The water tap is dripping: how to fix the water leak?

Leaking water from a faucet in the kitchen or bathroom is a fairly common occurrence. The leak itself does not pose a serious threat, but there are a number of reasons that determine the need to eliminate it. Firstly, this will avoid unnecessary expenses on utility bills. Secondly, over time the leak will only increase and at one point the mixer will completely fail. Thirdly, the leak is simply annoying, and water stone and rusty stains form on the sink. Fourthly, this is a serious saving on plumbing services.

The problem can be solved quite simply by replacing the unit responsible for regulating and shutting off the flow of water. In older cranes this device is called an axle box, in modern ones it is called cartridges. They vary in size and to purchase a new one, it is advisable to dismantle the old one and use it as a sample. You can buy the necessary spare parts at almost any hardware store.

Necessary tools, materials and spare parts

To carry out repair work on the mixer by replacing the cartridge (axlebox), we will need:

• pliers;
• a piece of rag (rags);
• Phillips screwdriver with PH1 or PH2 tip;
• gas wrench (adjustable) or any other suitable in shape and size.

Of the spare parts, you will need the actual cartridge (box) of the required size, which we purchase in the store. It is also recommended to buy a new screw for fastening the handwheel handle; the old one may not be suitable in diameter or length or may be damaged during dismantling.

Replacing the cartridge (axlebox) in the mixer

Before starting any work on the water supply in an apartment or house, you must turn off the water supply. To do this, you need to tighten the cold and hot water supply valves in the input unit, and regardless of what you do, both valves close. Replacing the axle box (cartridge) in the mixer is performed in the following order:

1. Unscrew the decorative plug by rotating it counterclockwise with your fingers. If their efforts are not enough, first turn the plug with pliers. On some models, the plug is attached without a thread and in order to remove it you just need to pry it off with a knife or screwdriver.

2. Unscrew the fastening screw and remove the handwheel handle. To do this, use a Phillips-head screwdriver.

3. Unscrew the decorative element: in most cases this can be done by hand. If that doesn’t work, we use pliers. To avoid damaging the surface, you can place a piece of cloth under the sponges.

4. Unscrew the axle box from the mixer. We use a special gas wrench (adjustable), if you don’t have one, you can use a regular open-end wrench or a socket.

5. Clean the mixer channel using a piece of cloth wrapped around the blade of a screwdriver.We remove solid particles from the body: grains of sand, rust, they are actually the main reason for the failure of the shut-off and control unit.

We use the faulty cartridge as a sample when buying a new one in the store; if we don’t have exactly the same one, we can buy an analogue. It is important that they have the same landing dimensions. The screw that secures the handwheel handle to the rod may not fit and it makes sense to purchase a new one.

Now you can begin assembling the mixer, which is done in reverse order.

6. Install a new cartridge into the channel and screw it in clockwise. First we do this with our hands until it stops, then we tighten it with a wrench. Do not apply great force - this can lead to thread breakage and will require a complete replacement of the mixer.

7. Screw the decorative element with your fingers.

8. We fix the handwheel handle in place by tightening the screw using a Phillips screwdriver. If the screw you purchased turns out to be too long, you can put a nut of suitable diameter on it along with a washer.

9. Screw in the decorative cap by hand.

10. Open the water supply and check the mixer cartridge for leaks. It can be detected by simple inspection; to be sure, I use a dry rag or napkin.

We open and close the water several times to make sure the mixer is working correctly. When rotating the feed adjustment knob, the force must be uniform; jamming or any other defects are unacceptable.

Conclusion

Together we replaced the cartridge (axlebox) and eliminated the problem of water leakage in the kitchen. It takes an experienced craftsman no more than five minutes to complete such work; more time is spent searching for and purchasing spare parts.

When repairing plumbing fixtures, there are no particular dangers except that you should not stick your fingers into the channels for inspection or cleaning. You may cut your skin or get stuck in tight spaces. When working, you should also not use excessive force; this usually ends in stripping the threads or damaging (“licking”) the edges on the bolts and nuts.

Before tightening the fastening screw of the handwheel handle, it is recommended to apply a little grease, such as Litol, to its threads. This will eliminate the possibility of it sticking to the rod and make it easier to unscrew for the next repair.

Watch the video