Do-it-yourself faucet repair: popular faults and how to fix them

Faucet leakage problems are relevant for bathrooms, which we use several times a day. Small droplets slowly and continuously dripping from the mixer are the first signal that urgent repair is needed.

It is not difficult to fix the breakdown, having a concept of the device mechanism device. As they say, do-it-yourself faucet repair is an everyday matter. In this material we will talk about the most common causes of crane breakdowns and consider in detail how to eliminate them.

Repair mixer valve

Typical problems with the mixer are leaks caused by:

• malfunctioning soul;
• conical plug defects;
• the wear of the axlebox.

But most often the rubber gasket wears out, the condition of the crane depends on the integrity and strength of which.

Gasket Replacement Process

Most often, the leak from the valve is caused by the wear of the rubber gasket in it. This is the most common situation. Both taps of the mixer can leak.

You will need the tools shown in the photo:

When repairing the mixer, it is recommended to use a straight-head screwdriver, a Phillips screwdriver and wrenches. You can use wrenches of appropriate sizes or an adjustable wrench, as well as pliers

The thickness of the new gasket is from 4 mm. You can make it from a piece of sheet rubber. The process of cutting it is the simplest, but if there are doubts about the quality of hand-made manufacture, then in the future it is advisable to change the home-made gasket to a factory product.

As a template for cutting gaskets, one that needs to be replaced is suitable.If it is too deformed, it should be noted that the manufactured seal part should be 1 mm larger in diameter than the previous one.

The edge resulting from the increase in Ø should be finalized: cut along the circumference from the side of contact with the seat at an angle of 45 °, so that this sealant “fits” tightly into the blocked hole and the valve with a new gasket does not hum.

After replacing the gasket, everything needs to be returned to their places. Insert the axle box back. Usually, when removing the axle boxes, it is always advised to treat the internal cavity from plaque. This plaque is usually a consequence of water hardness. In the reverse assembly of the mixer, a plumbing wrench is used.

Half-turn valve repair

In most cases, faucets have problems with valves, especially semi-turn valves. The valve can be changed or repaired. Of particular difficulty in how to repair a broken bathroom faucet, no.

In a conventional valve, which is loosened in a circular motion, it is most often required to change the gasket or stuffing box packing. Brief instructions for replacing the gasket are located above, and in case of problems with stuffing box packing they usually try to tighten the stuffing box.

A small nut located at the base of the axle box will be used here. The cross section of this nut is square. In the clockwise direction, tighten the nut all the way.

If these manipulations are useless, you will need to unscrew the stuffing box ring. After unscrewing, a special stuffing box wraps around the valve stem. Then the ring will need to be twisted well back. All of the above actions help stop the leak.

Repair of half-turn valves for the most part consists in replacing the crane boxes. Typically, ceramic inserts in crane boxes cannot be repaired. Sometimes repairing such valves is possible by replacing gaskets located near the crane itself.

Repair of the valve seat - the cavity into which the crane is screwed in - is necessary if, after replacing the gasket or crane-axle, water does not stop flowing from the valve. With prolonged use of the mixer, it often deforms, which causes leakage.

Notches and scratches that appear may be removed by milling. It is necessary to scroll the deformed section with a mill. After such a scroll, the mixer is assembled, and if the saddle is correctly polished, there will be no leakage.

Water switch failure

To solve this problem, proceed as follows:

• buy a switch;
• disassemble the crane;
• Replace a broken part.

If deformations of the conical plug, which serves to mix water from the pipes of hot and cold water supply, are detected, it must be replaced. When eliminating any breakdown, the flow of water is always blocked. The following photo shows how to remove the switch:

When removing the water switch from the base of the mixer, it should be remembered that the manufacturing material is not always strong enough, especially for budget models

When eliminating the above described malfunctions, it is not necessary to remove the mixer from the mount. But there are more global problems with the valve mixer, which are also quite solvable.

Read more about some malfunctions of plug-type mixers and how to fix them.

You can fix the shower overflow switch mechanism without replacement. Consider the original way of fixing the switch flywheel on the stock:

Now we just have to drill a hole on the switch rod and assemble the mixer:

Leakage at the junction of the coupling and pipe

Eliminate the leak, following a certain algorithm, and then change the mixer.

Algorithm:

1. Initially, in this situation, the water is turned off. Special shutoff taps are located on the water pipes.
2. After overlapping for testing, the cranes are turned in the direction of opening to the maximum.
3. Then the connecting nuts are loosened very carefully. With modern mixer designs, they break easily. Conventional brass nuts are easier to unscrew. They will not crack or break. A broken nut is required to look for an analogue in shape.
4. Next, remove the mixer.

