Faucet Washer,
Faucet washers are probably the most common and easiest DIY household repairs any one could take care of. They do go after a while and it would take just a bit of effort and some time to have them fixed and to stop them from leaking.
Having a loose faucet washer, aside from it being noisy and annoying also could be costly. According to the Environment Protection Agency the average home wastes about 11000 gallons of water every year with assorted leaks and drips, that is enough to fill up a big swimming pool, and also that cash could be well spent elsewhere.
If you ever come across a loose and leaky faucet don’t call the plumber right away, it could be very easy to take care of unless you don’t want to. There are some easy and clear steps you need to take. As always have a plan for anything you want to do and go over it from start to finish, no matter how small of a task it is.
There is always a shutoff valve somewhere close by the faucet. Find it and shut it all the way. If you can not find it around the faucet shut off the main valve temporarily till you have it fixed, that you could probably find somewhere in basement.
Unscrew the faucet handle and remove it. The screw might be hiding under the plastic or metallic cap on the faucet. Remove the packing nut. Unscrew the valve stem and remove it from the housing. Take out the screw that holds the washer and replace the washer. Put everything back to where it was and you are set to go.
It’s that easy!
Babak Sobhani
www.EasyHomeTransaction.com