How to Fix a Leaking Bath Tub Faucet

Leaky faucets can waste water and raise bills.

The steady drip of a leaking faucet can ruin a relaxing bath, a good movie or just about any situation in which you can hear it. Apart from being annoying, leaking bathtub faucets can increase your home's water usage, wasting valuable resources and increasing your water bill. The Family Handyman advises that worn parts in the stem assemblies of faucets cause most household leaks. Calling a professional plumber or replacing these parts yourself can save you from the wasteful dripping.

Things You'll Need

• Handle puller
• Bath socket wrench
• Seat wrench
• Replacement parts
• Plumber's grease
• Screwdriver

Instructions

1. Turn off the water to your faucet to avoid leaks while you conduct your repairs.

2. Use a handle puller to remove the handle of your faucet. These tools are specially designed to attach the handles and pull them gently from their places. Heat the joint gently with a hair dryer if needed to loosen some light corrosion to make removal easier.

3. Insert a bath socket wrench into the hole left behind by the faucet handle; slide it in completely until it contacts the stem bonnet, which is located behind the faucet and controls the temperature and amount of water dispensed.

4. Turn the bath socket wrench slowly counterclockwise to loosen the stem. Use a mechanical lubricant if needed to insert or turn the wrench. Continue until the stem is loose enough to pull out through the hole for the faucet handle.

5. Use a seat wrench to loosen and remove the seat washer screw and washer, located on the top of the stem. Replace these parts; the seat often stiffens over time and will not tighten, resulting in leaks. Lubricate replacement parts with plumber's grease, and then screw the new seat washer and screw tightly into place to prevent future leaks.

6. Unscrew the packing nut on the stem, which is located near the halfway point of the stem and holds the piece together. Once this is loose, twist the stem clockwise and pull it out of the bonnet, which is the metal piece in which the stem sits.

7. Pry the old packing washer from its place with a small, flat-bladed screwdriver. Grease the new washer and install it in place. Grease the threads of the stem and reinstall them stem into the bonnet. Grease the packing nut and tighten it back into place.

8. Replace the bonnet washer, which is a larger circular piece located near the top of the stem. Pry it from its place with a screwdriver. Frease the new piece and attach it to the stem.

9. Grease the bonnet threads and handle pieces and reinstall all pieces to their proper place. Tighten all parts with your tools, to ensure that the pieces are sealed and no leaks will occur. Turn the water back on to test your repairs.

Tips & Warnings

• There are a large number of replacement parts for your faucet; make sure you choose ones that fit your particular faucet. If in doubt, remove the faucet parts first and take them with you to the hardware store to ensure a proper match. You will also find the specialized tools needed for this task at hardware or home improvement retailers.

• If you are working with a two-handed faucet, replace the washers in both handles at the same time; they should corrode at close to the same rate, so if one needs to be replaced, the other will soon.

• Never try to force any of these parts in any direction; corrosion can cause parts to stick together, and forcing them apart can break them completely. If the project becomes too difficult, consult a professional plumber or an expert at a hardware or home improvement store for help.

References

• Family Handyman: How to Repair a Leaking Tub Faucet
• Reader's Digest: How to Repair a Leaking Tub Faucet