Expert help for fixing a dripping faucet

Do you have a dripping faucet? Don’t put up with this water torture for a moment longer! Get it taken care of today.
Just when you’re going to bed and absolute silence should hold sway over your home, the sound of water dripping continuously into the sink reaches your ears — it’s a dripping faucet. There’s nothing more annoying, so here are a few simple solutions to this maddening problem.

Before repairing a dripping faucet it’s important to know how it works. There are two main types of faucets: compression and ceramic disc. The former works on the principal of compression, wherein a threaded stem rises or falls, depending on whether you’re turning the faucet on or off. This stem compresses a washer against the valve seat. Mixer faucets, which are increasingly common, are instead equipped with a cartridge with ceramic discs.

1. First of all, turn off the water, then turn on the taps to evacuate all the water still in the faucet or the pipes.
2. Remove the faucet mechanism. The screws of most models are located under the cold and hot water handles.
3. Unscrew the faucet stem — you may need an adjustable wrench for this step — and remove it. If the washer remains in place on the valve seat it’s because it’s worn out. You’ll have to use a screwdriver in order to remove it.
4. Remove any scaling from the faucet’s different pieces by leaving them to soak for at least an hour in a solution of lukewarm water and white vinegar.
5. Change the washer. Take the old one to the store in order to find the correctly sized replacement. If you can’t find the same size, buy a bigger one that you can cut to size.
6. Reassemble the faucet’s mechanism and turn on the water.

1. First of all, turn off the water, then turn on the taps to evacuate all the water still in the faucet or the pipes.
2. Remove the faucet mechanism. The screws of most models are located under the cold and hot water handles.
3. Remove the cartridge, using an adjustable wrench if necessary, and clean any residue.
4. Change the entire cartridge if the discs are damaged. Be sure to take the cartridge to the store with you in order to find the right replacement.
5. Reassemble all the pieces, including the new cartridge, and then turn on the water.

Tackling a dripping faucet is definitely a job that will take some time out of your day. You might want to call your plumber, who can do a repair like this in a snap. Plumbers are professionals, after all!