Most frequently asked question

Question-
My kitchen sink faucet leaks, how do I fix it?
Answer-
Any leaking faucet spells trouble, let alone the kitchen faucet. When you fix anything; around the home; you should know some basic handyman skills. You must posses and use an adjustable wrench and needle-nose& channel lock pliers in this endeavor. If your faucet is old, outdated or just plain ugly, it might be better to replace it
but, that’s another question to answer.

FIX

STEP 1
TURN OFF WATER LINES. Shut Off (turn clockwise) the hot and cold water lines located under the kitchen sink. Righty-Tighty Lefty-Loosey

IMPORTANT! MAKE SURE WATER IS SHUT OFF COMPLETELY BEFORE REMOVING FAUCET PARTS OR FAUCET! You can test this by turning on the faucet. Check first the hot then, the cold. There should be no water coming out.


STEP 2
REMOVE HANDLE AND REPAIR FAUCET. Locate Allen screw at base of handle. (Allen screw may have small cover on it, remove and save). Use an Allen wrench; counterclockwise; to remove screw. Remove screw and set aside. TIP Spray a lubricant such as WD-40 on part that needs loosening and clean it with a rag .Easy cheesy nice and peasy.

STEP 3
Take off handle and set aside. Remove adjustment ring that is sitting on top of the cap and set aside. Loosen the cap with your hand; if it is too tight; wrap cap with a strip of torn t-shirt. Using a pair channel-lock pliers gently grab the cap; with the rag in between; turn counter-clock wise. Remove cap and set aside. Find the cam housing and remove; it is a plastic collar with a thin washer on top and a large washer stuck to the bottom. Locate plastic ball with the metal stick in it; this is a cam ball. Pull out the metal stick s l o w l y. Inspect the cam ball for damage. If it is broken replace it. Find the two black rubber seats (inside the faucet body) and pull out them with a small pair of needle-nose pliers. Do the same with springs behind the seats. Remove spout by lifting and twisting at the same time. Pull or cut off big o-ring from faucet body. Take the cam ball, the cam housing with washers, the big o-ring and the two black rubber seats and springs in a plastic bag and take it to the hardware store. TIP It helps to know the brand name of the faucet but, it isn’t always necessary as long as you have the parts.
Buy the replacement kit using the parts in the plastic bag to compare. Don’t forget to buy some silicone grease for the cam ball. Always replace the cam housing and the big black o-ring on the faucet body, for it is often a source of most leaks. Once, you have returned the faucet; replace the parts in the order you retrieved them. Put on big o-ring back on faucet body. Replace the spout, pushing past o-ring. Put in the springs, the two black rubber seats, and the cam ball back in place. Place silicone grease between bottom cam washer and cam ball. Replace the cam with the washers in order. Screw back on the cap, clockwise. Replace the handle making sure that stick in the rotary ball is inside the handle. Replace the Allen screw and tighten. Make sure screw is tight.

STEP 4

Turn on the water lines under the sink on (counter-clockwise) s l o w l y. IMPORTANT! IF IT LEAKS THE SAME OR WORSE, SHUT OFF WATER AND CALL A PLUMBER! Turn handle to the hot then, the cold. Congrats-- you’re faucet works! Yeah! Wahoo!

I hope this helps. If you like this blog, please feel free to comment and request help. Thanks, Gordon


Email Me: GFishel3@msn.com

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