Fix your leaky bathtub or shower without calling a plumber.
If you have a leaking tub or shower or you find it difficult to completely shut off the water in your tub or shower, this indicates the wearable parts in your faucet assembly need to be replaced. Rather than calling a plumber to do the job, make the repair yourself. Even if you do not own a bath socket or seat wrench and need to buy them the first time, you will still be able to complete the job for far less than what you would pay a plumber.
Instructions
1. Turn off all water to the tub by closing the main water valve in the house. Open another faucet in the house, if possible on a level below the tub, to relieve any water pressure left in the pipes.
2. Pry up the edge of the caps on the tub's water control handles, exposing an anchor screw in the middle of each handle. Remove the screw and pull the handles off their spindles, using a handle remover tool if the handles do not come off easily.
3. Unscrew the metal sleeve over the spindle assembly or undo the screws holding the sleeve in place and pull it off the assembly. Put a bath socket over the stem and turn it counterclockwise to remove the stem.
4. Insert a seat wrench into the spot where the stem was inserted and turn the wrench counterclockwise to remove the seat. Use the seat wrench to install a replacement seat.
5. Remove the old wearable parts on the stem by undoing the packing nut on the end of the stem. Apply a thin layer of plumber's grease to the replacement parts and put them on the stem. Replace the packing nut.
6. Reassemble the faucet and handles in reverse order of how you took them apart. Turn on the water and open the faucet to ensure you replaced everything properly.
Tags: yourself, shower, faucet, repair, instructions, seat wrench, bath socket, calling plumber, counterclockwise remove, Turn water
