QUESTION: What to do if a faucet is leaking?
A suddenly dripping or noisy faucet in the kitchen or bathroom causes a lot of inconvenience and leads to wasted water. Before panicking and calling an expensive repairman, you can try to fix the leak yourself, because in most cases the cause lies in a worn rubber gasket or cartridge. For a successful repair, you will need a set of hex keys, a flathead screwdriver, an adjustable wrench, and a new part to replace the broken one.
The first and most important step in any plumbing work is to completely shut off the water supply in the apartment using the shut-off valves on the risers. After shutting off the water, open the faucet to relieve the residual pressure in the system and completely drain the remaining liquid in the spout. Place a soft cloth in the sink so as not to accidentally scratch the chrome surface and avoid dropping small parts down the drain hole.
Next, you need to disassemble the faucet to get to the source of the problem. Raise or slide the decorative cap on the faucet handle, find the fixing screw underneath it, and carefully unscrew it using a hex key or screwdriver. Remove the lever or handle of the faucet from its seat, after which you will gain access to the mounting nut and the internal part of the faucet — the faucet valve (kran-buksa) or ceramic cartridge.
Remove the worn part from the faucet body, inspecting it first for damage and cracks. Take the removed cartridge or gasket with you as a sample to the nearest plumbing store to buy the exact same model. Pay attention to the diameter, the number of mounting pins, and the overall configuration, as virtually no universal plumbing parts exist.
After purchasing the new part, install it in its seat inside the faucet, tighten the fixing nut, and reassemble the handle in reverse order. If you encounter difficulties assembling a specific model, you can always find detailed video instructions on YouTube for your faucet brand. Finally, smoothly open the water valves and make sure that the leak is completely eliminated, and the lever moves softly and smoothly.