When removing the mixer, a pipe is turned out, at the boundary of which a leak is detected with the coupling. The faces of the pipe when turning out are held with a key or a collar. A nut is screwed onto the removed pipe. You need to tighten it correctly, to the end. The new nut is taken from the old mixer. The reliability of the installation of the nut is determined in comparison with its initial position.

When it comes to replacing the mixer, be sure to determine the size of the nozzles. The mixer is always sold complete with them. If differences are found between old and new pipes, both are changed, and not just the one that flows. If they are identical, then only one can be changed.

To understand how the leak is cleaned in this case, consider the diagram:

To eliminate leaks, you should stock up with an adjustable wrench and a set of wrenches. A suitable tool should be at hand, as you will have to remove the mixer

During the installation of the pipe, there may be nuances. When screwing, this part is held by the shoulder. At the same time, the thread for two turns should remain free. Sealing threads are wound around the rest.

Typically, this seal is advised to soak with linseed oil or oil paint. After such wetting, you need to immediately screw in a pipe to its intended place - this serves as a guarantee against re-formation of a leak.

Leak between sidewall with cap nut

After shutting off the water, they try first simply to tighten the nut, and then, after the water is supplied, they check for leaks. While maintaining the leak, the nut is unscrewed, and the mixer moves along the nozzle closer to the wall. Then you need to remove the hose mounted on the bracket.

This is necessary to regulate the position of the mixer. Moving the mixer, they look at the end of the pipe, because it is relative to it that the location of the device is changed.

This is done until it becomes possible to remove the old gasket, which is adjacent to the nut and ensures tightness. You can attempt to pull out the gasket without touching the mixer. Often this fails. The reason for this is the adhesion of the gasket to the pipe (to its end).

It is also not possible to pull out the delayed gasket. Then the soul is unfastened from the wall. This will help turn the mixer. All nuts on the mixer are loosened to facilitate rotation.

The replacement gasket is simply cut out of rubberized sheets. In thickness, it should be from three to five millimeters. On a nut it is necessary prudently to leave a free place for two threads of a thread. After replacing the gasket, everything easily falls into place.

Leakage can occur in any part of the mixer where there is a connection of two elements. Gaskets and proper installation are often responsible for tightness.

Sometimes a leak appears between the body and the sidewall. The mixer is separated from the piping, then from the shower. Take off the nose. Sidewall turns out. Then lubricated with putty. Instead of putty, you can use paint. Do not use a mixer until the lubricant has completely dried.

Water does not enter the spout or shower

Typically, the problem is with blockages in the inlet to the mixer. Pipes and sidewalls may be clogged. To correct the situation, you will need to clean the blockage. To do this, the valve head is turned out. Then, a steel wire is inserted into the resulting hole. We take out all the trash, sand. Then you can clean the cavity with a solution of vinegar from plaque.

Similar nuisance - RA sharp decrease in the pressure of water from the nozzle. Usually the cause of the problem lies in the clogging of the aerator. It is solved by unscrewing it and cleaning the nets. They are purged and then washed. You can use a needle to remove sand from the net.

If the aerator is worn or covered with a dense coating, it is better to replace it with a new device. When buying, do not forget about the dimensions of the old part, but it is better to take it with you as a sample

What if the water flows, but the nose falls? This is due to the fact that the locking ring is broken. There is a temporary solution before purchasing a new part.

After the valves are closed, an expansion ring must be made. It is usually made of copper wire. The diameter of the material for the ring must match the diameter of the old product. After the ring is made using a soldering iron, it is advisable to process it with liquid oil. This will prevent rust.

Do the mixer valves rotate 360 ​​°?

This situation is related to the loss or breakdown of the limiter. Knowing where this part is located, it is easy to return to its place.To do this, disassemble the mixer, find a malfunction and return the element to its place, inflicting light blows on the protruding part of the limiter with a hammer. Also, the limiter can be replaced with a small piece of brass wire - this will at least temporarily solve the problem of leakage.

Ways to solve problems with a shower

Sometimes troubles happen with a shower hose and a watering can, more often due to wear of individual elements or poor water quality.

Poor water supply through the shower screen

Typically, water does not pass well through the net with blockages in its openings. Here, after removing the mesh, it is easy to clean it with an ordinary awl or needle.

One of the main enemies of faucets and shower heads is lime, which is found in large quantities in tap water. You can get rid of it only with a fine filter

After screwing the mesh back, the water supply and the direction of the streams are restored. Both the plastic panel with holes, and the rest of the shower and mixer can be wiped with a solution of vinegar from plaque and stains.

