Faucet Handle Repair

Is the faucet in your kitchen sink or bathroom driving you up the wall? If it’s not disrupting your sleep hours to the infuriating tunes of ‘drip drip drip’ and more drippety drip, the supply of water is somehow blocked! Faucets by all means are indispensable to sustain the modern lifestyle. Problems come and go. How often does your television set display nothing more than unpleasant static? When was the last time your computer system refused to turn on? Similarly, faucet handles experience certain shortcomings. If not for these valves that control the release of fluids, we might have to resort to drawing water from the well! Moreover, thanks to the faucet handle, one can directly operate the faucet without twisting the actual valve. Faucet handles are generally susceptible to cracking and discoloration which requires quick repairs. A steady water drip triggers a steep rise in your water bill. Do not leave it unattended! Wasting precious water is a crime. Besides, it’s your own hard-earned money dripping down the drain! Skip the part where you dial the plumber and read this article to learn how to repair a faucet handle by the very seat of your brow!

How To Repair Faucet Handles

Bathroom/ Kitchen Sink Faucet Handle Repair Instructions

• Get started by taking off the handle's centre cover which many identify as the faucet handle’s screw cover. Solely used for decoration, this screw cover cloaks the tinnier handles retaining the screw beneath. Gently pry the cover and pop it out with the help of a flathead screwdriver.
• The moment you catch sight of the handle's retaining screw, your next step is to unscrew it as well. The retaining screw facilitates the handle to hold on to the faucet and hence by removing it, the two are detached. Twist the screw in an anticlockwise direction by using a head screwdriver till it comes off. You’ll have to repeat the process if there is a dual handled faucet.
• As you carefully tug the handle towards you, pull it away from the faucet valve.
• Grab hold of a new handle to replace the faulty old one and glide it over the faucet's stem. With a screwdriver, attach the retaining screw back to its initial position as soon as the replacement handle is fixed. 
• Then finally, fix the handle cap back onto the handle in its original position. Once you have placed the cap on the handle's centre, apply pressure and wait till you hear a clicking sound. If you did, your faucet handle should be just fine!
• When you make alterations, bear in mind that a dual-handled faucet utilizes traditional compression valves or more reliable stem assemblies with ceramic or stainless-steel discs, while single-handle faucets have balls, cartridges or ceramic-disc valves.

Shower Faucet Handle Repair Instructions

• Block water supply to the shower or bathtub by turning off the water supply valve. If you fail to locate the knob for that particular water pipe, cut off the main water supply instead.
• Do not forget to turn on the faucet so that the water present in the pipes gets drained out.
• Pry out the handle cover on the shower faucet handle with a screwdriver and remove the retaining screw beneath the shower handle cover as well.
• Pull out the faucet off its stem so that you can examine the shower head assembly. Scrutinize the insides of the shower head. Presence of any black colour residue indicates the necessity for gasket replacement. A screwdriver makes it easier to remove the rubber gasket from its position.
• Use the dry or damp piece of cloth to clean the interiors of the handle and remove all traces of accumulated dirt and grime.
• Inspect closely for worn out rubber washers, worn out O-rings, loose valves or large scale wear and tear of internal components.
• If you realize that the threading has loosened or worn out, remove it and replace it with regular plumbing threads.
• Apply a coat of sealant on the threads of the valve before you put it back in place. A thin layer of grease or petroleum jelly on the threads of the faucet handle may do wonders too.
• Take the existing handle or a new one and fix it back in position by inserting the retaining screw on the handle. Tighten the screw and put back the handle cover to complete the repair job.