Of all the videos on here for this, you are the easiest to understand and you actually tell people to TURN OFF THE WATER SUPPLY... lol... thanks for all the detail. I'll be using this for my much needed leak repair!!
You are my hero! It went almost as you demonstrated. I did need a specialized tool to remove the value since mine was stuck further back into the wall and I couldn't get my adjustable wrench to reach it. The tool is just a set of hexagon sockets in assorted sizes made, of course, especially for value removal. ($20 at Lowe's) Six months of a dripping tub fixed for under $25 in 15 minutes!!! Thanks for a great, simple and informative video.
Thnx much!!!... Though my faucet had different configuration of washer sitting deep with spring on it I was able to stop the leak. Couple of years ago I paid a plumber $130 bucks for exactly the same fix. Today it cost me $ 3.99 for washer and couple of hours. Thnx again The ShopGeek!!! :)
What a perfect video! Exactly the right details and tips. The only thing that would have helped me more would have been if you were making the video while fixing my taps! We are leak free. Many thanks
Watched this video for a similar problem. My faucet was leaking a pretty steady flow though. Got a look at the stem and it somehow had the end with the screw broken off. Went to the hardware store and got a new one. Still a very helpful video!
This was great info, plumbers was trying to charge me crazy money to do this job for me and the shop geek saved me alot of California gas money! thanks shop geek, i will buy you lunch if your ever in Cali..... Craig M. Los Angeles,Ca.
I want to THANK TheShopGeek for this easy step by step video. I am a woman and where able to do this, ALL I had to do is go buy the washers @ Lowe's for $1.98.
Thanks mate really helped me out I have now do it myself and will do all the rest around the house that my neighbour didn't do- single aussie female and fulltime dad carer Namaste Lisa
This is a set of waltec bath faucets;when working on them is good to check the seats inside the faucets once you have removed the cartridges to see if they are rough.use a flashlight and look inside the holes where you have removed the cartridges; if they look rough it is worth your while to change these while you have the cartridges out.You will need a 5/16th allen wrench to remove them.When looking for the waltec seats;you will be looking for the LONG bath seats by waltec.Good Luck.
@tenz123 The single handle faucets have a small cartridge inside that contains all the washers. You can turn off the water, remove this cartridge and bring it to your local home store - they'll have replacements for it. Most manufacturers have a lifetime warranty for these so the cartridge is usually free.
I'm afraid you'll likely need to open the wall. However, if you are lucky, it might just be the shower arm leaking when you take a shower. You can unscrew the shower arm by twisting it counter-clockwise. Clean the threads, put some teflon tape on the threads, then screw it back in carefully. If that doesn't work then the wall needs to be open. You can save tiles by opening the drywall on the other side of the shower instead of knocking out the tiles (if accessible).
@TheShopGeek Thanks again. I would like to have Mike Holmes evaluate this situation.Second "buddy" plumber came out and checked inside faucets. Said he's a licensed plumber but works for water company.Got stumped on one question I asked about 40" pipe in wall from spicket to faucets. Said he never saw this problem before.I think his plumbing degree came from his imagination or quick course in "damage control" for not finding the cause of problem. Still trickles when shut off. Yikes!
@BonTonRule Rusty water is common when the water is turned off and on - it's sediment in the hot water tank. That's why you should always cook with cold water! As far as the faucet, it really sounds like it has been damaged in some way. I'm not sure what is meant by "stretching the springs". I would call for a second plumber at this point to inspect the fixture.
@gangstaish1000 No, the single knob showers use a cartridge that slides out instead. These usually have a lifetime warranty, but you need to bring the bad cartridge to Home Depot / Rona / Lowes to get the replacement.
Thanks. Excellent video and repair job. You know your stuff, unlike some people I know. Question: Would running steaming hot water through the shower pipe with a garden hose attached to pressure washer to clean outside house cause washer,seat,etc in faucet to be damaged? If so, what would it do? Would it cause shower head to leak,and faucet to drip after turning off water? :)
@kornkake It's best to get the same size. I find a tiny bit of difference isn't really important, but a full size difference can result in more leaks. You don't want to go bigger - if you can't find an exact match, go slightly smaller so nothing gets jammed in the valve.
