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Fixed a leaky outdoor faucet with a $3 O-ring instead of calling a pro
Last summer at my brother's place in Phoenix, his hose bib was dripping nonstop. I figured it was a worn out washer or O-ring inside. Took me maybe 15 minutes to unscrew the handle, pop out the old rubber, and match it up at the hardware store. Cost me $3 and the drip stopped cold. Has anyone else had luck fixing simple faucet leaks without replacing the whole thing?
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emery1993mo ago
Peel back the handle stem and check if the washer is actually rubber or one of those hard plastic ones that disintegrates after a few years. I found that the newer faucets are using those brittle plastic washers that snap off if you breathe on them wrong. Did you notice if yours was a soft rubber or the hard white plastic kind?
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mary_martin223mo ago
Wait, you're telling me you actually fixed a leaky faucet in Phoenix of all places with just a three dollar O-ring? That's crazy, I would've figured the dry heat would've dried out the rubber faster than that. Honestly, good on you for trying it yourself instead of shelling out for a plumber.
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robinson.hannah3mo ago
Same thing happened with my neighbor's spigot in Tucson last fall. I honestly thought you'd need a whole new valve assembly for that kind of fix, but popping in a fresh O-ring actually did the trick. Did you have to use any sealant on the threads or just the rubber part?
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