The faucets are among the most used plumbing fixtures at home. And because of constant usage, their parts wear out and get totally damaged over time. Once they wear out, they’ll start to drip, causing your water bill to shoot up. To avoid paying for unnecessary water consumption, you’ll have to fix the drip immediately. If your faucet has a loose handle that causes the fixture to leak, read on and find out how you can fix the problem.
1. The first thing that you have to do is to remove the faucet handle. Most types of faucets feature a plastic or metal cap located at the center of the handle. These caps are commonly indicated by the “H” and “C” letters which stand for “hot” and “cold”.
2. To remove the decorative cap, use a knife or a flathead screwdriver and pry it up. Once it is removed, you’ll find a screw underneath that should also be removed as well. When the screw is removed, the handle may already be detached. If, on the other hand, your faucet has a set screw, you will then have to use an Allen wrench to remove the handle.
3. Now that you can access the faucet stem, you’ll have to ensure that it’s watertight. Simply wrap plumber’s tape around it and guarantee that you’ll go in one direction only which is clockwise. Trim the end with a knife to make it fit over the faucet stem without overlapping. Continue wrapping the stem with the plumber’s tape until it fits tightly.
4. When you’re done, put the handle back in place. Reconnect the screw and tighten it with your screwdriver. Place the decorative cap back and run the tap. Check if the leak is gone.
Follow this guide on how to fix a loose faucet handle to stop the drip ASAP. If you need expert plumbing help, just rely on your trusted Washington DC plumber. Plumbers 911 Washington DC provides excellent Washington DC plumbing services including faucet repair, leak detection, plumbing fixture repair, drain cleaning and many more! Call us now at (877) 932-5325 to schedule a service!
Learn how to replace and install a kitchen faucet the right way. Watch this video for a step-by-step DIY guide!
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