Think about it. You walk into the kitchen or bathroom and, as you have done thousands of times before, you reach for the handle of the faucet and turn on the water. Have you noticed anything? Most likely not. You turn off the faucet and continue on your way. Because you use the faucet everyday, what you don't notice is that gradually the internal parts of the faucet gain a buildup of minerals from the water, and the parts wear. This causes the internal parts to resist movement and thus, the handle is increasingly difficult to move. Imagine it as arthritis in your faucet joints.
You can save a lot by repairing your faucet yourself. Now, don't let plumbing scare you. With a few common tools and some guidance, even the novice can accomplish the task and become a hero to your spouse or friend. Following, I have listed a few simple steps to help you repair a single lever faucet. I am only detailing the repair of a single lever faucet in this article because the steps for repairing this faucet are unique and I don't have the space here to explain a multi lever faucet.
Please read the entire article prior to beginning the repair process. Once you begin the actual repair, you can then refer back to the individual steps to refresh your memory.
Single lever faucet repairing steps:
1) First of all, determine the brand and type of faucet you are repairing; if you can actually locate a brand imprint on the faucet that helps immensely. There are over 100 different brands and makes of faucets, and most of them take different parts. If you can't find a name on the faucet, a great help is a digital camera. Take a picture of the faucet Appliance Repair Caroll Gardens and show the picture to the plumbing supply store clerk. When an experienced clerk looks at the picture, they will likely know what brand it belongs to.
2) Once you have the brand of the faucet or a picture, you can buy the repair parts. You can either go to the big box type stores or a local hardware; they each have their own particular strong points. Tell the clerk the symptoms of a sick faucet. Is the handle difficult to move? Does the faucet leak water around the base of the spout? (Kitchen faucets are notorious for this.) The clerk will know what parts to give you, and you may not have to return to the store multiple times because you are missing the right parts. It is a good idea, if you are repairing Moen brand faucets, to purchase a "puller tool" to remove the old cartridge. There are different types of cartridge removal tool. You can choose from a plastic model that is inexpensive or a metal one that is more expensive. For the homeowner, the cheaper plastic one should work just fine. The faucet can be repaired without the tool, but it is much easier to use the removal tool. When I am making repairs, saving a few pennies on parts is the least important thing to me. I would much rather frequent a store or supplier that stocks a wide variety of quality parts and employs knowledgeable and helpful staff.)
3) TURN THE WATER OFF TO THE FAUCET. Did I stress this enough? Turn off the water before you disassemble the tap. Usually, there are small chrome or brown valves inside the sink cabinet toward the back. If you're like all the Americans I have worked for in my career, your sink cabinet is stuffed full of bottles and cleaning products. The valves are buried beneath every type of shampoo and cleaning product. Add a hair dryer, make-up, toothpaste, soap, and spare soap. Find the valves by digging through the debris. If the valves are difficult to turn, you may need to turn off the water at the main shut-off valve of the house. Check out my website for a guide on how to find the main water valve.
Once the water has been turned off, close the drain stopper in the sink. This little trick was first taught to me by a plumber more than 30 years ago. The reason for this? The reason for this is that you will most likely drop a small gasket or screw while disassembling the tap. The closed stopper will prevent the small part from going down the drain. Brilliant. Before disassembling the faucet, if you want or need a detailed, illustrated breakdown of your particular faucet and its parts, these illustrations can usually be found on the manufacturer's websites.
5) Remove handle. There is often a removable plastic lid which covers the handle screw. Pry off the lid and remove the screw. Some handles are attached with a set screw at the side of handle, not the top. With a little investigation, you should be able to tell.
After removing the handle, you will find a device that holds the replaceable components in place. This is sometimes a horseshoe-shaped metal clip which slides out. Sometimes it's a round cap with a threaded hole that unscrews. Remove the retaining clip or cap.
Some brands of faucets come with a sheath around the horseshoe clip. This tube needs to be removed first, and then the horseshoe shaped ring can be slid out. To remove the sheath either it is designed to unscrew or to be pulled off by grasping with pliers and pulling toward you. After the sheath is removed grasp the tab of the horseshoe clip with pliers and carefully slid it out by pulling it to the side. These parts should remove easily.)
You should now see a cartridge made of plastic or brass that you can remove by pulling it. This is the time to use the removal tool if this is a Moen tap. Follow the directions found on the tool packaging. Be careful not damage the faucet body during this process. Some faucet brands contain a plastic or brass ball here instead of a cartridge. This part can be removed by lifting or pulling it out. You should see two small rubber springs and seats under the round ball. Remove them. Remove them.
8) Once the old parts or cartridge are removed, it is a good idea to use a flashlight and peer inside the faucet where the old part used to live. You can see any debris or broken pieces from the old cartridge. If so, remove it with needle nose pliers.
Install the new parts, and then reassemble the faucet. Replace all retaining clips and rings. If you have any spare parts, take the faucet apart and find out where they belong before turning on the water. Take your time and you should be just fine
This is the most crucial step. After the faucet is reassembled, the water is back on and you have tested it to make sure it works well, show off your work to your spouse or friends. Watch their reactions as they marvel at how well the faucet works. Now YOU are the hero and not the plumber that you would have paid to make the repair.
The author does not accept any responsibility for the work performed by his readers. The plumbing repair articles were written to serve as a general guide for homeowners.
Sunbeam electric mattress pad is one of the best choices when it comes to increasing comfort during cold winter seasons. This mattress pad distributes heat evenly over your mattress, so you feel comfortable and warm even without blankets.
These pads are fitted and placed on top of the primary mattress. The heat is distributed by electric circuits. It comes with a hand-held controller that will allow the consumers easy access to its temperature settings. Its electric functions make it susceptible to faults and failures.
Here is how you can fix your sunbeam electric mattress pad:
Step 1: Check first to see if the heating performance of the pad has been compromised. Folding it three times is the best way to achieve this. You can then feel the circuit in the pad. Use your hands to check if the cord is properly connected to the module of the mattress topper. Check that it is not loose. After checking the connection, try plugging it into the outlet. Turn it to the highest setting. If your mattress topper doesn't heat up after a few moments, then something is wrong. However, you might also want to check the outlet if it is working properly. Test the outlet by plugging in another appliance.
Step 2: The pad will not produce heat when the power is out. You may have to restart the pad to test its heat-producing ability. Unplug and turn it off. Follow Step 1 again.
Step 3: Check if the blades of the plug are damaged or twisted. This is usually the problem. The blades must be straight. Make sure the blades fit the outlet perfectly. Some people tend to jam the plug to the outlet even though it does not fit right. Call an electrician to set up a new outlet close to your bed. Make sure the fit is just right so you don't force the plug and damage the pad.
Unplug and turn off your mattress topper when you aren't using it. This will stop the cords from deteriorating too quickly. If the mattress does not heat up after seven minutes, turn it off right away. It means the cord came off from the module or the plug is not working properly.