Plumbtile: California Faucets

Do you have a leaky faucet that you need to change or repair?

All of the sudden you notice your faucet has been leaking water down your cabinets. Oh no, this can become a real mess. You may think that fixing this is difficult and complex to do. That really isn’t the case. You can actually fix this yourself. Most problems are caused by worn washers or cartridges, or a worn valve seat in the body of the faucet. Spout O-rings can cause leaks, as well as O-rings on valve bodies can cause leaks as well.

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First you will need to know what type of faucet you have. Most modern faucets do not have gland packing which is inside the valve where the threaded section has an O-ring. This creates the gland seal. If you are replacing an O-ring at the base of the spout, remove the grub screw at the back of the spout, then twist the spout to release it. Lifting the spout off allows you to gain access to the O-ring at the base of the spout. You will see the worn-out O-ring, then cut it off or pry it off with a screwdriver. Then roll on a replacement O-ring to renew the seal. Align the marker with the groove in the faucet body for reassembly.

In some cases you may need to just reseat your faucet. I have found that some leaks stem from loosening screws and valves. Your seat may have become jarred and slowly leaking. First you will want to remove the valve. If you are able to remove the seat make sure you use a valve seat wrench so you do not strip or damage the thread. These can become stripped very easily and then you will end up replacing your faucet. Slowly turn the handle of the reseating tool to grind until the surface is smooth. Replace the valve and reassemble the faucet. If you have any questions or need any replacement parts call Plumbtile 1-866-369-8180.