10 Steps to Self Diagnose and Repair a Leaky Faucet in your kitchen

You’ve probably heard that sound, the incessant drip, drip, drip of a leaky faucet. It seems like such a little fix and most people don’t want to call a plumber for this kind of problem. The good news is that you likely don’t have to! In most cases, a faucet is easy enough to fix on your own without a call to a plumber. If you have the right tools on hand and give yourself some time to get familiar with your pipes, you’ll have that leak repaired in no time.

Before you get started, it’s best to be prepared. Have the following tools on hand:

· 1/8” Allen Wrench

· Tongue and Groove Pliers

· Screwdriver

· Small washcloth

· Necessary Replacement Parts

If you aren’t exactly sure what is causing your leaky faucet, you will need to start by breaking the mechanics down, layer by layer to detect where the seepage is coming from. Go through the following solutions step-by-step and to see if you can find and repair the problem on your own.

The Simple Fix for Your Faucet: 

1. Turn off the water supply to the pipe completely from the pipe. You will find two handles (usually red and blue or labeled hot and cold) near to the water lines under your sink. If these are also leaking or appear to be damaged, you may want to shut off the water to the house and repair those while you are working on your faucet.

2. Then back to the faucet itself, remove the handle with the screw cover by using a screwdriver to life the handle and remove.

3. Look closely at the cap and adjustment ring. If your seepage is coming from there then you will simply need to tighten the ring with your needle nosed pliers. However, if this doesn’t stop the dripping then you’ll need to move onto the seats and springs of the faucet.

4. To remove the seats and springs, remove the adjustment rings. You’ll see a dome-shaped lid, which you can take off by carefully unscrewing. Use a piece of cloth to get a good grip.

5. Remove the metal step. If you notice leaking from here, you will then remove the ball as well and replace these parts. They are called “cam and packing” and you can get them at your local hardware store.

6. If it appears that the seepage hasn’t stopped then look inside the inside of the faucet and find the spring which is right under the valve. Leaking coming from these areas can be replaced by replacing the springs with new ones.

7. Once you have replaced the necessary items, you will want to put your faucet back together, starting with inserting springs, replacing the ball assembly, alighting the pin back onto the cam and then screwing the cap back on. You don’t want it too tight, so use only your hand for this.

8. Replace adjusting ring and tighten to fit.

9. Reinstall the handle.

10. Turn on water to make sure that your leak is now resolved.

These are all simple solutions for stopping your sink from leaking. If any of these processes don’t cause your dripping faucet to stop, it may be time to call a professional. You may also consider a new faucet entirely. However, without further diagnosis, it may be difficult. Calling a professional plumber then will likely save you money because you will be able to get to the root of the problem.

Leo owns and operates Rooters on Time, a professional residential and commercial plumbing company in Los Angeles, Ca. He has been working with pipes for over 20 years and passionate about his career. He enjoys knowing that his knowledge can help others.