Leaking tap is a common phenomenon in most households. It is annoying to see that your tap is leaking since it leads to wastage of water and money. But the good thing about it is that you can fix it yourself by just following simple steps.
The most obvious reason why your tap is leaking is that either the washer or the O-ring is worn out and it needs replacement. Sometimes it could be due to the damage on the valve. These problems are encountered if the piping is aging or the water pressure is above the required magnitude.
The following easy steps can help you in fixing that leaking tap in your homestead.
First you should turn off the water supply to the tap at the main valve. The main valve could be in the street or in the front of your yard. If you reside within a flat the main valve is in most cases located in the bathroom or in the laundry.
Assemble the right tools for the job. They include spanners and any screwdrivers that will suit your tap type. For safety wear gloves while handling those tools and keep them away from children.
Now you get to the actual work. It is advisable that you keep the plug in the basin to avoid disappearance of some of the tap sub-assemblies and to make sure that they don’t get in to the drain which may lead to blockages.
Remove the cover with a flat head screwdriver. This will expose the screws. Undo these screws so that you can remove the handle.
Sometimes the tap may be having metallic covers. You can use you hand or wrench to unscrew. To avoid scratching the chrome, make sure that you place a piece of cloth between the chrome and the wrench.
Remove the tap’s bonnet (headgear) by use of a spanner or a pipe wrench. Avoid using too much force on the nut to prevent fracturing or damaging the pipework. Any damage to the pipe would cause leakages hence you will be forced to seek help from a plumber.
Sometime the nut could be stiff and difficult to turn so you should apply some penetrating oil at the joint. Give it some time to soak usually around ten minutes and try again.
When you completely remove the headgear, you should see body washer, the jumper valve and the 0-ring. The jumper valve will fall by itself.
In some taps the washer has a nut (usually 8mm) holding it. You should remove this nut with a spanner. Apply soaking oil if it is difficult to turn and try again after soaking. If it still difficult to remove, you may be required to replace the washer and the jumper valve as one single unit.
After fitting the damaged/ leaking part, you should apply some grease on the threads before reassembling.
Now you reassemble your tap, close it and open the water at the main valve and check if there are any leakages.
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