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Short Summary
Main recommendation: Fix a dripping single-handle faucet yourself by following six steps: gather tools, shut off the water, remove the handle, replace the worn washer and spring, reassemble, and test. The speaker says this is a job a homeowner can usually handle, and that calling a plumber may be needed if the problem persists after rechecking. The video is framed around avoiding the cost of a plumber, including emergency fees.
Key Points
- The six steps the title promises are: (1) Gather necessary tools, (2) Turn off the water to the sink, (3) Remove the sink handle, (4) Replace washer/packing nut, (5) Reassemble and assess, (6) Plumber guarantees (check everything).
- Diagnose which side is leaking by turning off one side at a time and watching whether the faucet stops dripping; in the demo, the cold side was the source.
- The worn parts are usually a small rubber washer and the spring beneath it, which sit in a hole about a finger deep.
- If the problem remains after rechecking, the speaker suggests possible causes such as the wrong spring, washer, or cartridge, or failure to reassemble correctly, and says a plumber may then be needed.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions:
- Gather a screwdriver, adjustable wrench, needle-nose pliers (optional), and a pick tool. Have a rag ready to set parts on and protect the countertop.
- Turn off the water at the angle stop under the sink. Test each side by turning one off and watching for drips; the speaker turned off hot first, then cold, and the drip stopped on the cold side.
- Unscrew the handle with a screwdriver and set it on a rag to avoid scratching or chipping the stainless steel countertop.
- Check that the packing nut is snug. Grip it with an adjustable wrench without squeezing too hard, and use a strap wrench when possible instead of an adjustable wrench.
- Before fully opening the valve, let any remaining pressure drain out; he left it uncovered on purpose to show what happens, though a rag held around it would catch the water.
- Pull the cartridge out and inspect its bottom for scratches or damage. Use the pick to remove the round rubber washer and spring from the hole, pulling carefully so you don't scratch the brass inside.
- Replace the spring and washer. Check the spring: one end is tapered, and the tapered end goes into the washer. Do not force the larger end in.
- Optionally apply a little heat-proof grease to the washer and the cartridge O-ring.
- Confirm the washer moves slightly when pushed up and down and sits in its hole.
- Orient the cartridge by matching the notches and the flat side of the washer to the handle direction. Hot and cold caps are marked and must face the correct side.
- Tighten the cap nut by hand until snug, then add a small turn with the adjustable wrench until it touches. Do not over-tighten.
- Turn the water back on slowly, then check all around the handle for leaks.
- If you can't get it working, recheck the steps, then consider calling a plumber.
- The speaker warns that a faulty washer in the angle stop can cause a flood when you pull the cartridge apart, so make sure the water is fully off first. The speaker warns you must turn off the water at the angle stop under the sink, and emphasizes shutting off water outside the meter if there's a bad angle stop washer causing a flood risk.
- The speaker says a dripping faucet can waste tens of thousands of gallons of water a year, citing a "drip calculator" he references, and notes that most calls to plumbers happen at night, when emergency fees can apply.
- The speaker says he tries not to use an adjustable wrench on the packing nut unless necessary, and sometimes uses a strap wrench instead.
Bottom Line
A dripping faucet is often a simple washer and spring repair that a careful homeowner can do with basic tools, provided the water is shut off first and the parts are reassembled in the correct orientation.
