DIY Bathroom And Kitchen Faucet Repair (ball, Single-lever Kitchen And With Two Shower Taps)

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

• Repair of a single-lever ball mixer for kitchen, bathroom
• DIY mixer cartridge repair

Your faucet is broken in the bathroom or in the kitchen, what should I do? Where to contact? You can resort to the help of professionals by applying to the appropriate institution. You can get help from a private organization that provides a full range of repairs. Or you can make your own efforts, showing a little curiosity and ingenuity. Consider an example of repairing a kitchen faucet (single-lever kitchen) and a bathroom (with two shower taps) do it yourself

So, before starting work, be sure to turn off the water supply. Prepare any container in case the remaining water in the tap starts to drain. The container may not be deep, or preferably with not high edges for ease of substitution. If you bought a mixer in a store, then according to all the rules of trade, you must have documents indicating the technical characteristics of the crane, perhaps an instruction, or a picture-diagram of the mixer. This may be needed. If this is not the case, then do not be alarmed, this is not critical.

Repair of a single-lever ball mixer for kitchen, bathroom

Before starting repairs to a single lever mixer, try to determine the visually possible cause of the leak. Examine the faucet carefully enough. Leakage can be caused by several reasons: the first of the possible is mechanical damage to the mixer body, as a result of which a crack or a chip could form. The second most common cause of leakage is internal gasket wear. In the case of the first one, you can try to eliminate the leakage by sealing the crack with a sealant, but this is provided that the crack is not large in size. If the mechanical damage has a significant chipping, then you will have to completely replace the mixer. If you did not find any damage and the valve still leaks, then most likely the reason was the wear of the gasket.

To replace this worn part, you need to dismantle the crane. Gently unscrew the nuts on the main body of the mixer, you can easily do it yourself. On some modern models, the nuts are protected by an additional housing to preserve the aesthetic appearance of the mixer. The body will usually slide with little force and will allow access to the main retaining nuts. This applies to the faucet above the bathroom or kitchen.

The gasket is a rubber ring, the direct purpose of which is to seal the connection. You can purchase a gasket at any hardware store. O-rings are available in various diameters and are sold individually and in sets. The diameter of the gasket should be slightly larger than the diameter of the seat at the leak. Be careful when tightening the nuts after replacing the gasket, wear occurs not only from long-term use, but also when tightening the connection.

If we are talking about a mixer that is built into the sink, then this is not more complicated. Faucet leakage can be caused by wear of the ceramic cartridge built into the faucet.

DIY mixer cartridge repair

Pick up a sharp object such as a screwdriver and pry off the top cover - the lever mechanism of the crane. The cover with a little effort will be removed by opening the locking screw for your attention. The locking screw is a part with a hexagonal slot-hole. Having dismantled the main lever handle, you need to unscrew the decorative nut, followed by the union nut.

Having removed the union nut, inside we will see the same ceramic cartridge that caused the water leak. The cartridge is easily changed by replacing it with a new one purchased from a store. Just keep in mind that when buying a new cartridge, the participation of a sales assistant is required, it is important to indicate the model and brand of your mixer.

It will be possible to install the cartridge tightly only if the holes on this part coincide with the recesses in the mixer itself. Then we repeat all the steps taken in reverse order - we tighten the union nut. The lever handle returns to its place.

If you notice that in your bathroom water flows from the shower and from the faucet at the same time, then the reason may also be worn out gaskets.

If the cause of the leak is damage to the flexible hose, then it is recommended to replace it, but if this is not possible, then we advise you to proceed as follows:

First, pay attention to the two ends of the hose, they both must have rubber gaskets. There should not be any difficulties in disconnecting the hose from the mixer body itself, but if they do arise, you will need a special “cobra” tool, like an adjustable wrench. Disconnect the shower head from the hose and check that the rubber seal is working.

Self-repair of taps, not ball type, but with two valves (kitchen and shower) also does not require professional skills, if the breakdown is not a major one. The most common cause of leakage in this type of valve is worn packing in the valve. To eliminate the cause, it is necessary to seal the oil seal or replace it with a new one. By tightening the nut until it stops, it is not always possible to avoid water leakage. Then the problem can be solved by adding packing to the gland. First you need to get rid of the union nut by means of its simple dismantling, then you need to get the stuffing box sleeve. In the resulting gap, it is necessary to lay the seal carefully and tightly wrapping it around the stem. It should be remembered that after each turn it is necessary to press the seal as tightly as possible. Be sure to leave room for the bushing clearance. Then place the sleeve in the place prepared for it, so that you can tighten the union nut without any problems.

The cause of a breakdown in your shower faucet or shower stall (one with two taps) could be a malfunctioning flywheel. The flywheel, like any other part, can fail due to prolonged wear and tear, or simply poor workmanship. The flywheel can only be replaced with a similar one. Dismantling is not difficult by following the instructions, but a situation may arise when the screw that secures the flywheel does not want to turn. Then mechanical action on the screw with a screwdriver is possible. If this does not make the screw move from its place, break the flywheel. A handwheel made of earthenware will quickly split, if the body is made of plastic, then use a hacksaw, a knife. When the flywheel has been removed, use pliers to tighten the screw. If this does not work, use a file. Now repairing a kitchen or shower mixer, whether it is a single-lever ball valve or one consisting of two taps, will not be an overwhelming task, because now you can make repairs and replacements with your own hands without resorting to the expensive help of plumbers. If you have a different type of crane, then the article on repair and replacement of the crane will help you.

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