Modern manufacturers offer a wide variety of faucets and elements of plumbing systems that can be various designs, with one or another type of mechanism, of any quality. Even if the highest quality products were chosen, sooner or later everything may become unusable and a situation where flowing mixer, is familiar to many.
When a faucet begins to leak, the first thing to determine is the type of valve. If you have an ordinary faucet installed that screws on, most likely it has a rubber gasket installed in it. Such gaskets are installed in inexpensive models, but if the faucet belongs to a more expensive category, or we are talking about a single-grip joystick faucet, then it has a ceramic liner. But ceramics rarely fail.
First you need to carefully consider where and how the water flows. If water flows from the tap, then the problem is gasket, which just needs to be replaced. To do this, shut off the cold and hot water, unscrew the valve using an adjustable wrench. If the surface of the valve is nickel-plated or coated, it is advisable to wrap the jaws of the key with a cloth so as not to leave unsightly scratches on the surface of the parts. If the valves are tightened too tightly, you will have to use a second wrench to hold the pipe so that it does not end up being torn off.
After everything is unscrewed, you need to find the rubber gasket, which is located at the end of the faucet (the locking element in the mixer handle, which can also be replaced if necessary). You need to unscrew it, but if this is difficult to do, you can soak it in WD40 or kerosene. In addition to replacing the gasket, you can clean the valve itself, which definitely won’t hurt, and then screw it back in.
Tow was once used for sealing, and many plumbers still use it today. But more the best option technological materials will become available - this could be Tangit thread or fum tape. If thread is used, it must be wound in two passes - first in the grooves along the thread, and then along the protrusions of the threaded thread. If fum tape is used, it must be wound in 5-6 layers, making sure that the winding goes exclusively in the direction of tightening the thread. Otherwise, when trying to screw in the valve, the winding will be unwound.
Plumbing equipment is an integral part of the residential water supply system. The most common breakdown is a leaking faucet or mixer. You can fix leaks with the help of professionals or with your own hands. The main thing is to execute necessary work it is required quickly enough so as not to flood your apartment and the apartment of your neighbors located on the floor below.
Causes of leaks
The main causes of faucet leakage are:
- low quality product. Experts recommend purchasing mixers from the world's leading manufacturers, for example, the German company Hansgrohe or the Italian company Gessi. Large companies with many years of experience works supply high quality and reliable equipment;
- use of rubber gaskets as sealing elements. The most durable are seals made of silicone or paronite;
- entry of contaminated water into the mixer from. To extend the service life of plumbing products, it is recommended to install filters for water purification;
- water hardness, which contributes to the formation of various deposits on the main parts of the mixer, which leads to breakdown of the product.
If you eliminate everything possible reasons formation of breakdowns, then high-quality mixers serve long time and do not require constant repairs.
Fixing leaks yourself
Currently, the most common types of mixers are:
- ball (single lever). Water adjustment is done with one handle located in the middle of the device;
- two-valve. Standard device with two taps for regulating cold and hot water.
Troubleshooting ball mixers
To identify the cause of leakage of ball valves, it is necessary to carefully inspect the device. Water can be supplied:
- from the mixer body. This phenomenon indicates the presence of a crack on the body, which may be formed due to a manufacturing defect or mechanical impact. For immediate removal, you can use or cold welding. But this measure is temporary: a faucet with a crack must be replaced;
For two-valve mixers, this breakdown can be corrected in a similar way.
- from the junction points of individual parts of the mixer. Most often, the problem lies in the wear of the o-rings, which must be replaced. If there is a leak ball valve after replacing the gaskets the problem is not resolved, then the cartridge will need to be replaced.
To replace the gaskets in the mixer body, you must:
- shut off the flow of water into the plumbing fixture. Most often, you can shut off the water supply directly in the apartment. To do this, taps are installed before wiring begins. If there are no such taps, then you need to contact the Housing Office or management company to shut off water in the basement;
- open the taps so that the water in the device flows out;
- dismantling the old gasket. In order to remove a sealing ring that has become unusable, it is enough to unscrew the leaking faucet element;
- installing a new gasket and assembling the mixer.
Different gaskets are used for each component of the mixer. To correctly select a new O-ring, you need to know dimensions gasket installed in one or another part of the product.
To replace the cartridge, you need to do the following:
- turn off and drain the water from the plumbing equipment;
- remove the decorative plug located on the mixer handle;
- Use a screwdriver to loosen the fixing screw and remove the lever;
- remove the retaining ring that secures the cartridge to the mixer body;
- remove the cartridge. If you cannot loosen the cartridge by hand, you can use an adjustable wrench;
- Install the new device and reassemble the mixer in the reverse order.
Since faucet cartridges are not standard, it is advisable to purchase a new device based on a sample taken from a plumbing product.
Process self-replacement The mixer cartridge is discussed in detail in the video.
Troubleshooting a two-handle faucet
The main causes of valve tap leakage are:
- aging or destruction of o-rings;
- failure of the crane axle box.
