How To Repair A Leaking Tub and Shower Faucet In 3 Simple Steps

You do not have to endure the slow drip from a leaky faucet, or with the growth of stain that often leaves the tub or shower. Fix it now and you will avoid headaches and save those in your water bill too. All work, with special tools, can set you back a bit of money, but doing it yourself is much cheaper than hiring a plumber, and usually much cheaper and easier than dragging the old tap and install a new one.

Worn rubber washers, seals or gaskets in the valve assembly cause more leaks. Here we show how to solve one type of valve, which is common in the elderly, two handle faucets (hot and cold separately). We will not cover a single handle faucets here.

1. Have New Parts Prior To Starting Repair
You can fix most problems with spare parts available at hardware stores and home centers. A distributor of plumbing parts will carry a much larger selection and may be able to special order hard to find items (see "plumbing parts and supplies" in your local Yellow Pages or online). There are thousands of different faucet replacement parts are available, so bring your old pieces to the store for a good game. If your valve is highly corroded or the finish is wearing off, replace the entire faucet.

2. Disassembly
Removing the faucet handle is the hardest part of the job. Over time, corrosion can virtually weld cable to the mast. Remove the handle. If the handle will not fall, do not force it, it can break. Instead, remove them with a special handle puller. Since the handles off, remove the shell and beam. The stem assembly controls the amount and temperature of water dispensed through the shower or tub spout. Remove it with a special key bathed, that looks like a wrench on steroids.

Leaks usually occur for two reasons. Over time, the rigidity of the seat to wash and will not seal tightly. And the water pressure gradually corrodes the metal rim of the seat.Replace bench seat with a special key.

3. Replacing the Stem Parts
Lubricate the parts with special grease plumber. If you are working on a faucet, two treaties, it is recommended to replace the washers and valve seats in both hot and cold.

First, remove the packing nut. Torso twist clockwise and back out of the hood. Pry off the washing machine packing old with a small screwdriver blade or flat pick. Grease the threads of the stem and reinstall the trunk in the hood. Grease the new washing machine packaging and slide it into place, and then grease the threads of the nut and tighten the packing nut packing. Use special grease plumber.

Second, remove the screw from old washing machine and dishwasher chair former headquarters. Grease the dish and wires new headquarters of the new screw and then reinstall them.

Thirdly, remove the cover old washing machine, a new grease and slide it into place.

Fourthly, apply pipe compound to the threads of the cover and reinstall it on the tap body.

Five grease, dealing with splines and replace the shield and handle.

Losing Water Pressure? Getting Blasts of Air From Your Faucets? Check Your Pressure Tank!

Your pressure tank lies between your well pump and the rest of your homes plumbing. Its generally less than half the size of your hot water heater. It's purpose is to act as a pressure switch to your well pump. The tank fills with water pushing the trapped air to the top of the tank. When the air pressure drops below a pre-set amount, usually 30-40 psi, it turns on the pump. When the pressure gets within the target range, usually 50-60 psi, the pump is turned off.

When the tank loses too much air it becomes "water-logged", and this causes the well pump to turn on and off again fairly frequently, and you'll notice a marked loss in water pressure.

How to fix a waterlogged pressure tank:
1. Turn off power to the pump
2. Attach a garden hose to the drain valve located on the bottom of the tank, open the valve and drain the tank of all pressure
3. Now turn on a faucet to allow all the water to drain from the tank
4. Turn off the faucet, close the drain valve, remove the hose, and turn the pump back on.

Usually a tank becomes waterlogged due to a leak. Inspect your tank for any spots of corrosion. Tank plugs are available, but its a temporary solution and should only be used as a stop-gap until you can replace the tank.

If, when you turn on your faucets, you get a blast of air, your pressure tank may be "air-bound."

How to fix an air-bound pressure tank:
1. Turn off power to the pump
2. Attach a garden hose to the drain valve located on the bottom of the tank, open the valve and drain the tank of all pressure
3. Replace the air volume control if your tank has one
4. Close the drain valve, remove the hose, and turn the pump back on.

If the problem persists, you probably have a leak in the piping between the well pump and the house, and should call a licensed well contractor.