If the screw is completely stripped, it's usually simpler to buy a replacement cartridge. Take the existing one to a hardware store so they can get you an exact match.
@BonTonRule He did do a good job resealing the plates around faucets and removing my hand held shower hose and replacing it with a new shower head.Nothing changed on faucets trickling and dripping when off however. Hinted that problem could be in pipes sealed in the wall or faucet fixture.Said the water would stop trickling after a while. Asked why the faucets on lavatory stop immediately after they are turned off since that is how the tub faucets used to be.No answer. Thanks for all
@jdkrs19 it sounds like the stem itself could be damaged, or the valve seat is worn out. You can buy a tool called a "valve seat dresser" to grind the seat smooth again or attempt to replace the seat itself using a seat removal tool. This is more advanced work so you might want to have a plumber's phone number on standby in case anything goes wrong.
@8owensc With a bit of luck the washer replacement will be all you need. However, sometimes the valve seat is worn out, and sometimes the vavle itself just won't close all the way anymore due to corrosion or scale build-up. I would start with a washer replacement as a test since it is so cheap and if that doesn't work then take the valve itself to the hardware store and try a full replacement.
@BonTonRule It sounds like this is turning into a Mike Holmes episode on you. Flushing too much pressure through the pipes could directly damage the washers and I've never heard of anyone manually adjusting a spring - just replacing it. Call an independent plumber for an inspection.
Did you ever post the videos for the alternate case mentioned at the beginning of the video: when the water is dripping from the knob and not the faucet? I've got that! :)
@TheShopGeek I think someone damaged the faucets or inner workings with extremely hot water using a pressure washer for several consecutive hours. A plumber allegedly "stretched the springs" in the faucets and it still leaks after turning faucets off. Brownish rusty looking water gushed out when plumber turned water back on. It's not fixed after plumber came to fix the original problem. It still doing the same thing. If garden hose is attached to machine how faucets get pressure?
@tenz123 Hello; There are a number of manufacturers that make single lever faucets. Moen and Delta re among the most common. I have made several videos on repairing that style of faucet if you are interested to find out how to repair it. Best of luck with your repair! Al
I have a leaky thermostatic shower, instead of leaking the least at zero, it leaks the least just "open" slightly. What should be Zero produces a steady trickle. The assembly looks similar to yours when I get the tap off. Is it just a washer do you think?
@TheShopGeek Thanks,SGeek. I am a woman dealing with some very dishonest people. The "springs" are according to a diagram are in front of the washer behind the faucet handles. Basically, I think it's just a cover story by a plumber paid to not see what a certain party doesn't want known. I know pressure washing occured and the shower pipe was likely tapped into to get hot water.This leakage problem occured coincidently after.So how could pressure going out damage them or hot water?
Hi, I have went passed all that you've done. I have changed the washer and the stem several times, but the water keeps on leaking. I have a 2 stem. 1 for hot and 1 for cold, and one for the adjustable pipe, for the bathtub or the shower head. The water keeps on leaking, so what could be the problem?
How would you go about replacing the shower diverter on a facet set like that? I have the same shower / tub set up as in this video and I can't find any information about replacing the diverter of this kind on the net.
How do I access the hexagonal bolt to remove it if it is a little over half an inch behind the ceramic tile and there's only a small square cut in the tile just large enough to see the bolt?
Great video but my problem is that after changing the washers the faucet still leaks...what could it be. I tried looking inside and there's a small circular opening, i h=guess wear the water comes out.....could it be that??? thanks
Not sure if this was answered but when I turn the hot water knob to shower, a stream of water seems to come out of that knob. It's hot water too! Dunno what to do. Please help!
@BonTonRule ShopGeek Have had low water pressure even before current leaking.New garden hose was used on pressure washer and has hardened and puffed out in places. Would cold water do that? Pressure washing was done while I was out of town. Trying to understand what could have happened to cause previously working faucets to leak.From showerhead to faucets is 19"-from faucets to tub spout is 40".Could this also be a problem? Help SGeek... Thanks.
