How to Change the Seals in a Kitchen Faucet
Occasionally your kitchen faucet may develop a slight leak, with water seeping from the base of the faucet. Often this leakage is due to a failure in the faucet seal. Most modern kitchen faucets utilize a cartridge system for water control with all the parts contained in a single unit. This system still requires seals, made up of a cartridge stem washer and an o-ring, which can become worn or damaged. Changing the seal can often stop the leak completely, a task that can be performed by following a few detailed steps. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Shut off the supply of water to the faucet. The shutoff valves should be located beneath the sink. Turn the valves firmly closed, and then turn on the faucet to check that the water has been completely shut off. There should initially be a short burst of water as the water pressure in the pipes causes the water present in the system to release into the sink. If valves are shut, the water should stop flowing after the initial burst.
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Remove the decorative cap on the faucet handle. Most caps will pop right off, but others may need to be screwed off. Once the cap is removed you can remove the leaky faucet handle. This usually requires that you remove a screw holding the handle to the faucet stem using a Phillips head, straight or hex screwdriver, to remove this screw and then remove the faucet cap. Once the cap is removed the stem of the faucet should be revealed.
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Remove the valve stem from the leaky faucet handle. Use a wrench to remove the stem, which is often threaded and can be unscrewed from the faucet housing. If it does not come right out, check for any retainer clips or a packing nut that may be in place to prevent the stem from pulling out. If these are present, slip out any clips and unscrew the packing nut using the wrench. This should allow you to remove the stem. Remove the stem with the o-ring still attached, and reach into the faucet housing and remove the rubber washer.
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Take the stem, o-ring and washer to your local home improvement or hardware store and find a matching replacement for the o-ring and the washer.
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Change the old o-ring and washer on the stem with the replacement parts and then place the stem back into the faucet housing. Be sure to tighten the connections firmly, returning clips or packing nuts to place.
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Test the new stem, making sure that it twists freely in the housing.
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Place the faucet back onto the stem, screwing it down securely and then replace the cap. Turn the water valves to restore the water supply to the faucet.
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Use a cloth to dry the leaky faucet area and then check for any continuing leakage. Turn on the faucet and check the seal when the water supply is running as well. After correctly replacing the seal, there should no longer be any leak.
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Tips & Warnings
When removing the stem, keep a towel on hand should air pressure cause a spurt of water from the opened faucet.
