Even very reliable plumbing equipment can fail sooner or later. The easiest solution to a broken faucet is to go to the store and get a new faucet. However, the purchase requires investment. To do without spending money, you need to be able to repair plumbing equipment. Let's see how to disassemble the faucet and repair it yourself.
Why faucets fail
The main reason is that manufacturers in the process of manufacturing goods can allow marriage. Poor quality products come across on the market quite often. In addition, even excellent equipment has a certain lifespan. The durability of plumbing is greatly affected by how carefully it is operated.
Poor-quality consumables that are used by manufacturers to assemble mixers can also very often provoke equipment failure.building. Common signs of breakdown include:
- Characteristic hum from the faucet after the water is turned off.
- Drips from faucet connections, dripping water after fully closing the device.
- Weak pressure.
The faucets on the market can be divided into the following types:
- Single lever.
- Valve.
- Ball.
Each of them has its own characteristics. Next, we will look into the nuances of each.
The device of the main types
Before learning how to disassemble the mixer, you need to study the device of this device.
Vent mixers are very popular. They are most often used in bathrooms. The arrangement of such equipment is very simple. It consists of a body, a swivel spout, valves that allow you to manually adjust the temperature and pressure of water, as well as fasteners and glands. In addition, the device also has the so-called crane boxes. They allow you to adjust the level of water supply. In older models, manufacturers install gaskets. The new ones replace these rather unreliable rubber parts with ceramic plates.
Lever or ball mixers are gradually becoming more and more popular among consumers. The reason for this is ease of use and aesthetic appearance. A typical model consists of two main elements.
This is the body and spout. A ceramic or spherical cartridge is installed in the case. This is where the mixing process takes place.water. Ceramic cartridges are non-separable and are replaced with new ones in case of failure. The device also has a control knob. It allows you to conveniently adjust the pressure and temperature of the water at the same time. It is mounted on a special cartridge lever. In the mixer body, the cartridge is held with a nut. The element is covered with a decorative cover. It serves to protect the cartridge and to give the device a more aesthetic appearance.
How to disassemble a two-valve faucet
This equipment is considered obsolete, but is still common in apartments.
The mixer is a classic mechanism equipped with two heads - crane boxes. They allow you to adjust the water pressure and temperature. These elements are located in a case made by casting. On the reverse side of such a faucet there is a threaded pipe. Using this pipe, the mixer is connected to the water supply system.
As a gasket, as already noted, either a ceramic disc or a gasket made of ordinary rubber is used. It, as well as the crane box, can be easily changed. In addition, in these mixers, some elements are interchangeable with each other. So, any crane can be installed in one body.
Varieties of two-valve mixers
One of the types of such equipment is the so-called “herringbone”, or a mixer with a tee. Two channels are drilled in its body, which are connected to the water supply through a tee. At the top of the mixer, these channels are connected.
A simpler variety is a device with nozzles. Two flexible or rigid pipes can be used. They allow you to connect to the plumbing system.
Disassembly and repair
Let's see how to disassemble a two-valve faucet. To do this, you need only a minimal set of tools - a suitable screwdriver and an adjustable wrench. A piece of cloth or foam rubber is laid on the bottom of the bathtub under the mixer (if any part of the tap falls, it will not damage the flooring).
First of all, remove the decorative cap on the valve. Then, using a screwdriver, unscrew the screw hiding under the plug. Next, with an adjustable wrench, the crane box is unscrewed. If there are problems with the second crane, then it is disassembled in the same way.
Why two-valve faucets break down
Most often this equipment fails due to worn gaskets. It is because of this that leaks from under the valve are observed. To correct the situation, it is enough to replace the gasket on the stem of the crane box. This will solve the leak problem. But the crane box itself also often fails. This is a consumable item. It is easy to replace if you know how to disassemble the faucet.
Disassembly of single lever mixers
The already fairly outdated two-valve plumbing fixtures have been replaced by new and more stylish single-lever counterparts. They are more convenient to use and are durable.
However, these stylish modern devicesalso fail. A little later, we will see how to disassemble a single-lever faucet. First, let's take a look at what features it has.
Ceramic Cartridge Faucet
There are many varieties of this equipment. With minor differences that depend on the manufacturer and model, the principle of operation and their device are the same. When the owner turns the handle, a pair of ceramic plates ground to each other move. These plates have holes through which water can flow and mix. This liquid is then fed into the spout.
