How to Repair a Leaky Garden Faucet

An outdoor faucet provides you with a convenient way to water your lawn and garden. A leaky faucet can be more trouble and expense than you bargained for, though. If your faucet leaks, it wastes precious water that you pay for and it may damage the plants in your garden. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to fix that leaky faucet without calling a professional.

Things You'll Need

• Wrench
• Towel
• Rubber washer
• Packing string

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Instructions

1. Carefully examine the faucet to see where the leak is coming from. The water can leak from either the handle or the spigot.

2. Tighten the packing nut right under the handle if the water is leaking from the handle of the faucet. Use a towel to dry the area and wait a few minutes to see if it continues to leak. If not, you have resolved the problem. If it continues to leak, however, you will need to take more extensive steps to resolve the problem.

3. Turn off the water running to the outdoor faucet. The less water you have in the way while you are fixing the faucet, the better.

4. Turn the valve to an "on" position. It should full extend before you stop. Use a wrench to grip the metal right under the packing nut. When you twist, the entire handle section should dislodge itself from the spigot.

5. Remove the faucet handle. Unscrew the backing nut below and remove it from the stem that led to the handle. Inside, you will find a rubber washer or some twisted packing string. Remove this part from the packing nut and replace it with fresh material. A rubber washer is the best item for this job, but if you cannot find one that works, consider using graphite packing string. Replace the packing nut on the stem of the valve. Replace the handle once again.

6. Replace the rubber washer at the very end of the valve you removed. This is the compression washer. A warn out compression washer will generally lead to leaking water out of the spigot instead of the handle. Try to find a replacement washer before your throw away the old one because graphite packing string will not replace this washer. If you throw away this washer and cannot find a replacement, your faucet is no longer useable until you find a replacement.

7. Hold the spigot steady as you reinsert the removed valve. Use a wrench to ensure it fits securely back in place. Turn the water supply to the outdoor faucet back on.

Tips & Warnings

• Faucets vary in shape and size. When you need a replacement washer, take the part with you to the utility store so you can tell what size you need. Your faucet will not work properly if you use a washer that is not the right size.

References

• Bob Vila: How to Repair a Dripping Outdoor Faucet