From Guest Blogger Romeo: A Simple Procedure To Help The Environment And Save 340 Gallons Of Water Per Year

A leaky faucet can be one of those vexing little irritations that often pop up around the house. The unceasing Drip! Drip! Drip! can be quite annoying – especially late at night. However, beyond the minor irritation, a leaky faucet can have serious environmental consequences. According to a US Geological Survey, one faucet releasing 10 drips per hour can waste 340 gallons of water per year! This means that the energy expended in pumping the water has been basically wasted.

Therefore, a leaky faucet needs to be fixed as soon as possible. The good news is that fixing a leaky pipe is one of the easiest repairs to carry out. Anyone can do it. You don’t have to be an expert plumber in order to carry it out. All you need is the right information and the right tools. The first thing you need to understand is what causes faucets to leak.

The Cause

A leak usually results from damage to a part of the faucet called a valve, rubber seal, o-ring or washer. All these names refer to the same thing. It is an o-shaped piece of rubber found inside the faucet, usually at the base of the handle. The purpose of the valve is to seal the faucet whenever it is turned off. It is what ensures that water stops coming when the faucet handle is twisted shut. The valves tend to wear out with time, often due to a combination of the action of minerals in the water, and friction from use. Sometimes, when water pressure becomes excessive, the valves can develop a tear or crack. A damaged valve can no longer shut the faucet tight. It lets water seep through, hence the leaks.

Image source: Sudoper

Fixing a leaky faucet is a matter of replacing the worn-out valve with a new one. It as simple as that. It is typically carried out in four steps: opening up the faucet, removing the damaged valve, fixing the new valve and closing up the faucet. To carry it out, you need the right tools.

The Tools

The main tools that you need are flat and screwdrivers, pliers, a set of Allen wrenches, crescent wrenches and a few rags. You can find all these at your nearest home improvement store, or online. There are some stores (including online stores) which sell DIY Faucet Repair Kits. If you are unfamiliar with any of the mentioned tools then buying a full repair kit is your best option for getting everything you need.

You may also need a portable light which you can place on a stool or the floor. This will come in handy for those moments you may need a light. You should also find something (preferably a small tray) where you can place faucet parts as you disassemble them.

Finally, you will need a new faucet valve. There are different valves for different types and sizes of faucets. You will not know the actual valve until you actually open up the faucet. So, put off purchasing the valve until you have actually opened the faucet. You can then purchase the faucet valve online or at an improvement store. An improvement store is the best option because you can go with the old valve to ensure that you get the exact replacement. Once you have all the tools, you are now ready to fix the faucet.

The Repair

The most important thing you need to fix a faucet is enough time. If you are doing it for the first time, you need to dedicate at least an entire afternoon to it. This isn’t because the fix is complicated. It is because you are likely to fumble about at first – future repairs will be much faster. So, allocate enough time.

The first step of the repair is turning of water supply to the faucet. You don’t want water gushing into your face. You can find a shut-off under a sink or turn off the main supply to the house. Test whether the supply is off by turning on the faucet. If no water comes, then you are ready to begin.
Disassemble the faucet. If you are doing it for the first time, you may fumble around at first. Don’t worry, take your time. If you bought a DIY Faucet Repair Kit, you will most probably be given a detailed guide on how to open up the faucet. You can also find a step-by-step guide with images online. Remove all the parts until you reach to the valve.

Acquire a new valve. This will take some time depending on the option you use. If you simply run down to the nearest store, then it will certainly be faster than ordering for one online. Either way, you may want to reassemble the faucet until you acquire the new valve. Only leave the faucet disassembled if you are absolutely sure that the parts will not be tampered with in anyway. Putting it back together can actually offer you some extra practice on faucet repairs.

Replace the valve. Once you acquire the new valve, simply replace the old one. Make sure that you position it as precisely as the previous one was. Once you are confident that it is well positioned, you can reassemble the faucet and test it. Hopefully, the leaking will have stopped, and you will have added faucet repairs to your list of accomplishments.

In a nutshell, fixing a leaky faucet is a simple procedure which does not require the services of an expert plumber. With the right tools, a little bit of fumbling and some persistence, anyone can do it. Therefore, if you have been fretting over a leaky faucet, fret no more. Simply acquire the right tools, follow the above steps and you will have the leak fixed in no time. Ultimately, you will end up saving the environment; and saving yourself from both the extra water bills and the cost of hiring a plumber.