Leaving a leaky faucet alone can waste a lot of water in a single day. Actually, it can lead to wasting three gallons of water daily. So, if you care about the water bill and the environment, of course, you should be able to fix the leaking faucet right away.
To start with, you need a set of tools that you can use to make the job a lot easier. The tools include 1/8-inch Allen wrench, tongue-and-groove pliers, needle-nose pliers, and screwdriver. Basically, this is considered by many to be a very simple DIY fixing job that you can do all by yourself. Here are some basic fixing methods that you can mimic alone or with a partner.
1. Shutting Down Water Supply
The water supply should be closed in order to avoid messing up the job you are trying to accomplish. For this reason, you need to check out the location of the valve that may often be under the sink. If possible, you can turn off the entire supply for the whole house to keep the water supply out of the way when you’re doing your job. After which, you can check if still there are water left along the pipes by opening another set of faucet.
2. Taking Off the Handle
Removing the handle is easy. You only need to take of the screw cover first. Then, you must use an Allen wrench or screwdriver to remove the screw. After doing this, you have to lift the handle off to easily remove the handle.
3. Replacing Seats and Springs
Try to look at the adjusting ring when you are going to replace the springs and seats. If you are going to replace the faucet due to some obvious leaks, you can do it from there. Simply tighten the adjusting ring using a needle-nose plier. However, if the leaks still prevail, you have to replace the springs and seats of the faucet.
4. Removing the Cap
You have to unscrew and remove the adjusting ring. After this, you have to unscrew the cap by putting a piece of cloth over the cap. This will improve the grip. You also need unscrew it with the tongue-and-groove pliers. Just don’t use too much pressure in removing the cap as it is prone to bending.
5. Replacing the Cam and Packing
Look out for the round metal stem and pull it out. This action will enable the removal of components, such as the ball and the cam and packing piece. After determining the cause of leaks from the faucet, you should replace the cam and packing to resolve the leak.
6. Removing the Seats and Spring
Check out the valve and you will be amazed to see the mechanism called the seats and springs. The tiny circular part is referred to as the seat, while the other one is called the spring that is located below the seat. If possible, you can use an Allen wrench to pry out the seats and spring. This should be done in both hot and cold water.
7. Inserting New Seat and Spring
Try to insert new replacements for the seat and spring into the holes. You also need to thread one set onto the Allen wrench via the flat side of the seat. Then, you should be able to use it on the spring’s skinny edge. Make sure that you use a wrench to tip the seat and spring into the tiny hole inside the valve. You can follow the same procedure with the other set.
8. Replacing the Ball Assembly
When fixing a problem like this, it is important to align the pin and valve into the slot of the ball.
9. Replacing the Cam and Packaging
In doing this, you must be able to align the tab on the cam with the corresponding slot on the valve.
10. Screwing the Cap on the Valve
By using only your own hands, you will be able to screw the cap on the holding. You can also replace the adjusting ring. Simply tighten it using the needle-nose pliers. Then you can now reinstall the handle.
11. Turning Water Supply Back
After installing the components in place, you can now test by turning on your water supply. This will ensure that you have fixed the leak after doing the routine.
Delta faucet can leak over time as water will eventually begin to drip. If you are faced with this dilemma, you should be able to respond to this emergency right away. Otherwise, you will definitely incur more water waste. Aside from taking care of the bill, you can also do a favor for the environment through conservation of water.
12. Investigate Any Warranty Coverage
Before personally dealing with repairs on Delta faucet leaking, make sure that it has already gone by the warranty period. Otherwise, you can void the warranty and the worst part is that you can ruin the faucet all by yourself. If it is still under warranty, you can call on the customer service personnel to address the problem that you have at home. Simply show them the proof of purchase or original sales receipt.
The transaction will only be valid if the purchase was actually made from Delta Faucet Company. You should also be aware that there are certain limits that have been stipulated under the law. If the faucet has already been over the warranty period, it is time to do your own stuff. You should be able to know which components would require fixing in the first place.
If you require help for this task, you can ask a buddy to accompany you to complete the job. Likewise, parts of the faucet should only be made by Delta because it can assure that components are compatible when you try to fix it yourself. This is very important so that you can’t waste precious time and money when dealing with such problems at home. You can also seek the advice of professionals in doing this task so that you won’t cause any more harm than good.
