How to Fix a Leak in the Kitchen Sink Faucet

Letting a kitchen sink faucet drip water not only wastes a precious natural resource, but it is also probably costing you money. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an average house in the United States can waste up to 10,000 gallons of water every year due to running toilets and faucet leaks. In order to fix a leak in the kitchen sink faucet, you'll need to disassemble the faucet to get at the valve stem, which is where most leaks occur. By repairing the stem or replacing any worn out parts, you'll have that leak stopped in no time. Does this Spark an idea?

Things You'll Need

• Adjustable wrench
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Phillips screwdriver
• Nylon brush
• Faucet packing
• Silicone grease
• Pipe thread compound
• Rubber washer
• Valve stem

Instructions

1. Turn off the water supply for the kitchen sink with the leaky faucet. Look underneath the sink to locate the water supply valves. Move anything underneath the sink that might be in the way to find the valves. Rotate the valves to the right to shut off the water. Open the sink and allow any water inside to run out.

2. Take off the faucet handles. Kitchen faucet handles are held in place by screws. These screws will be located one of three places: the front of the handle, the back of the handle, or underneath the temperature indicator on the top of the handle. Removing a screw at the front or back is simply a matter of loosening the screw. If you have a hidden screw, pry off the temperature indicator with the edge of a flat-blade screwdriver. Remove the handle screw. Once the screw is removed, pull the handle off the stem.

3. Remove the packing nut. This is the hexagonal nut at the top of the stem that holds the faucet packing in place. Turn it counterclockwise to unscrew it.

4. Unscrew the faucet stem. The second hexagonal nut forms the base of the faucet stem. Turn it counterclockwise to unscrew it.

5. Examine the valve stem. These parts of the faucet can sometimes wear out or crack and cause a leak. If the valve stem looks like it might be worn out, replace it with a new one. Clean off the stem by brushing it with the nylon brush to remove any calcium deposits.

6. Check the rubber washer at the bottom of the faucet. These washers can wear out or tear, which also causes leaks. Replace it with a new one, if necessary, by removing the screw at the bottom of the stem, and substituting a new washer for the old one. Secure it with the retention screw.

7. Dab the threads on the stem with pipe thread compound. Insert the stem into the faucet socket and tighten it.

8. Replace the faucet packing. This is the plastic or graphite material packed around the stem that helps seal the faucet and prevent leaks. Slip the new packing material around the stem. Place a few drops of silicone grease on the bottom side of the packing nut. Thread it back onto the stem and tighten it.

9. Replace the faucet handle. Secure it with the faucet handle screw. Turn the water supply back on.