My house has one of those faucets in the bathtub that consists of the knobs- hot, shower, and cold, from left to right. the faucet has been dripping slightly no matter how much I tighten (close) the faucet handles.
My question is: How can I go about replacing the washers or seals or whatever needs to be replaced to stop the dripping? Is it easy? I’m a decent handy-type person.
Thanks
Yes you can.
Its likely a cartridge that needs to be replaced versus an o-ring.
No need to replace the whole cartridge!
For a dripping compression tap (as opposed to a leaking one) all you need to do is replace the seat washer which are standard and available at any hardware store.
Remove the handle and unscrew the stem nut of the catridge, remove the screw at the bottom of the stem, and replace the seat washer.
Here’s a drawing.
When screwing cartridge back into faucet body, ensure the valve stem is retracted (in the open position) as you may damage the seat washer as you tighten the stem nut.
Problem with compression tap is that when they start to drip, the tendancy is to try to close them tighter which crushes the seat washer more and causes it to leak more.
Awesome. Thanks you guys.
It’s compression type for sure.
No problem, also remember that the cartridge and screw is brass so use a proper sized wrench and screwdriver to avoid damaging them. Some washer kits come with replacement screws in case of corrosion or damage.