Thanks for not being from "Expert Village!" God do those people suck! They post too many videos and they are hard to find in the order they should be. Why 10 videos to fix a leaky faucet? Goto Expert Village and find out. Great video by the way. Thank you, Sir!
"Contractor grade Plumbing"...LOL it sounds like quality but, actually it's probably the cheapest most non durable piece of junk on the market...for those who don't know what contractor grade means
This was great info, plumbers was trying to charge me crazy money to do this job for me and the shop geek saved me alot of California gas money! thanks shop geek, i will buy you lunch if your ever in Cali..... Craig M. Los Angeles,Ca.
Of all the videos on here for this, you are the easiest to understand and you actually tell people to TURN OFF THE WATER SUPPLY... lol... thanks for all the detail. I'll be using this for my much needed leak repair!!
You are my hero! It went almost as you demonstrated. I did need a specialized tool to remove the value since mine was stuck further back into the wall and I couldn't get my adjustable wrench to reach it. The tool is just a set of hexagon sockets in assorted sizes made, of course, especially for value removal. ($20 at Lowe's) Six months of a dripping tub fixed for under $25 in 15 minutes!!! Thanks for a great, simple and informative video.
Thnx much!!!... Though my faucet had different configuration of washer sitting deep with spring on it I was able to stop the leak. Couple of years ago I paid a plumber $130 bucks for exactly the same fix. Today it cost me $ 3.99 for washer and couple of hours. Thnx again The ShopGeek!!! :)
Great video, I fixed my leaky shower/tub faucets yesterday using this method and your instruction. Worked perfectly! Thanks for the help!!
thank you for this video...i watched it about 10 times and learned how to do this simple procedure but your explanation made it easy.
What a perfect video! Exactly the right details and tips. The only thing that would have helped me more would have been if you were making the video while fixing my taps! We are leak free. Many thanks
Watched this video for a similar problem. My faucet was leaking a pretty steady flow though. Got a look at the stem and it somehow had the end with the screw broken off. Went to the hardware store and got a new one. Still a very helpful video!
very nice and thorough video. My bath tub faucet is leaking and I am going to work on it this weekend. Thanks
This was great info, plumbers was trying to charge me crazy money to do this job for me and the shop geek saved me alot of California gas money! thanks shop geek, i will buy you lunch if your ever in Cali..... Craig M. Los Angeles,Ca.
I want to THANK TheShopGeek for this easy step by step video. I am a woman and where able to do this, ALL I had to do is go buy the washers @ Lowe's for $1.98.
Thanks mate really helped me out I have now do it myself and will do all the rest around the house that my neighbour didn't do- single aussie female and fulltime dad carer
Namaste Lisa
This is a set of waltec bath faucets;when working on them is good to check the seats inside the faucets once you have removed the cartridges to see if they are rough.use a flashlight and look inside the holes where you have removed the cartridges; if they look rough it is worth your while to change these while you have the cartridges out.You will need a 5/16th allen wrench to remove them.When looking for the waltec seats;you will be looking for the LONG bath seats by waltec.Good Luck.
@tenz123 The single handle faucets have a small cartridge inside that contains all the washers. You can turn off the water, remove this cartridge and bring it to your local home store - they'll have replacements for it. Most manufacturers have a lifetime warranty for these so the cartridge is usually free.
I like the wink at the end now i have the confidence to fix my shower
Worked like a charm and easy to understand... thank you!!
Thanks very much for the walkthrough, Michael. Worked out great for me! Cheers.
This guy is great with tutorials!
I'm afraid you'll likely need to open the wall. However, if you are lucky, it might just be the shower arm leaking when you take a shower. You can unscrew the shower arm by twisting it counter-clockwise. Clean the threads, put some teflon tape on the threads, then screw it back in carefully. If that doesn't work then the wall needs to be open. You can save tiles by opening the drywall on the other side of the shower instead of knocking out the tiles (if accessible).
THANK YOU! You just saved me a $200 plumber house call bill.
Very glad to have seen this video before I wrecked my shower stall! Suggestion: Use a closeup for details like at 2:26.
