When you own or rent a home, apartment, condominium or a townhouse, you will periodically have some plumbing issues. The renter may put up with this for quite a while before contacting anyone, thinking that their rent may go up but, if your a renter…contact someone as soon as possible so the problem can be resolved as soon as possible (it will only get worse and cause damage). First, determine where the problem begins…if possible…it will always end up at the lowest point if it is a water leak.
Example: You could find water laying underneath the sink but, the problem could start at the faucet on the sinks counter top. It may be just the faucet mounting plate that needs to be resealed, so water can not seep under it and drip down below. It could also be a drain leak…It could be a variety of issues…And this is possibly why most people will not continue.
In our opinion, the most common plumbing problems to repair are, leaky / dripping faucets and clogged drains. Below we will comment on the general aspect of repairing a dripping faucet.
When you notice a dripping faucet either in the bathroom or the kitchen, and you know the faucet is definitely off, you more than likely have a bad valve. This is a fairly simple job to accomplish yourself when you have the time and some tools. Keep in mind that the water to your home is under pressure and you will need to turn off or shut down water to the house to do any of this work.
There are two possible problem areas.
1) Underneath the sink against the wall there should be two valve stops that come out of the wall or up from the floor. One is for hot, the other one is for cold. Determine if the drip is hot or cold. Turn this valve off (clockwise). Does the drip stop or continue? If the drip continues, this is the bad valve. First you need to shut down the water at the main shut off (usually outside the home) and remove the angle stop to replace it. Take it with you to the hardware store and match it exactly. The two areas with threads are your concern, they need to match. If the drip stops when you turn these valves off, the valve up at the sink is the problem.
2) Underneath the ‘H’ or ‘C’ (hot or cold) at the sink, there is a valve that turns with the knob or lever. When you remove the correct valve cap, (is the drip hot or cold) you will notice a screw that holds the valve in position. First turn off the water. Under the sink is the hot and cold valve stops. Once the correct valve underneath is shut off you can remove the screw and lift off the valve body to be replaced. Take this valve to the hardware store and purchase the replacement. If you have a single lever style faucet, it is the same procedure just one valve runs the hot / cold.
Have a towel or rag handy due to this is a wet job. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is get in under the sink to do the work. I have to warn you about when you have a dripping faucet in the shower or bathtub. This job needs some special tools and a little more knowledge but, I believe you can do this also. Do a little research into it first and then it may not seem so difficult.
Check this video out… How to install a kitchen faucet