Some manufacturers, in order to increase safety, equip devices with limiting elements that control the supply of hot water. In these designs, even hot water that is open to the whole will be supplied with a small admixture of cold. Gaskets made of plastic or silicone cover all openings in these devices. To protect the device from water hammer and prevent water noise, the upper washer is covered with ribs or stripes.
Let's learn how to disassemble a kitchen faucet of this kind. This knowledge will help save money if such equipment fails.
Ball cartridge
In the case of these models, a ball with holes is installed inside. By means of a small pin, the ball is connected to the handle. Hot as well as cold water enters the mixer through holes inside the ball. Then it is mixed and sent to the spout. Adjustment of pressure and temperature is carried out by turning the ball. The level of alignment of the holes through which water enters thedevice. To make the mixer as tight as possible, it is equipped with Teflon seals.
Disassembly and repair
Let's consider how to disassemble a single-lever mixer. The first step is to remove the plug. It is located on a cylindrical element on the lever. This cap has symbols for cold and hot water. Removing the part is very simple with a regular knife or a screwdriver.
There is a screw under the cap. It should be unscrewed. This screw attaches a lever to the cartridge stem. The screw is removed from the body. Next, remove the old cartridge, and install a new one in its place. Then the mixer is assembled in reverse order.
In the event of a breakdown of such equipment, experts do not recommend purchasing a new cartridge until the old one has been dismantled - it is easy to make a mistake when choosing and buy the wrong one. It is better to take a spent cartridge to the store with you. Knowing how to disassemble a single lever kitchen faucet will not be difficult.
You also need to know that, unlike ball cartridges, ceramic cartridges cannot be serviced or repaired in any way. Ball joints are corrected only if the jet has weakened. In any other case, you only need to replace the cartridge with a new one.
Breakdown mixers
We looked at how to disassemble the faucet in the bathroom. Now you can learn how to fix the main breakdowns of these devices. Among typical malfunctions, one can single out the appearance of a leak:
- From under the gander.
- From under the levermixer control.
- From under the shower tap switch.
Leak from under the gander
This is the biggest faucet problem of all. The gander during operation is constantly rotated in one direction, then in the other. This sooner or later leads to wear of the rubber gasket. It is installed in a special groove. To replace the gooseneck must be removed.
This work does not cause problems, because we already know how to disassemble the faucet in the bathroom. First of all, unscrew the nut holding the gander. Then the element itself is extracted. After that, everything that remains of the old gasket is removed from the groove. A new gasket is installed in place of these residues. The thread on which the fixing nut is to be screwed is wrapped with a sealant. Then install the gander and tighten the nut.
Leak from under the mixer control lever
This problem is specific to single lever devices. The reason is that the cartridge has worn out and failed. You need to parse the element. How to disassemble the faucet in the kitchen, we described above.
A broken cartridge has other signs of failure. It is changed if:
- Lever control has become noticeably more difficult.
- Water changes temperature spontaneously.
- No cold or hot water supply.
- The faucet cannot be turned off completely or opened fully.
Shower tap leaking
There is another rubber gasket between the faucet body and the faucet that switches the water from the faucet to the shower. It can also fail during operation. The only way to fix this is to replace it. To do this, disassemble the switch. You can check the components and the whole crane. Therefore, our recommendations on how to disassemble a bath faucet will be relevant when troubleshooting many plumbing problems.
In the case of failure described above, the button must be removed. To do this, the rod is held with pliers (it must be motionless). Then the valve and stem are removed. Instead of the first, a new oil seal is installed. Then the whole structure is assembled back.
If the switch is not working and water is flowing from both the faucet and the shower at the same time, the cause is a cracked gland. It is located on the stem of this switch. Repair is carried out as follows:
- Remove the switch.
- Stem removed.
- Replace the oil seal.
- Assemble the switch back.
Weak water pressure from the faucet
If the water flows through the mixer with a noticeably reduced pressure, and the pressure of the neighbors has not changed, the aerator filter is most likely clogged.
He is at the end of the gander. The filter is unscrewed by hand or with pliers and the pressure is checked. If the water flows better without it, then the reason was pollution. The filter is washed and the problem is solved.
Conclusion
So, we figured out how to disassemble the mixer tap and repair it with our own hands. As you can see, this does not cause any particular difficulties. You can disassemble the mechanism in a matter of minutes. This knowledge will help solve many problems with water supply in the kitchen and in the bathroom.
