How To Repair Leaky Bathtub Faucet

Leaky faucets can cost you a lot of money in extra water bills over time, and the water constantly dripping into yous tub will also somewhen leave an unsightly stain. However, you may be hesitant to spend money on a plumber because you know they tin be expensive.

In fact, fixing a leaky bathtub faucet is non a specially difficult job, and with a few bones tools, you should be able to carry out the repairs past yourself. If you're interested in trying, here'south our step-by-step guide for how to gear up a leaky bathtub faucet.

If you desire to encounter some of things we'll exist talking almost, you can cheque out this video before y'all read on.

How information technology's done

The almost common reason for a leaky faucet is an quondam washer that needs to exist replaced. Here are the steps for how to do it – and these steps apply to near kinds of bathtub, including walk-in bathtubs, corner bathtubs and so on.

All the same, for a freestanding bathtub with a split faucet, the steps would be slightly different.

Step one. Shut off the water supply

The showtime footstep when fixing a leaky bathtub faucet is shutting off the h2o supply. If you forget to practise it, yous will cease up spraying h2o everywhere when you get-go to remove the faucet from its fitting.

There may be a elementary valve in your house or apartment that allows you to turn off the h2o to the bathtub.

If non, you will have to plough off the water supply to your whole firm before you can move to the adjacent step – there should be a lever almost the water meter that will allow you to practice this.

Pace 2. Remove the cap from the faucet

The next step is to pry off the cap that covers the faucet handle spiral. To do this, you can either use a modest knife or a slotted screwdriver.

First, open the faucet all the way to drain whatever water (the same as if you lot wanted to run the water) and then pry the cap off with your called tool. Place information technology somewhere safe where yous volition be able to find information technology again later.

Footstep iii. Unscrew the handle spiral

Once the cap has been removed, yous volition see the screw within the faucet handle that holds the handle in place. Yous at present need to remove this with a screwdriver.

Unscrew the screw and identify it with the cap so yous don't lose it.

Step iv. Remove the handle

Afterward removing the screw, you can then remove the handle. Depending on how old your faucet is, this office tin can be a little tricky since corrosion and water deposits can cause the handle to fuse to the stalk.

If information technology doesn't want to come off, don't forcefulness it – you might break it. Instead, a couple of tricks that might assistance include warming it with hot air from a hairdryer or pouring boiling water over information technology.

If it nonetheless refuses to move, you lot might need to resort to using a handle puller, a special tool that is designed for this purpose.

Step 5. Remove the escutcheon

The next step is to remove the escutcheon, the plate that covers the pigsty in the wall. Depending on your faucet, yous may demand to unscrew it, or you may be able to simply twist it off.

Footstep half dozen. Remove the stem assembly

With the escutcheon out of the manner, you at present have access to the stalk associates. This is the role you lot need to reach to fix the leak.

You can use an adaptable wrench to remove stem associates.

Step 7. Check the washer

The near likely reason for a faucet to beginning leaking is that the washer needs to exist replaced. When you remove the stem associates, the first thing you can do is bank check the washer on the terminate.

If it needs to exist replaced, it should be quite obvious – an sometime washer volition be hardened and plain-featured, and this is what lets the water baste through, causing the leak.

Footstep 8. Replace the washer

If the washer is the culprit, you need to modify it. If y'all have spare washers, simply go ahead and put a new i on. This is an easy chore – you lot just unscrew the washer screw, remove the washer, put a new i in and supercede the screw.

However, if you don't take i, y'all will need to go to the hardware store to buy ane. If you lot do this, it's a good idea to take the one-time 1 with yous and then you lot can show the staff in the store. This style, they will be able to find the ane yous need.

Step 9. Check the seat for damage

Another possible reason why yous might have a leak is that the seat is damaged. The seat is the role that is in contact with the washer, and it may become damaged either every bit the washer wears abroad or through corrosion.

A damaged seat may cause a leak itself, and it can also quickly harm the new washer you have just fitted, causing the leak to return.

For these reasons, before you supersede the stalk assembly with the new washer installed, you should too check the seat for any signs of damage.

Step 10. Replace the seat if necessary

If y'all find whatsoever signs of damage to the seat, you will demand to remove it and replace it. To remove the seat, you demand to use a seat wrench, a special kind of tool made for this purpose.

Step 11. Put everything dorsum in place

Once y'all accept replaced the washer and checked and replaced the seat as necessary, it's time to put everything back in place.

Supersede the stem assembly and tighten it with the adjustable wrench, replace the escutcheon and screw it dorsum into place every bit required and and then screw the handle dorsum into place.

With the handle firmly fastened and screwed back into place, yous can replace the cap that covers it.

The adjacent step is to turn the water back on and exam the faucet to run across if the water runs the style it should. If the water is now running correctly and the faucet is no longer leaking, you take successfully completed the repair job.

Save yourself some cash and effort to exercise information technology yourself

Calling in the plumber for such a bones task tin can seem similar a waste of coin. While you might demand to spend some coin ownership specialist tools like the seat wrench, it's still cheaper than paying a professional, and you lot'll e'er have the tool ready if you ever demand it once more.

Repairing a leaky faucet is one of the simplest plumbing jobs there is, and if you're feeling adventurous and upwardly for a challenge, by following our step-by-step guide, you lot should exist able to practice it yourself without too many problems.

Source: https://www.sunrisespecialty.com/how-to-fix-leaky-bathtub-faucet