Plumbing systems are usually taken for granted by us. Until it is broken or stops working, we often fail to notice its importance. Till then, pipes, tubes, faucets and every other plumbing equipment are just objects that have to be used when needed.

A plumber is called to help us whenever a plumbing system stops working and needs some kind of mending. A lot of money is spent in hiring a plumber and his services.

In this article, I will give you brief guidance about how to repair small plumbing problems instead of hiring a plumber. Let’s take the most basic problem we might face: a drippy faucet.

A faucet drips or leaks because of its bad washer. Sometimes the bad washer is accompanied by a bad faucet seat as well. Usually the rubber parts get worn out by the constant wear and tear. When we open and close the tap, the washer gets crushed because it is located between the faucet stem and the faucet seat.

You have to first open the faucet since the washer has to be replaced with a new one. Take a screwdriver and remove the handle after gently pushing out the button that covers the screw. The stem has to be measured with the help of a pipe wrench. Hold it firmly on the stem and start twisting it to remove.

From the angle located below the sink, turn off the water. Next remove the stem from the holding where it was fitted earlier. Once you have removed the stem, you can notice the washer at the bottom of the stem. By constant usage you can see how crushed it is.

The old, worn-out washer has to be replaced by the new one. These days, washers are available of much better quality than they were many years ago. Tough, durable and the one that lasts longer has to be picked. Use the pipe wrench to tighten it when you put it back to its holder.

Screw it tightly with a screwdriver after placing the tap handle back on the stem. Open the tap from below the sink to let the water on. You can check for any dripping or leaks after closing the faucet.