We have already familiarized ourselves with replacing o-rings. To fix the second problem, you need to:
- turn off the water;
- remove the decorative trim from the mixer tap;
- loosen the screw located under the decorative trim. The screw is a fixing device for the axle box;
- Unscrew the valve axle using an adjustable or open-end wrench;
- replace the gasket or the device itself, depending on the detected problem;
- Reassemble the faucet in reverse order.
Faucet leaks must be monitored constantly. It should be remembered that even a small leak, if not repaired in a timely manner, can lead to serious consequences.
The most frequent breakdown problem encountered in the bathroom is when the faucet leaks. It is difficult to ignore how it progresses, since the irritating sounds of drops do not stop day or night. Moreover, your finances will literally flow down the sink, as water consumption will increase and the meter readings will increase noticeably.
There is no need to turn a blind eye to problems with the mixer; they can only get worse over time.
Repairing a bathroom faucet yourself is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. You just need to figure out which one you have - single lever or with valve heads. Repairing each of them involves certain nuances.
This is the type that is most often used in the modern world, since their wear resistance is higher than that of the faucets of the “past” - with valve heads. But periodically they also fail. How to fix a faucet in a bathroom of this type?
Faucet leaking
Most often it is caused by small debris that gets clogged between the discs or balls and the ball sleeve. Repair of the mixer in this case is carried out by replacing the cartridge:
- it is necessary to remove the decorative plug (the handle that regulates the cold/hot water supply);
- underneath there is a screw that needs to be unscrewed;
- the screw secures the handle, which, after unscrewing it, is removed;
- under the handle there are upper and lower nuts, the last of which secures the cartridge, so we take it out and replace the old cartridge with a new one.
Reassemble in reverse order.
When buying a new cartridge, it is better to take the old one with you and compare them, as they vary different types and sizes.
Scheme of a single-lever mixer
Weak stream of water
Perhaps the most easily repaired defect for a bathroom faucet. Weak pressure usually caused by clogged aerator. To make the water jet powerful again, just unscrew the aerator and clean the aerator mesh. Sometimes you just need to shake it, and sometimes you need to remove it. small particles, plaque, rust with a needle or other sharp object.
Simultaneous flow of water to the shower and drain
The reason for such a malfunction of the bathroom faucet is most often the wear of the rubber spool seals located in the switch. There are two of them, so to get to them from both sides and replace them, you will have to tinker:
- disconnect the hose;
- remove the spout;
- unscrew the adapter;
- remove the decorative plug, unscrew the screw and remove the cartridge;
- remove the spool itself from the mixer body;
- Replace the spool rubber rings with new ones.
By the way, they are not sold at the market or in stores. It is extremely difficult to buy them secondhand. Typically, spare rubber rings come with a new faucet, so when purchasing it, save them and do not lose them.
Push Button Switch Problems
If you cannot switch the water supply to the shower because the switch button is stuck, this means that the spring in it has broken. It can be freely purchased in stores and is easy to change.
If you notice that the faucet in the bathroom is leaking in the area of the push-button switch, then you need to:
- unscrew the button, and then the switch itself (a wrench will help you);
- pull up the exhaust rod;
- replace worn rubber gaskets with new ones;
- grease them with oil;
- collect everything in reverse order.
Repair of a mixer with two valve heads
The design of such a mixer is simpler, and therefore easier to repair when breakdowns occur. Here are the most common ones.
Faucet leaking
First of all, remove the decorative cap with a slotted screwdriver. After that, unscrew the screw with a Phillips screwdriver. Next we are dealing with a nickel barrel, which the main thing is not to damage when unscrewing. To dismantle it, use a gas or adjustable wrench. Then we unscrew the crane box and change the rubber gasket.
You can buy it, or you can cut it yourself from a sheet of rubber, the thickness of which is at least 4 mm. In the latter case, be prepared for the fact that this will not last long, and the tap will flow again. Cutting the gasket yourself is more of a temporary step until you can purchase a factory gasket.
Shower switch broken
The repair scheme is utterly simple:
- disassemble the mixer;
- identify the broken element;
- we change it.
Disassembling the faucet is only half the battle. The main thing is to put it back together.
Water dripping from the tap
This could be due to two reasons:
- wear of rubber gaskets;
- defect of the conical plug.
In the first case, it is enough to replace the rubber gaskets. How this is done has already been discussed several times.
If you encounter the second problem, then you need to install a new conical plug.
3. Prevention of minor breakdowns: what to do to avoid faucet breakdown?
In order not to bring the matter to repair, it is enough to follow following rules when working with a mixer:
- open and close it all the way, but without making any special effort (if you feel that it can’t turn any further, you don’t need to push);
- periodically disassemble the mixer and lubricate it with oil (thus increasing its service life by 3-4 times);
- install a water filter that will prevent various debris from entering the mixer mechanism.
Anyone with average ingenuity, who has free time and can think logically can figure out how to fix a bathroom faucet.
