Having a bathtub in one’s bathroom is a great luxury that offers a good and refreshing bathing experience. However, a leaking bathtub faucet could prove irritating with the bathroom getting dirty and wet.
The waste of water, a precious commodity, along with the waste of minerals like lime which cause stains in the bathtub with constant dripping could aggravate the situation. Repairing a leaking bathtub is a household emergency. So, here are some steps that you can use to deal with the problem.
Difficulty Level
Moderately easy
Instructions
Things that you will need: A screwdriver set,An adjustable wrench,An old bath cloth,Hand towel or rag,A few,Sealant,O-rings,Grease and Cartridges.
The first step is to shut off water supply to the tub faucet fully. You could do so by closing the knob that opens to supply water supply, or in extreme cases, by putting off the water supply. It becomes necessary to also open the valves and drain out any residual water that is left in the system. This will help you work in a clean and dry bathroom. Also, if any water is left in the faucet or pipe, it could gush out suddenly and cause injury due to the loosening of the screw.
The next job is loosening the handles that could have screws holding them together. Screws could be flat or Phillips head under small decorative plates. Each screw would require a different type of screwdriver to loosen it. Removing of handles could be tough in some cases considering the corrosion with time.
Never force out the handle or it would break. It would be best to use a special handle puller to pull the handle off and screw out the escutcheon and stem assembly. An adjustable wrench would be ideal to slowly unscrew the handle of the faucet. Make sure to use some duct tape on the wrench tip, so as to protect the handle of the faucet from developing scratch marks Look out for dirt and accumulated grimes in the inner surface of the handles and clean it thoroughly and dry the same.
It is important to check the reason for the leakage. Leakage could take place mainly due to two reasons namely the stiffening of the seat of the washer that makes it difficult to seal tightly and the water pressure eroding the rim of the seat that is made of brass. Besides worn out washers, other reasons for leakage could be worn out O rings, loose valves and worn out threading and intense wear and tear of inner components.
Once you have found the reason for the leakage, replace the worn part or tighten the valve. Replace the worn out thread with a new and tight wounding. Replace the O ring if it is causing the leakage. Screw the faucet back, making sure to apply a bit of sealant and grease on the threads of faucet and valve faucet while screwing it back on.
Tips and Warnings
Let the sealant dry before using the faucet as it could otherwise leak.
Call for a professional plumber immediately in case you are unable to fix the leak in the bathtub faucet.
How To Fix A Leaky Bathtub Faucet
Having a bathtub in one’s bathroom is a great luxury that offers a good and refreshing bathing experience. However, a leaking bathtub faucet could prove irri
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