How many nights have you and your family spent up listening to the stubbornly demonic dripping of a leaky faucet? It's true that they say the persistent "drip.. drip.. drip" can cause more damage to one's psyche and outlook on life than any potential physical water damage. Plus, those leaky faucets are money coming straight out of your pocket all day, right? Well, no need to worry anymore, because help is finally here. And the best part, you ask? The best part is that this help is free. We're here to help, folks, and we're going to start with one of the most basic plumbing problems within today's modern world.
Contrary to popular belief, not all leaks are so complex that only a plumber is capable of fixing them. All that is really necessary is a good head on your shoulders, some elbow grease, strong fingers, and potentially a simple visit to a local or online plumbing supply store. Some fixes, including this one, don't even require the use of any tools! So how about we stop inviting that food-guzzling hulk of a Man-Tank you know as Joe The Plumber over for supper and quick pipe fix, and start with the basics. It's OK, folks, the wife doesn't have to worry about burning the honey ham tonight. We got this one.
Most leaky faucets are a simple 1-part fix. Turns out, this small part is probably the cheapest plumbing part (and repair-part in general as it is used in many other instances including automobile construction as well as anything generally controlling the flow of any liquid) known to man. Lucky us! I am talking about the O-Ring. The small, rubber liquid-stopper we all place in, on, or around simple pipe fixtures, contraptions, and thingamajigs to stop the flow of liquid. Because these pieces are made of rubber and are in direct contact with water pretty much every minute of every day, they are usually the quickest to start failing or falling apart. If you've recently moved into an apartment, bought a used faucet at a thrift store, or if the brand-new faucet you bought a couple years ago is finally starting to pack some years under its belt, it is most likely this is the problem.
The repair process is unbelievably easy. I'm going to assume your faucet is a standard faucet, used for normal human things like washing hands, dishes, and simply controlling the flow of water in general. This incorporates everything from the oldest of faucets to the latest, high-tech, motion-sensing, auto-soaping contraptions so complex they make you giddy. If you indeed are neither a colonist from the 1500's, nor a cyborg from the year 2304, then you fit within this category. Right at the tip of the spout is a small circular device called an Aerator. The first step is to unscrew and remove this device by twisting it counter-clockwise. On the inside of this aerator, you should see a small, black rubber ring. Remove this ring and replace it with a new one. If necessary, take it into your local hardware or plumbing store just to make sure you get the right size. Once you have this replaced and fitting snugly within the aerator, simply screw it back on (clockwise this time!) to your faucet and you'll be leak free and sleeping soundly once again for quite a few years to come.
