Faucet Repair Help@Home

Faucet repairs are simple, if you replace all the components that can be replaced in your faucet. Use the drawings and instructions below to assist you.

Single Handle Faucet Repair

If, to turn your water on, you have to push the handle up and swivel to the left and right you have a ball and washer style faucet. Ball and washer style faucets require a springs and washers to seal. 

Step 1 Turn off water supplying the faucet you you are working

            on.

Step 2 Using a hex wrench, unscrew the set screw at

           the base of the handle, then pull the handle off.

Step 3 Unscrew the cap nut. Use masking tape to protect the

           finish if you use a pair of pliers

Step 4 Remove the plastic cam.

Step 5 Pull the ball out of the faucet body.

Step 6 Remove the rubber seats and springs from the

           faucet body.

Step 7  Clean out the inside area of the faucet and make sure
that the alignment pin is still in place on the inside
edge of the faucet body.

Step 8    Pull up and rotate the faucet spout to remove the spout

              and expose the o-ring seals on the faucet body.

Step 10  Using a small screwdriver remove the o-rings and set

               aside for future comparison when you reassemble. (At this time if your faucet has a side spray and you are replacing the diverter assemble you should pull the old diverter out.)

Step 11 Clean all parts of the faucet body in preparation to do your reassembly.

Step 12 Reinstall the matching spout O-rings and apply a small amount of silicone grease to the O-ring surface.(reinstall diverter at this time)

Step 13 Slide the spout over the faucet body making sure that you do not cut the O-ring during the process.

Step 14 Place the springs into the inlet holes in the faucet body.

Step 15 Insert the rubber seals on top of the springs.(A small amount of grease can be applied to the top of the seals)

Step 16 Insert the ball assembly making sure that the pin engages in the slot of the ball.

Step 17 Place the plastic cam assembly over the ball in line up the tab on the cam with the slot in the faucet body.

Step 18 Screw the cap over the faucet body and screw down cap hand tight.

Step 19 Turn the water on and check for leaks. If water drips from the spout using the wrench tighten the adjusting ring to eliminate the drip.

Step 20 Place the handle on the ball assembly and reattach the handle with hex wrench.

Your faucet repair is now complete

Cartridge type faucet repair

Cartridge puller 13-2120    Moen type plastic cartridge S-814

Brass cartridge kit   0-3051                Plastic cartridge kit 0-3055

Single Handle Faucet Repair

If to turn your water on you have to pull the handle up and turn handle to the left and right you have a cartridge style faucet that requires a replacement cartridge or seal kit to repair.

Step 1  Turn off water to house or under the sink you are working on.

Step 2  Using a screwdriver pry up and remove the button from the top of the handle.

Step 3 Remove the screw from the top of the handle.

Step 5 Pull the handle off.

Step 6 Remove the cap nut from the top of the faucet body.

Step 7 Pull up and rotate the faucet spout to remove the spout and expose the O-ring seals on the faucet body.

Step 8 Using a small screwdriver remove the O-rings and set aside for future comparison when you reassemble. (At this time if your faucet has a side spray and you are replacing the diverter assemble you should pull the old diverter out.)

Step 9  Find and remove with a screwdriver the retainer clip form the faucet body.

Step 10 Using the alignment tool rotate the bottom portion of the cartridge to free the cartridge from the faucet body.  Then using a pair of pliers pull the cartridge out. (Use 13-2120 Cartridge puller to remove)

Step 11 Clean all parts of the faucet body in preparation to do your reassembly.

Step 12 Reinstall the matching spout o-rings and apply a small amount of silicone grease to the o-ring surface.(reinstall diverter at this time)

Step 13 Slide the spout over the faucet body making sure that you do not cut the O-ring during the process.

Step 14 Replace all seals and O-rings from the cartridge or install new cartridge.  Making sure that you do not cut the o-ring during the process.

Step 15 Insert the retainer clip.

Step 16 Reinstall the cap nut on the top of the faucet body.

Step 17 Turn the water on and check for leaks.

Step 18 Reinstall the handle and screw in place.

Step 19 Push handle button into place.

Your faucet repair is now complete

Double Handle Faucet Repair

Faucets with multiple handles are broken down into two types

1 Compression type faucets

2 Cartridge type faucets

As a general rule a compression faucet you must turn the handle more than 360 degrees to turn the faucet on. A cartridge faucet you only need to turn the handle 1/4 of a turn to turn the water on. The disassembly of of the faucets are very similar use the instructions below to remove the stem from the faucet body.  Then find the repair instructions for your type faucet.

Kitchen Faucet Breakdown     Lavatory Faucet Breakdown       Faucet Seat Location

Faucet Stem Removal

Step 1  Turn off water to house or under the sink you are working on.

Step 2  Using a screwdriver pry up and remove the button from the top of the handle.

Step 3 Remove the screw from the top of the handle.

Step 5 Pull the handle off.(Use 13-2701 Handle puller if necessary)

Shower and wide spread faucets require the removal of the flange at this point of the repair

Step 5A Using a pair of pliers (use masking tape to protect the finish)Unscrew the flange from the faucet stem body this should expose the stem assembly.

Step 6 Using an adjustable wrench or deep socket unscrew the stem bonnet from the faucet body, Or remove the cap nut from the top of the faucet body.

Step 7 Remove the stem or cartridge from the faucet body

Compression Stem Repair

Step 8 Unscrew the stem bonnet off of the stem to expose the o-ring seal.

Step 9 Using a screw driver remove the o-ring from the stem.

Step 10 Using a screwdriver remove the washer screw and washer from the bottom of the stem.

Step 11 reinstall the new washer and screw.

Step 12 Slide the new o-ring over the stem and into place in the groove of the stem. (apply a small amount of silicon grease)

Step 13 Slide the stem into the faucet bonnet making sure that you do not cut the o-ring during the process. Screw the stem back into place as far as the stem will go in the on position.

Step 14  Using a 13-2102 seat wrench unscrew the seat at the bottom of the faucet body and remove.

Step 15 Using a 13-2102 seat wrench reinstall the seat at the bottom of the faucet body.

Step 16 Make sure that the bonnet seal washers at the base of the faucet body is in place and not broken or worn, replace if necessary.

Cartridge Stem Repair

Step 8 Using a pair of pliers pull up to remove the cartridge assembly.(Plastic cartridges should be replaced rather than repaired)

Step 9 Pull cartridge apart by pushing down on the top of the stem.

Step 10 Using a screwdriver pull the o-rings off the stem and bonnet assemblies.

Step 11Replace all o-rings.

Step 12 Using a pair of pliers remove the seal and spring from the faucet body.

Step 13 replace the spring then the seal.(apply a small amount of silicon grease)

Step 14 Reinstall the cartridge.

Step 15 Tighten the cap nut over the cartridge.

Reinstall the stem or cartridge into the faucet body. Repeat process for the other stem.

Step 16 Turn on water and check for leaks.

Step 17 Replace handles and screw into stem.

Step 18 Push handle button onto handle.

Kitchen Spout Repair

Step 19 Using a pair of pliers (use masking tape to protect the finish)Unscrew the spout flange from the faucet stem body.

Step 20 Using a screwdriver pull the o-rings off the spout housing.

Step 21 Replace o-rings and slide the spout over the housing Making sure that you do not cut the o-ring during the process. Using pliers retightens the spout nut.

Your faucet repair is now complete

3 Handle Faucet Repair

As a general rule a 3 handle faucets are used in the shower, the third handle diverts water from the tub spout to the shower head.

Repairs to the diverter are the same as the stem repair.  Follow the same instruction and replace all the washers and seals for the diverter valve.