Continuous dripping of your kitchen faucet is definitely a waste of water. But do not call your plumber just yet. You can save money by doing this job on your own. Repairing your kitchen faucet can easily be done. You just need the patience to fix your kitchen faucet right away to avoid wastage and for it to function properly. Just follow the simple steps below to learn how to troubleshoot the problem and how to repair it. But remember, if you will need to replace a lot of the faucet’s parts, be wise in deciding weather it is cheaper to replace all of them instead of buying a new kitchen faucet.
- If the flow of the water coming out of your faucet is slow or if the water just rushes out and scatters all over, or even if you experience leaks, you may need to clean or replace the faucet’s plastic diverter or aeration screen. First, examine the screen located at the mouth
of the faucet. When removing the screen, be very careful not to damage it. When using a wrench to make the ring loose, use a cloth to protect the screen. Aside from the aeration screen, you will also see a diverter inside the ring. Minerals and dirt clog the holes of the plastic diverter and screen. If there are accumulated minerals or dirt, clean them thoroughly. But if they are already worn out, replace them. - If you have checked the screens and diverter but the leaks won’t stop, unscrew and remove the faucet’s knob or lever cap. Inspect the control assembly. Depending on your faucet, lift the ball, stem or cartridge. You will see the black rubbers such as the washers, seals, and rings. Check on these as these are the ones that wear out in time and cause the faucet to leak. Replace broken or nearly damaged parts right away.
- If you have done the first two steps but the base of your faucet is still leaking, check the pipes underneath the sink. You might need to tighten the supply line or tape the connecting parts. Take note not to extremely tighten the connections since the line might explode considering that it is under pressure.
- If your faucet has this thumping noise, have the pressure checked by a plumber. Usually, water pressure given to each household is all the same, but pipes and the use of water control the pressure of each faucet in your house. Having too high or too low water pressure can cause the faucet’s parts to wear out.