Fixing a Leaky Faucet
Ok, fixing a faucet may not seem like a very good Green Tip, but I promise, it is! By fixing the leaky faucet, you are not only saving yourself money, you are saving 10 gallons of water per week (providing it drips at the rate of 1 drip per second). As scarce as good drinking water is becoming in this day and age, conserving every little bit helps. Below is step-by-step instructions on how to fix that leak, even if you are a dunce in home improvement!
- Turn the water off that is going to the sink you are fixing. There are several pipes under the sink; look for the ones with knobs or levers and shut them off. For the home-improvement-disadvantaged, think righty-tightey, lefty loosey.
- With the water still off to said sink, turn the water on to this sink. This will get any trapped water out of the faucet, and make it easier for you to work.
- Plug your drain. The last thing you want to do is lose the washer you will soon need, or worse, your wedding ring.
- Pry off any fancy caps or covers with a flat head screwdriver, being careful not to scratch the covers. Take great care in unscrewing the handle from the faucet and lift the handle out of its place.
- Replace the washer. 90% of the time, it is the washer that is bad, and thus the culprit behind the vast majority of leaks. If you have the correct washer, install it where the old washer was. If you don't have the correct washer, take out the old one, and bring it to us. We have them in stock, and they are usually under a dollar (for the black rubber washers). We ask you to bring in the old one because we can get you the correct size and take the guesswork out of getting the right washer the first time.
- Put the handle back on and any other covers you had removed. Turn the water back on under the sink. Turn the water on at the sink, and make sure it doesn't leak. If it continues to leak, call a licensed plumber to fix it for you. If it is still leaking, this means it was not the washer that was the culprit, but something deeper and possibly beyond the scope of many amateur plumbers (including myself!).
See, its that easy to fix that pesky leak! By doing it yourself, you saved yourself lots of green (by not calling a plumber and saving water) and helped to save the environment!
