How to Fix a Leaky Faucet

A leaky faucet is a nuisance every homeowner has to contend with at one point or another, but it can be more than just annoying. With every little drip that escapes from the faucet over the course of a day, you're wasting money - you'd be surprised how quickly those droplets add up over time. This project will help you through the process of fixing a leaky faucet without calling in the professionals.

If the faucet leaks from the handle, you will have to remove the stem in order to get to the main cause of the problem. If you own an older home, you may find that the top of the spindle has packing wound around it, so that water won't seep out of the top. If this is what you find, don't worry too much - old material such as this is replaceable and any new packing you add will last a long time. In a newer home, you will probably discover an O-ring. Once you have taken out the stem, simply inspect the rest of the faucet and make a judgment as to what needs replacing.

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Step-by-step

1. Before you begin, remember to shut off the water supply.
2. Wrap new packing string on the spindle. Again, this only applies if you have an older faucet that has packing material around the spindle, just under the packing nut. Before wrapping on the new material, however, you must take off all the old packing and clean the spindle. After cleaning, wrap Teflon tape or strand packing tightly around the spindle, leaving enough room to screw on the packing nut before you insert the stem.
3. If your faucet has an O-ring, this will need to be replaced instead of packing. Take off the old O-ring and purchase a new one that fits perfectly on the spindle. After installation, lightly lubricate the O-ring with heatproof grease. Now you can place the stem back in place.

These two simple procedures should fix your leaky faucet - it's a very simple way to keep your home in tip-top condition. Of course, if your home has leaks anywhere else that may be a cause for concern, call a professional plumber to look into the situation.

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