@TheShopGeek Thanks again. I would like to have Mike Holmes evaluate this situation.Second "buddy" plumber came out and checked inside faucets. Said he's a licensed plumber but works for water company.Got stumped on one question I asked about 40" pipe in wall from spicket to faucets. Said he never saw this problem before.I think his plumbing degree came from his imagination or quick course in "damage control" for not finding the cause of problem. Still trickles when shut off. Yikes!
@BonTonRule Rusty water is common when the water is turned off and on - it's sediment in the hot water tank. That's why you should always cook with cold water! As far as the faucet, it really sounds like it has been damaged in some way. I'm not sure what is meant by "stretching the springs". I would call for a second plumber at this point to inspect the fixture.
@gangstaish1000 No, the single knob showers use a cartridge that slides out instead. These usually have a lifetime warranty, but you need to bring the bad cartridge to Home Depot / Rona / Lowes to get the replacement.
Thanks. Excellent video and repair job. You know your stuff, unlike some people I know.
Question: Would running steaming hot water through the shower pipe with a garden hose attached to pressure washer to clean outside house cause washer,seat,etc in faucet to be damaged? If so, what would it do? Would it cause shower head to leak,and faucet to drip after turning off water? :)
@kornkake It's best to get the same size. I find a tiny bit of difference isn't really important, but a full size difference can result in more leaks. You don't want to go bigger - if you can't find an exact match, go slightly smaller so nothing gets jammed in the valve.
If the screw is completely stripped, it's usually simpler to buy a replacement cartridge. Take the existing one to a hardware store so they can get you an exact match.
Hey Thanks!!! Great instruction. Dripping is stopped. Thanks!!!!
@ToolsnFire the knobs can sometimes jam, usually a little force will pull them off.
Time to get on with my repair. Thanks Sir.
@BonTonRule He did do a good job resealing the plates around faucets and removing my hand held shower hose and replacing it with a new shower head.Nothing changed on faucets trickling and dripping when off however. Hinted that problem could be in pipes sealed in the wall or faucet fixture.Said the water would stop trickling after a while. Asked why the faucets on lavatory stop immediately after they are turned off since that is how the tub faucets used to be.No answer. Thanks for all
@jdkrs19 it sounds like the stem itself could be damaged, or the valve seat is worn out. You can buy a tool called a "valve seat dresser" to grind the seat smooth again or attempt to replace the seat itself using a seat removal tool. This is more advanced work so you might want to have a plumber's phone number on standby in case anything goes wrong.
@8owensc With a bit of luck the washer replacement will be all you need. However, sometimes the valve seat is worn out, and sometimes the vavle itself just won't close all the way anymore due to corrosion or scale build-up. I would start with a washer replacement as a test since it is so cheap and if that doesn't work then take the valve itself to the hardware store and try a full replacement.
@BonTonRule It sounds like this is turning into a Mike Holmes episode on you. Flushing too much pressure through the pipes could directly damage the washers and I've never heard of anyone manually adjusting a spring - just replacing it. Call an independent plumber for an inspection.
Thanks it was easy and you save me a lot of money.
Did you ever post the videos for the alternate case mentioned at the beginning of the video: when the water is dripping from the knob and not the faucet? I've got that! :)
Thanks for putting this video up
@TheShopGeek I think someone damaged the faucets or inner workings with extremely hot water using a pressure washer for several consecutive hours. A plumber allegedly "stretched the springs" in the faucets and it still leaks after turning faucets off. Brownish rusty looking water gushed out when plumber turned water back on. It's not fixed after plumber came to fix the original problem. It still doing the same thing. If garden hose is attached to machine how faucets get pressure?
Excellent. Well done. Thank you. Very helpful.
@TheMilesace As long as the screw head holds the washer firmly it'll work. It's more the outside edge of the screw that's important in this case.
My shower has been leaking since 1977. i never knew about that hidden screw. Damn those hidden secrets!!!
@tenz123 Hello;
There are a number of manufacturers that make single lever faucets. Moen and Delta re among the most common. I have made several videos on repairing that style of faucet if you are interested to find out how to repair it. Best of luck with your repair! Al
I have the same problem. Did you find a solution?
