A leaky faucet is an annoying thing for any homeowner. Not only does it make a persistent dripping sound, but it can also run up your monthly water bill if left unchecked.
One of the simplest repairs for a faucet that is leaking is to take it apart and replace the cartridge.
This is the ceramic tube inside your faucet that allows water to enter and come out of the spout.
Normally, replacing the cartridge should go a long way towards fixing a leak, but what if it doesn’t?
In this case there may be something else wrong with your faucet and this guide is here to help you identify exactly what this could be.
In this article, we will take you through some troubleshooting tips for fixing a standard Delta faucet that is still leaking even after you have replaced the cartridge.
What Type Of Faucet Are You Trying To Repair?
The first thing you will need to check is what kind of faucet you are working with. Hopefully you already did this when replacing the cartridge, but if not, perhaps you installed the wrong type of cartridge.
Assuming this isn’t the case, the first thing you should do is check your cartridge for faults. Perhaps you can fix your leak by simply tightening the screw that holds the cartridge in place.
Failing this, your leak is probably being caused by one of the other internal components of your faucet, including the seats and springs.
As such, you will need to look into buying replacement parts that are compatible with your specific model of faucet (see also ‘How To Fix a Stiff Faucet Handle‘).
Replacing The Seats And Springs On Your Faucet
If you have replaced the cartridge in your faucet and water is still leaking out of the aerator (the nozzle on the tip of the spout) then you can follow these steps to fix it.
First you will need to gather the tools listed below as well as replacement seats and springs.
Tools Required For This Job
- An adjustable wrench, or a pair of tongue-and-groove pliers
- Replacement seats and springs
- Replacement stem
- A screwdriver or Allen wrench(or both)
- Plumbers grease
Once you have gathered all of these tools, you are ready to get to work. First, you should hold your hand under the tap and try to see if you can tell where the leak is coming from.
For instance, if the water is hot, it is likely that the source of your leak is the hot tap.
If you can’t immediately tell which side is causing the issue, then assume it is both of them.
Next, you should shut off the water supply to the tap you are working on. If you only need to repair one side, then just shut off the supply of water to that specific side.
Make sure to test that the water is actually off by quickly twisting the tap open to prevent creating a giant mess.
Once this is done, you are safe to remove the handle from your faucet. You may need to use an Allen wrench or screwdriver for this, depending on the model you own.
It is crucial when disassembling your faucet that you remember which way everything goes before you take it out.
All of the components need to be put back in the exact orientation they were originally in, or your faucet simply won’t work when you turn it back on.
Once the handle has been removed, unscrew the nut around the faucet stem (see also ‘American Standard Faucet Stem Identification Tips‘) and remove this as well, noting which way it was inserted.
This will allow you to access the faucet seat and springs. Carefully remove both using your pliers and make note of which way they went in.
You can now reassemble your faucet using your replacement parts. Make sure to keep tightening the bonnet nut on the stem very carefully until the leak has completely stopped.
If this hasn’t worked, you may need to repeat the same process on the other side.
Conclusion
Hopefully, reading this guide has told you all you need to know to fix your leaky faucet.
Replacing the seat and springs on your faucet takes minutes once you know what you are doing and will greatly improve its overall longevity.
If the above steps didn’t help fix your leak, then it may be worth calling a professional plumber to see what has gone wrong. However, if they did help, consider sharing this article with a friend, so they can benefit too.
