How To Replace A Cap Gasket On A Leaking Single-Handled Peerless Faucet At Your Cottage
As you open your cottage for the summer, you might find your faucet is now leaking around the bottom of it when you turn the water on. A common reason for a leaking faucet is that the gasket between the bottom of the faucet cap and the top of the plastic ball and stem in the neck of the faucet needs to be replaced. If your cottage faucet is leaking and you know how to use a wrench, here is how you can change the gasket in the faucet.
Turn Off the Water
Make sure you turn off the water before you start working on the faucet or you could get very wet. You will have a cold and a hot water supply line located under the sink. Turn the handle on the shutoff valves clockwise to turn the water off.
Cover Drains
You will be working with small screws and other parts that can easily go down the drain if you drop them. You should either cover the drains with rags or put in a strainer basket that fits into the drain's opening.
Remove Gasket
You need to remove an Allen screw from the underside of the handle before you can take it off. Lift the handle up to expose the screw and remove it. Lift the handle off of the faucet.
You will see a nut on top of a thick band of metal just under where the handle was located. The top of the band is shaped like a nut. Loosen the band with a crescent wrench and remove it. The top of the stem on the plastic ball in the faucet will be exposed. Grab the stem and pull the ball up. The ball and the faucet cap will be connected. Pull the cap off of the ball. On the bottom of the cap will be the gasket. Take the gasket off of the bottom of the cap.
Replace Gasket
Make sure you have a gasket designed to fit your specific faucet. Slip the gasket onto the bottom of the cap and slide the cap back over the top of the ball's stem. Fit the ball back into the neck of the faucets and screw back on the metal band. Place the handle back onto the faucet and tighten the Allen screw.
You should turn the water on slowly to make sure you put everything on right and there aren't any leaks before you put your tools away. Contact a business, such as Do-It-Ur-Self Plumbing & Heating Supply, for parts and information.