How Bathroom Faucet Repair Can Stop Your Faucet from Sounding Like a Tennis Volley

Stop the drip! Everything you need to know about bathroom faucet repair in Atlanta.

What could tennis and bathroom faucet repair in Atlanta possibly have in common? Picture this. It’s summertime, and the outdoors are calling. The sun is shining, and… wait a minute. What is that sound? Are the kids playing Wii tennis? Where is it coming from? The bathroom??

Bloop. Blop. Bloop.

No, Roger Federer didn’t sneak into your bathroom and start a volley. That steady rhythm is the sound of a leaky bathroom faucet.

Now, you might be tempted to ignore the drip. It doesn’t seem to be that big. And really, what’s the harm? Aside from the record droughts across the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that, on average, leaks result in 10,000 gallons of wasted water. That’s 10,000 gallons per house every year. How much is that you ask? That’s less than 10% of the average household’s annual usage. Put another way, that’s enough to fill a swimming pool, and you’re paying for every drop.

A variety of common problems cause faucet drips. Mineral deposits from hard water, defective or worn gaskets, faulty O-rings and washers, corrosion…all reasons your trusty faucet may be starting to seep. And while that little drip may seem inconsequential, ignoring it can turn a $5 repair into a $500 plumbing project.

For the DIY folks out there, here are some things to consider when determining why your faucet is leaking and how you can fix it:

Bathroom Faucet Repair Method #1 – DIY Repair

1. Gather the tools you’ll need. This includes various wrenches, a Philips and/or flathead screwdriver, penetrating oil (WD-40 or CRC), replacement washers, and O-rings. Sadly, no tennis rackets are required for this phase.
2. Turn off the water supply to the faucet. Turning your faucet into a fire hose might look funny in the movies, but you won’t laugh as you mop up the mess left behind.
3. Remove any fancy or decorative parts on your handle knobs. This can usually be done with a judicious application of the flathead screwdriver. Underneath each knob, you’ll see the screw that mounts the handle to the stem. Using your flathead, unscrew it and gently remove the handle. If it’s stuck, a small application of the penetrating oil should loosen it up. The ultimate goal is to remove the faucet handle from the stem without breaking anything.
4. Once the handle is removed, you should see the packing nut. Remove it using your wrench. Some stems will pop off easily, while others require a twist to remove them from the valve. Be sure to check that you haven’t damaged any of these parts while removing them.
5. If all looks good, go ahead and check the O-ring and washer located inside the valve seat. A worn O-ring is frequently the source of your leaks. Put the replacement inside the seat and check to make sure it is an exact fit. The easiest way to do this is to take the old O-ring to your local hardware store and have them get you the right one.
6. Now it’s time for reassembly. Carefully put all the parts back together in reverse order. Start with the O-ring/washer, stem, packing nut, and screw, and end with the handle.
7. Turn your water back on and test your faucet. With luck, you’ll have found the source of the leak and fixed it.

The Downside

The downside is that after all your hard work and numerous trips to the hardware store, your faucet may still be dripping. This is caused by corrosion in the valve seat, loose plumbing parts, or (worst case scenario) broken plumbing. If your faucet leaks after your repair efforts, it’s time to call a professional.

Bathroom Faucet Repair Method #2 – Professional Pipe Repair

If you’re in the Midtown Atlanta area, schedule an appointment with the pros at Morningside Plumbing. We’ll send someone out at a time that best fits your schedule, and they’ll show up with everything they need to fix your leaking faucet. No muss. No fuss. And no trips to the hardware store.

Best of all? With the extra time and money you saved by calling in a pro, you can scope out pros of the tennis variety at the BB&T Atlanta Open Tennis Tournament. Perhaps this will fill the bloop-bloop-bloop void left in your life after we’ve fixed that bathroom faucet. All joking aside, click or call 404-873-1881 today to reach our friendly professionals at Morningside Plumbing so we can take care of your bathroom faucet repair in Atlanta.