Thursday, July 23, 2009

Handling Bathtub Faucet Leak the Easy Way

The conditions seem tediously familiar. You have a bathtub faucet leak that drips slowly, but steadily. Apart from the severe drain on your resources, it's also draining you of your financial health. Being a layman, you don't boast of the competence to tackle this ostensibly Herculean task on your own. Handles, valves and 'O' rings seem too hot to handle, right? So you are left with no other option but to invite an expert to put an end to this drip-drip saga.

I'm sure this account has stirred up some not-so-wonderful memories in you. Well, just in case you belong to this bandwidth, you better get ready to invert that parochial thinking. Fixing that leaky faucet in the bathtub on your own is not as blatantly absurd as it sounds. With a few household tools and a boatload of patience, you can sail into seemingly uncharted waters without any hiccups.

Are you ready to be suffused by a gush of self-worth?

A Watershed Of Sorts?

That's exactly what this event is often referred to as, especially by homeowners without much plumbing experience. But here's what you need to do to sort out this recurring problem:

  • Before you get down to business, make sure you turn off the water supply. While in case of faucets in sinks, the valve lies under the fixture, in case of bathtubs, it is the main valve in the house that needs to be turned off.
  • Remove the faucet handle cautiously, by removing the screw that lies under the plastic or metal cap found on top of the handle. Make sure the screw is not misplaced.
  • The stem of the faucet is next in line. Use the correct wrench to undo this part, and that too with utmost care.
  • At the end of this stem lies the villain of the piece, the worn-out washer. Replace this part with a new one; make sure there's no discrepancy in the size.
  • If, to your utter dismay, you do not find a washer, what's the next course of action? Simple, replace the faulty stem.

The time of reckoning is finally here. Replace all the parts in reverse order, and wait for the sparkling results with anticipation.

Turn on the water supply, and you have an achievement that is second to none. Still believe in those age-old robotic roles?

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Rusting Handrailing Nails

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