Why is bathtub faucet leaking

If the plumbing to your bathtub was not properly installed or the materials are somehow faulty, the pipes may have gotten loose and disconnected to some extent which could end up causing a leak. This often happens if you have water hammer issues. The term "water hammer" refers to the noise that is produced when running water hits a closed valve - that is supposed to be an open valve. Another common culprit is improper installation of the bathtub or the plumbing associated with it.

If you've just installed your bathtub, the pipes might not be tight enough to withstand the pressure from gallons upon gallons of water pouring through them every day. High water pressure can cause leaky pipes, leaky fixtures, pipes to explode which end up causing premature failure of faucets and fixtures.

Even a small leak can lead to thousands of gallons wasted on your water bill. A worn out washer is the most common cause for this problem, so stop wasting and replace it with an inexpensive new one! Plumbing problems never go away on their own, they just get worse and more complicated. It can be hard to know what the problem is until you have a plumber review the situation.

That's why it's best to not put off fixing plumbing issues - call us today at ! The bathtub faucet is a fixture that many homeowners take for granted. Whether you have a traditional single-handle or the two handle design, this small part of your bathroom can become a problem if there are issues with a dripping faucet. You may feel as if the only solution is to replace the whole faucet, but there are ways you can fix or stop a dripping bathtub faucet.

Over time, contact with water can cause the washers to dry out and crack, making it impossible to create a tight seal. This is what leads to leaks. Of course, you can close the faucet more tightly to stop the leak in the short term, but this will only put more pressure on the old washer and cause it to wear out even more quickly. The only long-term solution to this problem is to replace the washer. It is impossible to make any repairs with the water in your tub still running.

Some homes allow you to turn off the water from under the sink. If that is not an option in your home, you may need to turn off the main water supply to the house while you make your repairs. Once the water is turned off, turn the handles of your bathtub faucet as if you were trying to run a bath. This will allow you to drain any excess water from the pipes before you start. In order to replace the washers in your tub faucet, you will first need to remove the handles.

Start by using a pocketknife to pry off the handle inserts. These are the coverings on the handles. Washers are rings that resemble rubber bands, though they are thicker and more rigid. They create watertight seals, but over time they wear out or crack.

To access the problematic washer, the handle inserts have to be pried off, then the screws beneath them have to be taken off. Next, the handles have to be disconnected from their stems and in many cases, the tub is so old that the stems and handles have corroded into each other.

There can be other problems with the stem, the pipes or even problems with the tile and grout. There may be no other recourse but to completely replace the tub and shower faucet. Unless the tub and shower have an access panel behind them, this will mean opening up the wall to take out the old faucet and install the new faucet. Need bathtub faucet repair?