This blog was posted by Your San Antonio Plumbers

Plumbing Services Faucet Repairs

Batt-Type Faucets

Follow these steps to fix a single-handle ball-type faucet.

1. Turn off the water.

2. Remove the handle. Loosen the set screw that secures the handle to the shaft from the ball valve. The screw head is on the underside of the lever. This set screw requires an Allen wrench to loosen. (An Allen wrench is an L-shaped hex wrench that fits into the recessed socket in the head of the set screw. You can purchase a set of Allen wrenches at any hardware store or home center in the hand tool department.) Some faucets are manufactured in Europe and may have metric-sized parts. If you can’t seem to find an Allen wrench that fits the set screw, chances are the screw has a metric head. You need to purchase a set of metric Allen wrenches they aren’t expensive.

3. Remove the ball valve and spout. Wrap tape around the jaws of your wrench or slip-joint type pliers to protect the valve parts. Loosen the cap assembly (dome-shaped ring at the top of the faucet) by turning the adjusting screw counterclockwise. Grab the shaft that the handle was attached to, move it back and forth to loosen the ball valve assembly, and then pull it straight up and out of the faucet body.

4. Replace valve seals and o-rings. When you look inside the faucet body, you see the valve seats, rubber o-rings, and behind the spring. Remove the seats, springs, and o-rings from the faucet body and take them to the hardware store or home center to be sure you get the correct repair kit.

5. Replace the parts and reassemble the faucet in the reverse order that you took it apart (or follow the directions in the repair kit). Pay attention that you reinstall the ball in the same position as you removed it.

6. If a faucet leaks around the handle or the spout when the water is running, tighten the adjusting ring. Under the handle is an adjusting ring that’s screwed into the valve body. Slots in the top edge of the ring allow you to insert the adjusting tool into this ring and turn it.

If you can’t find the adjusting tool, use a large screwdriver or slip-joint pliers to turn this ring in a clockwise direction to tighten it. Unless the ring is very loose, tighten it only about X turn.

7. Turn the water on and slip the handle back on the control ball’s shaft. Adjust the ring so the leak around the ball shaft stops but the ball can be easily adjusted. If you can’t get the leak to stop, the seal under the adjusting ring is bad and should be replaced.

8. Tighten the set screw to secure the handle.

If your faucet requires professional repair help because it’s leaking or you have any other problems, call our toll-free number and let us take care of the rest returning your faucet to perfect working order. Call us to schedule a plumbing faucet appointment for your plumbing repair. We will do our best to set up a faucet repair appointment for a time that is most convenient for you.