How to Repair Kitchen Sink Faucets
- 1). Turn off the water supply to the faucet by turning off the angle stops under the cabinet. These are metal or plastic shut-off valves attached to the stub-outs in the wall. Turn them off by turning he handles counterclockwise. Open the faucet valves to relieve water pressure.
- 2). Remove the handle from the faucet. If there is a cap on the handle, pop it off with a slot screwdriver, then unscrew the handle with a Phillips screwdriver. If the faucet has a level handle, look for a screw under the lever, and use an Allen wrench to loosen it.
- 3). Unscrew the nut holding the valve stem in place with channel locking pliers. If the faucet is a cartridge-type, the cartridge may be held in place by a pin. If so, pull out the pin with needle-nose pliers.
- 4). Lift out the valve mechanism. If it is a cartridge, pull it straight out with pliers or reattach the handle and use that to pull it out. Be sure to check the orientation before you pull it out so you can replace it the same way. If the faucet has a compression stem or a disk assembly, pull it out with pliers. A ball-valve assembly will separate as soon as you unscrew the retaining nut.
- 5). Examine rubber parts in the faucet for signs of wear. For single handle faucets, this includes the O-rings around the valve mechanism and the rubber seals around the water inlets in the valve seat. Remove and replace any that are worn. If the faucet is a compression type, remove and replace any worn out washers on the bottoms of the valve stems.
- 6). Clean out cartridges with the jet from a garden hose if the holes appear obstructed. Replace a cartridge if it is chipped or corroded. If any parts of a ball-valve mechanism are damaged, replace them. You can buy replacement kits at your local hardware store or plumbing supplier.
- 7). Reassemble the faucet by reversing the procedure you followed to take it apart. If you are reinstalling a cartridge, be sure to put it in in the same orientation it was in when you took it out. Tighten the retaining nut with channel-locking pliers, or replace the holding pin by pushing it back in place. Replace the handle, screw it back on, then snap the cap back on, if there is one.
- 8). Turn the angle stops back on, then test the faucet for leaks.
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