Fix a Leaky Bathtub Faucet
Aged faucets are the most like cause of bathtub leaks and they can be easily fixed by replacing the washer and sealing the valve threads with plumber’s tape. Before you start unscrewing any faucets, make sure you have the water supply shut off or be prepared to face an unwanted waterfall in your bathroom. Also, always use the proper tools when dealing with faucets as some faucets can get easily damaged, especially if they are made out of PVC.
What you need to do:
- Screwdriver (a selection of flathead, Philips or cross-screw)
- Adjustable wrench
- Old bath cloth, hand towel or rag
- New washer
- Utility knife
- Handle puller
- Pliers
- Silicone grease or petroleum jelly
- Silicone rubber sealant or pipe compound
- Disc assembly
- Faucet washers
Method:
- The first thing that you have to do is to turn-off the bathtub water supply. If the design of the bathtub is without a cutoff valve, you have to turn-off your house water supply during the time the repair work is being done.
- Then you just need to loosen the screw of the handle and if it is under a small decorative plate, you just have to pry the plate off in order to loosen its screw and check whether it uses a flat head screw or a Philips head type before choosing the right screwdrivers.
- Once the handle has been removed, you need to determine the size of the washer needed to replace the worn-out washer so that you know which size to buy. Always have assorted sizes of washer in your toolkit so that it is easier for you to immediately replace it when the time comes. Then, remove the old washer with the new one.
- If the handle needs to be replaced, change it and remember to tighten the screw but not too tight. Once you notice that the screwdriver looks secure then it should be alright to continue.
- After that, you need to do a testing to see if there is any more leakage. Turn-on your water supply and test whether the handle works properly or not. You can see if the faucet has stopped leaking or not when you start to turn-on the water. If there is water coming out from around the handle, you need to tighten it a little bit more.
- If the problem is caused by the faucet, you can use an adjustable wrench in order to slightly tighten up the faucet and stop tightening as soon as your wrench is not able to turn any more.
- Finally, if you have done all the above mentioned task and the problem is still there, it is time for you to ask for professional help or call your plumber to assist you.
Additional Reading:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2304655_fix-leaky-bathtub-faucet.html
http://www.familyhandyman.com/DIY-Projects/Indoor-Projects/Bathrooms/Bathroom-Faucets/how-to-repair-a-leaking-tub-faucet
http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Fix-That-Leaky-Bathtub-Faucet—Fast!&id=446999
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/h2repairvalve
Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurelkate/4672586520/
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