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The tap in my washroom has started to drip. I have no idea how to fix these things, and my roommate/landlord is out of the province. It seems such a waste of water to leave it dripping until she's back if there's an easy way to fix it.
It drips maybe once every 1-2 seconds, and it actually seems a bit better if the tap is turned not quite as far off as it can go. Under the sink there's two long silver tubes (one for hot and one for cold) that have tap like handles near the floor. I tried adjusting/tightening them a bit but it didn't make a difference. There's also the big black S shaped drainpipe that all sinks seem to have, with a couple parts that look like they turn. I'm wary of randomly trying things because I don't want to wind up in a scene from a movie with a flood in the house, so any plumbing knowledge would be welcomed. Thanks!
Posts: 624 | Registered: Mar 2005
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I think I usually stuck a sponge or towel under the dripping area to muffle the sound. And then wait for the landlord to come back. Posts: 1014 | Registered: Jul 2005
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I can't hear it unless I'm actually in the washroom, so at least that's not a problem, I guess. It's more the waste that bugs me. I can't even really put a bucket or anything there to collect it for something useful because the sink is too small.
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What kind of tap is it? This can make quite a difference.
Most bathrooms have a shut off valve under the sink. If so, you will want to turn that valve off before you try repairing anything. If you don't have a shut off valve under the sink, you will need to shut off the main water supply to the house before you take anything a part. If you don't you risk flooding the whole place.
If you've got a shut off valve under the sink, you can turn it off to stop the dripping. This will of course be inconvenient because you will have to turn it back on everytime you want to use the sink. But if are just trying to stop the waste until your roommate returns to fix it, shutting of the valve under the sink is a reasonable option.
Posts: 12591 | Registered: Jan 2000
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Fixing the little buggers can be a pain because there are so many different manufacturers and even different pieces/parts within a given manufacturer, but with a little patience you can fix it yourself.
Unless you own tools and have a good book to guide you, though, I suggest you leave it for the landlord. Nothing more frustrating than having to pay double to fix a botched repair. Trust me, your landlord will thank you for leaving it to the professionals.
If you can't find a shut-off under the sink, I'd just let it flow for now. A drip every few seconds IS wasteful, but it's not that bad. A week or so isn't going to cost a huge amount in the water bill.
Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
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Is it hot or cold water dripping? Does the sink have a separate handle for cold and hot or just one knob for both?
If you can turn the water off, start with the offending handle. They usually have some sort of cover that just pops off. Underneath the cover you will find a screw that lets you disassemble the handle. One you have it taken apart, take all the pieces to a good independent plumbing supply store and ask for advise. Home Depot won't work because they rarely have employees that really no what their talking about.
Posts: 12591 | Registered: Jan 2000
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You already found the shutoff valves, by the way. That's the two tap-like handles underneath the sink, behind the black S-shaped pipe. One is the cold water shutoff, and the other is, you guessed it, the hot water shutoff. If it really bothers you, do as the Rabbit says and turn both of those all the way closed. I know you said they don't seem to do anything, but they do. They're typically harder to turn, but if you turn them both all the way to the right (clockwise) they'll eventually turn off the water and end the dripping.
Of course, if there's not another sink you can use till the landlord gets back, this really isn't practical.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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El JT, it's possible that they actually don't do anything. In my vacant apartment, the hot water line's shutoff valve doesn't work. I need to replace it, but I haven't yet done so.
One piece of advice--if you do decide to tackle the job yourself, and if you have a digital camera, take a picture of the handle at each step in its disassembly. That way if you get confused during the reassembly you won't have to take the other handle apart to see how everything is supposed to go.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Problem solved! It was the cold water tap that was dripping, so I turned it off with the shutoff valve, and I can just use the hot water tap for hand-washing etc. now as it takes a while to warm up anyway. I also feel that I've exponentially increased my plumbing knowledge now that I know what and where a shutoff valve is. Thanks, guys!
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Knowing what a shutoff valve is is INDEED the first and most important piece of plumbing knowledge anyone should learn. Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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Astaril, there are others in the series that are at least as weird, if not weirder.
I don't think I'll ever be able to get the name "Hubert Cumberdale" out of my mind, and it's been at least two months since I've seen one of these.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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I don't know, Tom. I think it probably served me better growing up to learn how the taps and the drainplug work first.
Noemon, I think I might save myself experiencing your pain. I'll be lucky if that...child? Is that what to call the big-eyed Igor type creature?... doesn't give me nightmares himself.
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Yeah, I wouldn't blame you if you didn't watch them. I find them kind of fascinating and horrifying at the same time, honestly.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Well, yes. Part of me *really* wanted to just close the window after the first couple minutes (especially once I understood the tap reference which is why I watched it), but...I just...couldn't.
Posts: 624 | Registered: Mar 2005
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I can't remember it now. I think I'm glad. It's the images that keep flashing through my head. Especially that one of the child thing creature making with the pointy teeth when the main dude says he's leaving, for some reason.
I think I should stop talking about this or soon I'm going to have to go watch another one out of sick curiousity.
Posts: 624 | Registered: Mar 2005
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