It is quite common for a single kitchen faucet to leak at some point in your life, especially considering all the use we give to a device of this type. Although most leaks are easy to fix, if the faucet is not treated immediately, even the smallest leak can cost a lot of money in the long run. In this article, we are going to present how to repair a kitchen faucet. If the water is seeping through the base or dripping from the nozzle, the repair can be done in an afternoon by following these simple steps.
How to repair a kitchen faucet?
Before starting on how to repair a kitchen faucet. What you will need?
- Towel
- Pocket knife
- Screwdriver
- Allen key
- Lubricant
- Oil
- Pliers
- Needle nose pliers
- Plumber grease
Step 1 – Turn off the water supply
Before you take the key and go to work on the faucet that escapes, you will have to turn off the water supply. Locate the water valves, which are usually just below the sink, and tighten them to turn off the water. If your sink does not have any valves underneath, then you will have to turn off the main water line to your house.
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Step 2 – Empty the water in the lines
After the water has been turned off successfully, you will need to drain the excess water in the lines. To do this, simply open the faucet and wait for the drip to stop. Once all the water has drained, place a towel in the sink to make sure that any loose parts do not fall accidentally into the drain that is being worked on.
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Step 3 – Remove the handle
With the faucet already ready for repair, you will have to remove the handle first. This is done by removing the decorative plastic cap located above the base of the faucet with a small pocket knife. This cover conceals a screw that keeps the handle locked in place. Once the screw is exposed, use the appropriate screwdriver or Allen key to remove it. If the screw does not move, try adding a little lubricant and be careful not to strip it out. Once it is removed, rotate the handle and must slide with little force.
Step 4 – Remove the cap
The next thing to do is remove the hood to access the cartridge assembly. To do this, use a pair of sliding clamps to unscrew the hood. Once the bonnet has been unscrewed, use your fine-nosed pliers to slide the retainer clip from the faucet base gently. When you remove these pieces, put them aside and arrange them in the same orientation as they were on the hood. This will help you remember the way they were organized, which will be very useful when you reinstall the hood.
Step 5 – Determine the source of the leak
Before moving on, you will have to determine where the leak is coming from. If the leak comes from the base of the handle, then the problem is likely that some O-rings are worn out in the cartridge that needs to be replaced. Remove the rings with a knife, and coat the new ones with some heat-resistant plumber’s grease. However, if the leakage comes from the nozzle, then a completely new cartridge assembly has to be installed.
Step 6 – Remove the cartridge
To remove the used cartridge, simply use its clamps on the base of the cartridge and pull upwards with a generous amount of force, being careful not to pull it from side to side. You may have to pull hard because the O-rings can generate a good amount of suction and resistance. The key here is to avoid damaging the rest of the faucet since you will need it completely intact when installing the new cartridge.
Step 7 – Install the new cartridge
With the old cartridge removed, it is time to put the new one. Make sure that when you install the new cartridge in its place, you should place it correctly in the same position as the previous one. This will ensure that the hot and cold water wells are not confused.
Step 8 – Reinstall the handle
With the new cartridge correctly in place, you just need to adapt to the old retention clip in the slot on the right. Take for reference how they were placed when you initially removed them to ensure a perfect fit. Next, place the bonnet on the cartridge, screw assemblies down with its slide clamps, and reinstall the handle. With everything back together and the handle screwed in, turn on the water valves to the sink and verify that the leak has been fixed. Once you are sure that everything is working properly, reinstall the decorative plastic cover and the faucet will be ready for use.
