How to Fix a Leaky Faucet, Part 1

When it comes to plumbing problems, a simple thing like a leaky faucet can be such a pain. Its constant dripping noise can keep you up at night. In the next few posts, I will describe how to fix it:

Before you start be sure to shut off the water under the sink, close the sink drain and cover it with a rag to catch dropped parts. You’ll also want to tape the jaws of your wrench with a layer of duct tape to avoid scratching the fixture. It may also be a good idea to find a place to lay out parts in the order of their removal as well as get some distilled white vinegar and a soft scouring pad to remove mineral deposits on faucet parts.

There are four types of faucets. (If you are unsure as to which one you have, you can quickly Google the terms for pictures.) I will describe how to fix each in the next few blog posts. Let’s start with your standard compression faucet.

Compression Faucets

A leaky compression faucet is the result of faulty seat washers. You can easily replace them. Pry off the decorative cap on the handle, remove the handle screw, pull off the handle and, using a crescent wrench, unscrew the packing nut. Unscrew the stem, then remove and replace the seat washer held in place by a brass screw. You’ll then want to coat the washers with a nontoxic, heat-proof plumber’s grease. Remove the stem for the packing nut and replace the o-ring. Make sure to get the correct size of o-ring, as they range from 3/8 – 5/8 inch. Coat the new o-ring with the plumber’s grease and then reassemble the faucet and tighten the packing nut.

Now, if you’ve done all that and the faucet still continues to leak, it’s possible the seat may be pitted. To fix this, remove the stem and smoothly grind the valve seat with a valve-seat dresser – a tool you will temporarily screw down into the faucet.

Stay tuned and I’ll talk about ball-type faucets.

Stopping a Flood Before it Destroys Your Home

It can be a scary thing when a pipe breaks and your home starts to flood. Immediately you might panic, as water starts gushing everywhere. You need to be prepared for when this happens. Especially now, during the winter, because before long any frozen pipes will begin to thaw. And if they have a crack in them, you’ll know soon enough what we mean by this. Sam Mechanical offers emergency plumbing repair services, however we want you to know what to do to stop the flood before we get there. What you should do right now, is take a moment to locate all the shut off valves in your home. That way when there is a leak, you can stop the water at it’s source before it destroys anything.

• Whole house shutoff:

For a home served by a well, the shutoff will be on the house side of the pressure tank. What you should also do is cut power to the tank so it doesn't detect a phantom pressure loss and burn out trying to compensate. If your home has metered water, look for the shutoff on either side of the water meter.

• Whole house hot water shutoff:

There should be a valve on your hot water heater to turn off the water. If there is not, call a professional to install one.

• Toilet shutoff:

There should be a ribbed oval handle under the toilet tank.

• Sink shutoffs:

These should be directly underneath the sink, with one for hot and one for cold water. In the case of any leaks, shut both of them off.

• Dishwasher shutoff:

This is usually located under the sink. Look for a valve leading from the dishwasher. If it is not there and you have a basement, look between the ceiling joists, just beneath the appliance.

• Clothes washer shutoff:

There should be valves where the house-supply lines meet the washer hoses.

As with any pipe leak or plumbing emergency, it is best to call a professional right away. At Sam Mechanical we have over 15 years experience and are here to come to your rescue immediately.

Find a Plumber When You Need It!

Any homeowner can benefit from knowing a few plumbing professionals who do a good job, especially in the case of an emergency at your house. Find out how to find a local pipe expert before you even officially need one.

Most homeowners experience some type of plumbing emergency at one point, especially if their house is older. Of course, a toilet that does not flush, a sink that constantly leaks, or a flood are all problems that need to be fixed immediately. This means that rather than wait for an emergency to find a plumber, you should try to get the contact information of one before anything occurs. This way, you will be ready to call someone as soon as anything happens. Find out where to go to find a good pipe fixing professional as soon as possible.

One of the best ways to locate a plumbing professional is to ask people you know about who they have used in the past. Friends, family, and neighbors should have a few suggestions for local pipe experts, as they might have had an issue with a toilet, sink, or unexpected flood since these are all common problems. Get a short list of people who have done a good job in the past, and keep in mind the names of plumbers who have done a subpar job so that you know to stay away from them.

You can also read reviews online for pipe experts near you, especially if you do not know anyone who lives in your area that would give you the contact information for a good plumber. Use a search engine to look up the names of people in your city who have a pipe business, and then search for reviews on them. You should find sites that allow homeowners to rate plumbers they have used, or leave specific feedback. This way, you know who to call, and who to avoid.

Some cities also have Internet forums or websites that allow residents to discuss issues relevant to their area. This is a great place for people to go to make recommendations about local vendors. Even if you do not see any reviews for plumbers in your area, you should feel free to ask others on the site for names and contact information of people you should use for your pipe problem.

Find the Best Plumber

Plumbing can be a big issue and if it is something moderate to major, it is probably not advisable for even the most savoy of do it yourselfers to take on. So it is important that you try and find a good plumber that can take care of the problem for you so you can avoid any kind of major damage.

If you have never needed a plumber before it might seem like a daunting task to take on and you may not know the best way to find one. It can be a difficult job and a lot of people do not take the time to do any kind of research and generally go with the first name they see in their area.

This however; is not always the best way to find yourself a good and reliable professional to take care of your problem. You could end up paying far too much and you put yourself at risk for poor work and may not be up to the required standards.

Having a checklist to go buy is always a good idea beginning with word of mouth at the top of the list. If a plumber has a good reputation is generally due to the good word about his or her skills that are spread around by the customer. So the first thing to do is to start asking your family, friends and even neighbors about who they use for plumbing problems. If that does not work, you can always contact plumbing service providers who can give references.

It is important to take into consideration how long the company has been in business and what type of training they have had and does that training meet the requirements for your plumbing situation. Make sure that the company advertising what they specialize in and do not pick one that does not mention work that is related to your problem.

Price is very important when you are trying to make a decision for plumbing services. The best thing you can do is probably call several different plumbers around town and get some general prices from them and then take the average of the different quotes so that you can have some sort of idea on how much you should be being charged by an individual.

The Satisfaction of Emergency Pipe Repair

A broken pipe can unexpectedly burst at any time and cause a huge mess in your home. It is hard to know what to do right away when you have water leaking everywhere and many times people begin to panic. Luckily, there are places in Stony Brook that have emergency pipe repair.

Emergency pipe repair means that a qualified and trained professional will come out to your home to fix the broken pipe almost immediately. Water that is draining out of a corrupted pipe can cause a lot of damage if left unchecked. Ruined floors, walls, furniture and many other precious possessions in your home can become soaked and broken if you don’t have the number of emergency plumbing services in Stony Brook.

Make sure to find quality plumbing services and always have their number ready just in case this situation happens. Many people don’t think about plumbing problems happening to them but when they do you will want a phone number ready on hand so that plumbing specialists can be contacted and be in your service immediately. Also, check to see if your insurance covers the costs for plumbing repairs so you don’t have to foot the bill, but get the satisfaction of a quickly fixed pipe.