If you have been shopping for a faucet lately, you know that there are an endless variety of styles to choose from. Did you also know that there are several different types of faucets? In addition to traditional compression type facets, there are three common types of washerless faucets. In fact, most of the stylish looking faucets (and even some of the traditional faucets) you see at your local home improvement center are some type of washerless faucet.
You may be thinking that you don’t want some strange type of faucet because it will be hard to repair if it starts leaking, but in fact the opposite is true. One of the main advantages of a washerless faucet is that they can usually be easily repaired by a handy homeowner with a few basic tools.
Although traditional compression type faucets are usually reliable and parts are inexpensive, repairing a leaky faucet calls for some level of skill and a few specialized tools that most homeowners don’t have. You can call a plumber for faucet repairs, but in most cases you are better off having the plumber install a new faucet rather than repair the old one.
Washerless faucets include cartridge, ball, and disc type faucets, all of which are designed to be repaired by replacing a few easily accessible parts. You simply turn off the water supply to the faucet and follow a few easy steps to disassemble the faucet. You did save the instructions that came with your faucet, right? If not, no problem. You can easily find the instructions on the internet at the manufacturer’s website. Once you have the faucet apart, take the old parts to the hardware store or home improvement center to get a replacement.
Put the faucet back together, turn on the water, and check for leaks. Of course, if you are not comfortable doing it yourself, calling your plumber makes sense. They can have your leaky washerless faucet repaired in no time.
