What is the best way to fix a leaking faucet? I have seen many different styles and makes of faucets over the years, including the ubiquitous designer brands. I have had my best faucets for five years now, but I still periodically check to see if it needs to be replaced. So, here are some tips on how to identify and repair a leaking faucet.
Look at the part of your faucet that leaks. Is there a drip area? Sometimes a small drip area will be present when the faucet is not running very hard, even when hot. In this case, you need to check the valve to make sure that it is not the problem. In most cases, just resealing the valve will solve the issue.
If your problem is due to rust, then you may have to remove the valve for repair. You will know if the valve has rusted because it will look like a dried out yellow face. Look for this symptom before calling a plumber. The best thing you can do is to replace the valve with a new one, which will also fix the problem. If you can’t do it yourself, a professional will be able to do it for you, though I would recommend giving the job to a certified technician.
Now, we come to the fun stuff… How do you determine if your leak is being caused by static electricity? I have seen many people that have pulled their faucets to try and determine if it was causing a leak. I suppose you could try to figure out how hot the water gets, and if it rises when you turn on the hot water. This might work, but you would need a way to track it so that you knew what you were looking at.
Here are a few other things to look at. The first thing is where is the hot water tap located? If you turn on the hot water tap, does the water instantly shoot up to your lips, or do you have to move your arm back and forth? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then your leak is probably being caused by a loose faucet.
Next thing to check would be where the hose goes through the faucet. Sometimes leaks can be found by inspecting the hole closely. Sometimes the leak will be very small but still be visible when you look at it in the end. In these cases, it could be that your leaky faucet is attached to a different hose that goes to a different value than the one on your faucet.
