You will need faucet replacement parts whenever your faucet becomes too old to function properly or so grimy that you just can’t take its appearance anymore. You need to consider the size and the finish of the replacement parts. Always make sure that they will match the overall appearance of your bathroom or kitchen. You do not have to worry about the costs because typically, replacement parts for your faucet are very affordable.
Common Faucet Replacement Parts
These parts are the usual suspects whenever you have a leaky faucet. You need these parts at home if you want to end your faucet troubles quickly.
- Gaskets or O-rings are essential parts made from rubber or metal and their job is to make the joints in a faucet assembly watertight.
- Faucet stems are the main parts that control how water flows out of the aerator or spout. Stems are arguably the most abused parts of a faucet and they can be prone to wear and tear.
- Stem or Bibb screw fastens the rubber washers tightly to the stem assembly.
Infrequently Used Faucet Replacement Parts
These are parts that are rarely replaced or it may be that these parts are only used for certain types of faucets.
- Faucet diaphragms, like rubber washers, also control the flow of water. They cover the lower parts of the stem, but they are used only in certain types of faucets
- Springs are essential in cartridge type faucets. They are attached to the rubber washer to ensure that the faucet is watertight.
- Faucet metal discs are used in faucets that do not have washers. They can be replaced or reinforced by rubber valves.
Other Things to Prepare When Replacing Faucet Parts
It’s not just replacement parts that you need to prepare, you need tools to get the work done. You will need a wrench, a vise grip, and maybe a screw driver. Typically, plumbers use a monkey wrench to loosen the nuts and bolts. Meanwhile, you will need a vise grip to clamp tight objects that need to be turned or loosened. As for a screw driver, there are screws in the faucet assembly that need to be turned.
If you think that your problem is caused by a defective faucet seat, then you would need a seat dresser. This tool is used to even out or reface the surface of non-replaceable faucet seats.
Once you have all the required replacement parts and tools within easy reach, do not forget to turn off the main valves that feed water into the faucet. This ensures that you don’t get wet while fixing your troublesome faucet. Begin removing the parts that will be replaced. To make things easy for you when reassembling the parts, line all the faucet parts in the order that you have removed them.
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Before taking the faucet apart, it's a good idea to put in the waste plug incase you drop any parts,you don't want to take the waste apart as well do you?