spout, or near its base. If you do not respond in time, then the mixer will lose its visual appeal due to surface salt deposition, yellow smudges will begin to appear on the sink, and the water meters will wind up extra speed.

For complex repairs, you can call a professional plumber. But the elimination of the most common breakdowns is within the power of “amateur plumbers”. This does not require a professional expensive tool and super-skills.

Types of mixers

The sequence of technological operations required to repair the mixer depends on its model. There are currently two types in active use:

1. Lever.
2. Two-valve.

Two-valve, in turn, are subdivided:

• with ceramic liners (half-turn, quarter-turn);
• with rubber seal.

Necessary set of tools and materials

In order to start repairing a kitchen faucet, it is enough to have at your disposal a simple set of plumbing tools suitable for use in different situations:

• a set of open-end wrenches (can be replaced with adjustable wrenches with a jaw width of up to 19 mm);

• Phillips and flat screwdrivers (you need at least a couple of sizes);
• pliers;
• fum tape (can be replaced with tow);
• solidol.

Attention! Not the fact that all of the listed tool is useful in a particular situation. It all depends on the design of the faulty mixer and on what kind of breakdown you will have to face.

Fixing a leak at the spout attachment point

If water began to leak at the base of the spout (sometimes called a “gander”), then the most common reasons are considered to be the following:

• the union fixing nut on the spout has loosened;
• deformed (erased) gasket.

The first breakdown is easy to fix - just tighten the nut at the base of the spout with a wrench. Thanks to this procedure, the gander will sit more tightly in its place and the joint will stop flowing.

If this does not help, then the gasket is most likely worn out. This happens when the gander is actively turned in the mixer in different directions. To fix a leak:

Attention! In some ganders, at the point of docking with the mixer body, there is a sleeve with gaskets-rings. To replace it, you will have to unscrew it with a hex key.

If water oozes out of the outlet of the mixer, the problem is usually in its locking part.

Lever Faucet Repair

Lever models are distinguished by the design of the shut-off and mixing cartridge:

• ball;
• ceramic.

The cause of leakage in such models may be the ingress of specks into the locking unit. To fix the problem, you need to disassemble the mixer and clean the internal cavity from all kinds of debris. For both types of lever mixers, the disassembly procedure begins the same way:

1. Remove the decorative trim on the fixing screw.
2. Loosen the locking screw with a Phillips (rarely hex) screwdriver and remove the handle-lever.
3. Remove the decorative ring and remove the clamping nut.

But the cartridges themselves (ball and disk) differ in design. In the first case, the passage of water is blocked by a ball with supply and mixing grooves for water. In the second case, the channels are blocked by two well-polished ceramic perforated plates.

If cleaning the cartridge from debris did not help, you will have to change the entire obturator. Over time, it wears out and loses its tightness.

Repair of a two-valve mixer

For such models, the causes of leaks can be identical to the lever ones - clogging and wear of the obturator. But in any case, you have to disassemble them. For this you need:

1. Remove the lining on the ends of the flywheels (unscrew or pry with a screwdriver).
2. Unscrew the fixing screws and remove the flywheels.
3. Unscrew the faucet box using the right size wrench.

Now you can clean the obturator seat from debris, check it for mechanical defects. Rinse ceramic plates or rubber gasket. If the result in eliminating the leak is zero, you will have to change the obturator.

The easiest way is to completely change the crane box. But you can get by with "less blood." It is not difficult to change the rubber gasket for a new one or even cut it yourself. Ceramic plates can be bought as part of a ready-made repair kit.

These are the main causes of leaks in the kitchen faucet and how to fix them. Obviously, there should be no difficulties and everything can be done without the involvement of professionals.

Do-it-yourself kitchen faucet repair: video

How to repair a faucet in the kitchen: photo