Help! My kitchen faucet won’t turn off

Picture it: You’re in your kitchen and you’re finally done washing dishes. You go to turn the faucet off, but…water just keeps flowing. Or maybe you’re in your bathroom washing your hands, you turn the sink off and turn to leave but…still, water!

Sound familiar? There’s a few reasons this could be happening:

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• Your faucet handle is stripped
• The handle stem needs a new washer
• The handle’s seat needs replacing

Good news: These fixes are relatively easy. That being said, you still need some patience, some tools and some mechanical skills. If you don’t have those, save yourself some time and give us a call.

First things first, turn your water flow off.

Open the cabinet under your sink and look below the faucet. There should be two wall-mounted valves – one says “C,” for cold, one says “H,” for hot – and you should turn both of them to the OFF position. (If you don’t have these valves, we’re unsure how you’ve gotten this far.)

Problem #1: Your faucet handle is stripped.

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Does your faucet handle seem to spin uncontrollably when you try to turn it? That’s a key sign that your faucet is stripped. Handles are joined to stems with small threads, giving you the ability to turn the handle; over time these threads may corrode and strip out. This corrosion leaves your handle unable to control the water supply.

How to fix it: For the most part, replacing the handle should do the trick. Save yourself the time and headache and buy both handles at the same time and replace them both. (Unless you have a one-handle faucet. Then buy one.) You might need to buy a new stem as well.

Handles can be difficult to separate from the faucet (they may require a special kind of wrench, or they might be corroded into the faucet), so we recommend calling the pros (us!) to remove the handles and inspect for any stripped threads.

Problem #2: Your handle’s stem needs a new washer.

Your faucet’s stem uses a washer to distribute the pressure from the screw so it doesn’t loosen over time. But if the stem hasn’t been lubricated, the washer might crack or tear – meaning your handle can’t shut off the water.

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How to fix it: Contact us. We’ll remove the handle, inspect the stem, and make sure everything’s lubricated and has a functioning washer.

Problem #3: Your handle’s seat needs replacing.

The seat is a small part inside the faucet’s handle which helps it turn. Think about how many times per day you use your faucet…those stems get serious wear and tear! It might need to be replaced.

How to fix it: Again, contact us. We might sand the handle’s seat smooth, or we’ll replace it entirely.

So… Should you repair your sink? Or replace it?

This is a very common question with a pretty simple answer. If you like your sink, and it’s relatively new (less than 7-10 years old) and you’re only experiencing one of the problems above, you can just repair it.

If your faucet’s older than 10 years, has more than one of the above problems and you don’t like the look of it, it’s cheaper to replace it. Get the sink of your dreams that looks and acts like it!

Call the Pros for all your plumbing needs!

(239) 261-1000

ptpnaples.com

Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Kitchens