@BonTonRule It would likely damage the washers because of the high pressure. Is there something inside the pipe that you are worried about?
Excellent video... Thanks you so much; very helpful!!
I have a leaky thermostatic shower, instead of leaking the least at zero, it leaks the least just "open" slightly. What should be Zero produces a steady trickle. The assembly looks similar to yours when I get the tap off. Is it just a washer do you think?
i have the same leak problem from the faucet, but i have one handle for hot and cold. is there a washer for that too.
Great simple advise. Thanks a lot!
@TheShopGeek Thanks,SGeek. I am a woman dealing with some very dishonest people. The "springs" are according to a diagram are in front of the washer behind the faucet handles. Basically, I think it's just a cover story by a plumber paid to not see what a certain party doesn't want known. I know pressure washing occured and the shower pipe was likely tapped into to get hot water.This leakage problem occured coincidently after.So how could pressure going out damage them or hot water?
Great video thank you for sharing
Hi, I have went passed all that you've done. I have changed the washer and the stem several times, but the water keeps on leaking. I have a 2 stem. 1 for hot and 1 for cold, and one for the adjustable pipe, for the bathtub or the shower head. The water keeps on leaking, so what could be the problem?
How would you go about replacing the shower diverter on a facet set like that? I have the same shower / tub set up as in this video and I can't find any information about replacing the diverter of this kind on the net.
How do I access the hexagonal bolt to remove it if it is a little over half an inch behind the ceramic tile and there's only a small square cut in the tile just large enough to see the bolt?
Thanks for helping me out.
Great video but my problem is that after changing the washers the faucet still leaks...what could it be. I tried looking inside and there's a small circular opening, i h=guess wear the water comes out.....could it be that??? thanks
Not sure if this was answered but when I turn the hot water knob to shower, a stream of water seems to come out of that knob. It's hot water too! Dunno what to do. Please help!
Are the diverter and hot/cold cartridges the same in a 3 knob system?
I'm gonna try this tomorrow! :)
@BonTonRule ShopGeek Have had low water pressure even before current leaking.New garden hose was used on pressure washer and has hardened and puffed out in places. Would cold water do that? Pressure washing was done while I was out of town. Trying to understand what could have happened to cause previously working faucets to leak.From showerhead to faucets is 19"-from faucets to tub spout is 40".Could this also be a problem? Help SGeek... Thanks.
My bathroom faucet leaks behind the wall. Any expert suggestion is greatly appreciated in advance.
What if the screw can be unscrewed out but the knob doesn't come off?
Thanks for your video!
Great video!!! Thanks
i did this and my faucet still leaks any advice?
THANK YOU MAN!
hey geek, I need to watch that "other episode" you were talking about at 0:20
Where to?
Thanks for posting... and for the wink at the end. ;)
my shower leaks from the middle faucet...where you pull the tap out....what can i do to fix it..
@BonTonRule Forgot...New faucets and fixtures just remodeled bathroom 8 months ago.
Very helpful! And my Wife said I couldn't do it...HA!
Thanks!
Good video
@scoty2521 You're welcome!
Awesome thank it helped me.a lot
You need to tell people about the seat. Washer may be bad because the seats bad.
thanks man. i can sleep now
wery good video thanks
wow, I can do this...famous last words. I got to give it a shot, house is too messy to have a plumber over. cross your fingers.
@BonTonRule S Geek- I meant to say water going out in long hose to pressure washer from shower pipe. Steaming hot water for several hours.
Thanks for not being from "Expert Village!" God do those people suck! They post too many videos and they are hard to find in the order they should be. Why 10 videos to fix a leaky faucet? Goto Expert Village and find out.
Great video by the way. Thank you, Sir!
Its so they can get more views on youtube, making their channel "seem more popular"
"Contractor grade Plumbing"...LOL it sounds like quality but, actually it's probably the cheapest most non durable piece of junk on the market...for those who don't know what contractor grade means
smells like men in here
This was great info, plumbers was trying to charge me crazy money to do this job for me and the shop geek saved me alot of California gas money! thanks shop geek, i will buy you lunch if your ever in Cali..... Craig M. Los Angeles,Ca.