Leaking shower hose and drain

If a leak appeared due to wear on the inside or winding, there is no point in repairing the hose; it is easier to buy a new one. Its cost is low, and the service life of new modifications is much longer.

During the replacement process, the handle of the mixer is moved to the position for supplying water to the nozzle, then with light movements I unscrew the old hose and fix the new

If both drain and shower are leaking at the same time, the point is in the loose joint between the cork and the body. To correct the situation, the locking screw is first loosened. The next step is pulling up. cap nuts. This reduces leakage, but switching the water from the drain to the shower is difficult.

To completely eliminate the leak, you need to grind the cork to the body of the mixer, using special grinding pasty compositions. They are sold in many stores.

We also recommend reading our article on other common breakdowns bathroom faucet with shower.

Repair of mixer with lever

Most people preferred lever joystick faucets. It is very convenient to use them, since only the mixer handle is turned to reach the desired water temperature. It is also very easy to create the desired water pressure by moving the lever up and down.

To understand how myself fix single lever mixer, you need to have an idea about its device.

Instead of water-closing valves with gaskets, there are special cartridges. They are usually ball or disk. It is not necessary to change them as often as the same gaskets. You cannot replace a disk cartridge with a ball cartridge. For the ball lever mixer, only their cartridges are suitable, and for the disk mixer - their own.

Cleaning the switch and aerator

Articulated, they are single-lever or joystick, mixers are extremely sensitive to the quality of tap water. Therefore, often malfunctions do not occur due to breakage or failure of the locking device, but because of the appearance of sludge and clogging of the joints of moving parts.

Let's see how the model was cleaned for arranging a Grohe Eurosmart 3300001 bathtub with a 08915 mechanism located on the nose, which switches the shower to the spout. This device did not work, water simultaneously went to the shower head and to the gander.

Note that the master did not have to replace parts and seals, it was enough just to remove rust and calcium growths.

After cleaning and flushing the switching mechanism, it remains to "deal" with the pressure. As it turned out, for this it is enough to clean the spout aerator:

Disassembly of the ball mixer

After the traditional overlapping of water, we unscrew the fastener of the mixer. Then you need to remove the lever as carefully as possible, and you need to do this carefully, slowly loosening it. Raise and pull out the lever only when no resistance is felt. To continue working, unscrew the thread connection.

After dismantling the mixer dome, the plastic component will be visible. Behind it is usually visible seal that needs to be cleaned or replaced. It is an ordinary rubber gasket. If the ball element is damaged, it also needs to be replaced.

The ball is fixed with seals, the suitability of which must be monitored.

Removing the mixer lever does not require excessive force. It is removed quite easily. Wherever you can do without tools, it’s best to use only the efforts of your hands

Faucets with a lever (joystick) need careful handling, you need to use them easily and smoothly.

Replace a replacement cartridge

When installing any cartridge, you need to watch so that the protrusions on it are identical to the protrusions on the mixer.

To purchase a new cartridge in a store, you need to know the brand and size of the old one. it’s even better to just bring a failed part with you so that sellers can pick up an identical

Disc cartridges are rarely required to be replaced since they last up to 10 years. But faucets with such an expense are not cheap, although they fully justify themselves.

Mixer Care: How to Extend Your Service Life

A little bit about how to move the mixer repair for a long time. One of the simple solutions is to monitor the quality of the water supplied to the mixer using modern mechanical cleaning filters.Solids of sand and pebbles will not spoil the details, and they will work much longer.

Recommended Installation coarse filters at the beginning of the fork in the water supply of the home. Today, a self-washing filter is available to the consumer. All filtered sediments from it are sent directly to the sewer.

The ability to install a large filter is not always there. Where it is not there, the mixer itself is connected to the connecting faucets, where cleaning filters are already integrated.

There are filters that help reduce water hardness. This is important for faucets made of ceramics, as they suffer more than others due to the presence of salt deposits in the water.

And finally, advice from experienced plumbers. If the pipes are humming when the mixer is turned on, you need to check how well they are fixed and, if necessary, fix them with clamps.

In some cases, the buzz is due to high pressure in the pipes, then you will need to install a special gear to reduce the pressure. Often this noise is caused by the deterioration of the valve gaskets, after replacement it disappears.

Our site has an entire article on the issue. buzzing pipes, we recommend reading it.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Before the upcoming gasket replacement it will be useful to watch the following video:

In some cases, problems with the faucets are a misplaced sink or the wrong model. Most of the troubles can be solved on their own, but if difficulties arise, it is better to call the plumbing - professional advice or repairs have not bothered anyone.

Please leave your comments, share the experience of using and repairing faucets, ask questions in the block below. We are always ready to clarify incomprehensible points and help in solving the problem.