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Article Directory :: Home & Family Articles
You may have a combination of different types of taps in your house. Some may have a single lever and others may be the old fashioned types with a separate tap for the hot and the cold, and which twist to turn the water on and off. These are called compression taps and they have a washer inside the mechanism. This washer will deteriorate over time and the tap will, as a result, begin to leak water. A dripping tap wastes gallons of water every day so it is well worth your while to fix it straight away.
The important thing when fixing taps for the first time is to set aside time when you won't get interrupted and so you can concentrate on the job at hand. Perhaps do it when the children aren't at home, or when they are being looked after by someone else. Also, put the plug into the sink so you don't lose any small parts down the drain. Also, have a container so you can put all the parts in the same place as you take the tap apart so you aren't trying to find them at the end of the task. And when you are starting to repair the tap, just take a moment to make sure you wouldn't rather replace the taps themselves. It could be that you have the budget to replace them, so it would be a waste of your time to repair them if you are going to replace them anyway. Remember that plastic, although cheaper, does tend to fade and scratch and wear down much more quickly than other more expensive options.
The first thing to do if repairing the tap is to turn off the water supply to the fixture. Don't forget to do this in your enthusiasm to fix the tap itself because as soon as the water pressure is released, it will more than likely completely soak you and the entire bathroom. If you can't find the valve for the taps, you'll have to turn off the water supply to the whole house, which is normally found near your water meter.
Next job is to take off the tap cap. This may screw off or it may need to be gently levered off with a flat screwdriver. Unscrew the screw that holds the handle on the valve stem and firmly pull off the handle, and unscrew the cover over the valve stem assembly if there is one. Now you'll be able to see a hex shape nut that can unscrew the valve stem assembly from the housing using an adjustable wrench. And then, now that the valve stem assembly is removed, you'll find the old washer on the end sitting in a valve seat.
Take out the brass screw and pop the old washer out using your screwdriver. Clean the end of the washer holder and put in the new washer. If you don't know what size to replace it with, then take the old washer to the plumbing store and they will give you the right washer so that you can return and put the tap back together again. Buy a few spares so that you don't have to go back to the store each time you need a new washer. Turn the tap back on slowly afterwards and keep it running for a few minutes to make sure there are no leaks.
Scott Rodgers is a plumber who has recently begun writing articles for both a plumbing and non-plumbing audience. To view more of plumbing articles, visit http://eLocalPlumbers.com
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