A leaking faucet with its constant drip-drip sound is very annoying. With the help of right tools and a little skill, a leaky faucet in the bathroom or the kitchen sink can be easily mended. But different designs and different types of faucets are installed in a home.
So, here are some insights for you to know about your faucets before you tear them down and try putting them back together.
Different Kinds of Faucets
Compression Faucets
In the older homes of Sydney, these compression faucets are commonly found. In these faucets there knobs for cold and hot water respectively. When the knobs are opened, the water flows through. The washers on the knobs become easily worn out as they don’t have a very long life.
In most cases, only the washer has to be changed in compression faucets when a leak develops in them. It is a simple and inexpensive method. If the problem of leak still persists, there may be some structural fault with the faucet and a plumber has to be called for it.
Washerless Faucets
Washer fewer faucets are a common plumbing fixture and found in most of the homes. Despite the word washer less in their name, these faucets do have washers.
Washerless faucets has a complex mechanism and there are many parts which can fail to cause a leak. The ball faucets, disk faucets and the cartridge faucets also come in this category. Despite a complicated mechanism, washer less faucets are most reliable and durable plumbing devices and last for years without any leaks.
Ball Faucets: These faucets have a handle which rotates on a ball. The handle can be moved in right or left direction to adjust the mixing of hot and cold water.
When the handle and ball becomes loose over time, the faucet develops leaks. But the leaks can be developed by failure of springs, cam washers or the valve seats.
Disk Faucets: The disk faucets have a ceramic disk installed inside the faucet which allows the flow of water by opening and closing. The disks are very durable and rarely form leaks but if a leak is formed in this faucet, it may be due to aging of the seal, stems and the o-rings.
Cartridge Faucets: Cartridge faucets are not that reliable and more prone to form leaks because it uses multiple o-rings in its configuration.
The o-rings can wear out over time and their loosening can cause faucet leaks. The best way is to change the o-rings of the faucet. This faucet comes in single handle configuration only and its cartridge assembly helps in flowing of hot and cold water.
So, after knowing everything about your faucets, you can try to repair the water leaks on your own but it is always better to call a plumber to check the leaks for you. If not repaired on time, even the small annoying sound of faucet leak can turn into a nasty problem. Thus, plumbing water leak Sydney should be dealt with care and professional help.