WOWOW FaucetsWhy is Kitchen Faucet Leaking – How to Fix
A white veil of limescale constantly appears on the kitchen sink faucet, and the kitchen sink faucet doesn’t dry at all. And when you touch the lever of the kitchen faucet, your fingers are immediately wet. The valve is leaking. Now you have a choice: you can buy and use a new faucet, you can call customer service, or you can repair your dripping kitchen sink faucet yourself.
Why is it dripping?
If the kitchen faucet is dripping, there are two possible causes: a faulty cartridge inside or a faulty seal on one of the valves. Both parts can be replaced with little time and materials. This is the case with modern single-lever faucets. You may also find an old kitchen faucet with two knobs in your kitchen. Rest assured; even, in this case, repairs are easy. These old fittings do not have a cartridge. Here only lime deposits can cause an unwelcome drip. Or the rubber seals become brittle and old. Replacing a faulty faucet is easy.
As long as the water in your area is hard water, limescale will form on the inside and outside of the faucet. Hard water means that a lot of minerals are dissolved in the tap water. This is true in many parts of the United States, as tap water usually comes from deeper rock formations and has the qualities of mineral water. While this is pleasant from a health standpoint, it can also lead to limescale buildup. This is because under certain conditions, such as temperature fluctuations and pressure, the lime “settles”. Instead of the minerals continuing to dissolve in the water, they settle in places where the water is. These places can be pipes and seals, which can be the outside surface of your faucet, but it can also be your sink. Scale deposits inside the fitting are undesirable because they can destroy the sealing function of the rubber ring and make the valve leak. You can easily remove the outside deposits with a little vinegar cleaner.
The repair is usually worth it.
There are three scenarios:
Your old kitchen faucet has two knobs that are leaking. Replace the seals.
Your not-quite-new kitchen faucet with single-lever faucet is dripping. You can repair the valve yourself if there are still suitable spare parts available.
Your new kitchen faucet with a single-lever faucet is leaking. You need to replace the valve core and valve body seal.
A new kitchen faucet doesn’t have to be expensive, but it isn’t necessary either. If you’re currently retrofitting it anyway, a new valve is certainly excellent. But sometimes, even if you’ve just installed a new drain, the kitchen faucet will still leak. This is especially true in modern buildings. This is because foreign objects can enter the valve through the plumbing system. The valve core of a new single lever faucet cannot withstand this, and in most cases the damage is already there. The result is that your new kitchen faucet will drip.
You’ll find out exactly how the rubber seal on your old kitchen faucet was replaced with two knobs. The first step here is how to re-tighten your kitchen faucet with the single lever faucet.
Look for the brand, the model, and the parts.
Don’t go into a detailed investigation of the cause. If your kitchen faucet, as a generalist, you can’t tell if it’s because of the seal or the cartridge. Instead, look for information on what kind of accessory it is. You’ll need the brand and the exact model code. If you have this information, you can order a new cartridge from the manufacturer, along with the corresponding seal. The model name must be correct because cartridges vary in size, just as they do in exact construction. Make sure it is the correct cartridge. For brand name manufacturers and newer parts, this should be relatively trouble-free. For older models and lesser-known manufacturers, this can be an issue. Buying a new accessory makes sense if you can’t find out the exact model number of your kitchen accessory, or if you haven’t replaced the cartridge at all. You can usually find a replacement with a quality product.
Replacement only takes a few minutes.
Before you can begin the repair, you must have all the necessary parts. You will need:
New ink cartridges
New seals
Valve grease
Clean, as lint-free a cloth as possible.
Rag
Allen wrench
Loosen the ring tool (note the manufacturer’s instructions).
Step 1: Close the shut-off valve or angle valve under the sink. Open the lever on the faucet and check to see if water is flowing out. Now you should close the drainage network. If any small parts fall out, they can’t simply disappear into the drainage pipe.
Look for the cap on your fitting lever. Loosen the cover and screw on the bottom bracket with an Allen wrench. Now you can remove the lever. Place all the removed parts (and the new ones) on the cloth so you don’t lose anything. You will see the cartridge holder underneath the rod. Next you will loosen it so that you can remove the bullets. Set the old bullets aside so you don’t confuse them with the new ones. Next, you will loosen the old body rubbers and remove them. Now clean the faucet with a paper towel or soft cotton cloth. Next, you pull on the new seal. Place it in the same way the old seal sat. Apply a little grease as appropriate. Next, you insert the new cartridge, install it, and put the handle back in place. Once everything is installed, you open the valve and drainage network and check, first, if the water is flowing again and, second, if the faucet is still dripping.
Conclusion: how to repair a leaky kitchen faucet
Fixing a dripping faucet sounds more difficult than it is. Fixing it is in a few steps and cheaper than buying a new kitchen sink faucet or kitchen sink faucet. However, it’s good to follow the manufacturer’s instructions as you look for replacement faucets and sink compatible spare parts.
