Leaky bathroom faucets can do more damage than

Homeowners should check around their bathroom faucets and the exposed bathroom plumbing at least once a month to see if there are any small leaks developing. If the homeowner does find a leak then it needs to be taken care of immediately. Before spending hundreds of dollars on a plumber, there are some methods the homeowner can try to eliminate the leak or determine if the faucet needs replacing.

- Turn Off the Water

A homeowner should never attempt a bathroom repair project on anything hooked to a water supply without first turning off the water at the source. Water pressure can cause small and loose parts to fly around and injure someone. The water can become an obstacle to removing the faucet parts and the leaking water only adds to the problem of water damage and mold.

With a bathroom sink, the water source will either be at the base of the feed pipes from the wall to the faucet, or in the basement at the water main valve. If there are small valves at the base of the feed pipes, then turn those until they are tight to stop the flow of water. If there are no valves at the base of the feed pipes, then the water needs to be turned off at the source in the basement.

- Dismantle the Faucet

Remove the faucet handles by unscrewing them from the top. If the handles have caps over the top, then those caps pop off and the screws will be under them. Keep all of the parts and remember how the faucet handles were assembled so that they can be put back together properly.

With bathroom faucets, the leaks can sometimes come from the spigot. The bathroom spigot should have a small piece that screws into it which has a rubber seal around the base of it. If the faucet does not have one of these spigot caps then do not panic. Some faucets do not have them.

The final step in this phase is to remove the feed pipes from their wall sources and from the bottom of the faucet as well.

- Find the Leak

The leak can sometimes be traced back to rotted connection gaskets or old parts. Use a rebuilding kit to replace all of the connection gaskets and moving parts in the handles and feed pipes. With all new parts installed, the leak should go away. If it does not, then it is time to call a plumber.

Bathroom faucets can be silent killers of bathroom drywall, wood work and flooring, Check for leaks once a month and do the work yourself to repair leaks to save the money on a plumber.