How you tighten the handle will now depend on the type of faucet you have. Mineral deposits 4. The main difficulty comes in accessing that nut since it will be located under the sink. Cartridge Keep the “O” ring in case you need it to identify what size replacement ring you will need. Apply a small amount of silicone faucet grease to the two rubber o-rings on the faucet body, as well as the inside of the spout. A strap wrench may also be used, taking care to protect all finish surfaces. Some clues: 1. Some faucets are secured by means of a set screw with a hex head located at the base of the handle. You can’t grab the flattened edges with the handle in place. Your job is helped by knowing (through a little tinkering) what the cause is. % of people told us that this article helped them. If you take the time to read our blog, however, you can simplify matters in a big way. This finally ends up in dropping water which may be a serious loss. The annoying drip of a leaky faucet handle can cause higher water bills and make an irritating dripping noise. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Then, take an Allen wrench or hex wrench, and put it inside the hole and unscrew it in a counterclockwise direction. Tightening a kitchen faucet base is an easy job because all you need to do is tighten a nut. Open the faucet handle to start the water flow and check the smoothness of water. After tightening the handle, connect the water supply valves again with the kitchen faucet. Remove any objects in the sink cabinet that will interfere with your ability to reach the two water supply valves located at the back of the cabinet. If you have a model with a set screw at the base of the handle, take the hex head wrench (Allen key), push it into the screw and turn clockwise to tighten. If the screw is located under a decorative cap, use the hex head wrench or Phillips head screwdriver as necessary to tighten the screw by turning it clockwise. Age 2. Once you have removed the cap, look inside. Between #4 and #5, it would have to been helpful to have a photo of the under the sink faucet area to be tightened. Once everything is done, physically check the faucet handle to make sure it no longer moves. Under the nut, you should see the rubber O ring, which will probably be worn down. Below it, you will find the setscrews that you need to tighten by turning them clockwise. If your faucet handle is leaking, you should be able to fix the issue yourself by replacing its O ring. For this job, you will need the following: Here are the steps you need to follow to tighten a loose faucet base. Here's a trick to tighten worn stems on most types of faucets: Wrap the stem tightly with Teflon pipe thread tape and slip the handle back over the stem. The water mains switch is often located in the basement or on an outside wall near the laundry or bathroom. If you can’t find the hex wrench that came with your faucet, most single handle kitchen faucets will use a 1/8th inch wrench, while most two … A leaking handle is normally caused by a damaged “O” ring inside the faucet. One issue that almost everyone faces at some point is a loose kitchen faucet. If it … "O" rings can stretch if they've been in use for a long time. If you are using an adjustable wrench, set it to the correct size for the nut that holds the faucet in place. Before reading on, you can check out this video for a preview of what you should be doing. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. For faucet handles with decorative caps as opposed to setscrews, use a masking tape to cover the caps. Although it's the cartridge that makes a sink or bathroom faucet handle hard to turn, it doesn't hurt to give everything a thorough cleaning while you have this once-every-10-years view of your sink. Purchase a new "O" ring that is just slightly smaller than your old one to make sure you get a tight fit. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Replace the O ring with a new one, then screw the nut and faucet handle back on. When the water’s stopped, remove the faucet handle. Some single handle faucets have an allen screw recessed in the handle. I tightened the screw in front that felt loose. Tightening the Set Screw Actually, most Kohler faucets do have set screws. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Luckily, it's quite an easy problem to fix yourself. 7 Common Pull-out Spray Kitchen Faucet Problems (Tips to Fix). Once you’ve removed the handle, unscrew the nut underneath with a wrench. A hard-to-turn faucet can be caused by several problems. However, if you need to work with the faucet open, this will prevent water from coming out when you move it to the “on” position, so you should always start by closing the valves. Friction 3. Continue turning until it stops. Purchase penetrating oil from a hardware store. Turn off the water flow to the faucet. Turn off the water flow to the faucet. Using a hex wrench will allow you to re-tighten the set screw in the handle. Step 5 - Test. How to Tighten a Loose Kohler Faucet Handle. https://www.bhg.com.au/leaking-taps-repair-bathroom-kitchen, https://www.familyhandyman.com/plumbing/faucet-repair/how-to-repair-a-kitchen-faucet/view-all/, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Locate the headgear nut under the decorative cap. For better grip, hold the faucet handle while turning the wrench or screwdriver. Using your other hand, turn the skirt, the decorative flared piece below the handle, counterclockwise. In most homes, the space under the sink is used as a place to store all manner of cleaning products and other items. A popular brand of kitchen faucet is Moen. If tightening doesn't work, the stem inside the handle may be worn, especially if it's plastic. Instead, for this kitchen faucet repair, cushion the jaws of pliers and grip the round edge below. You’re welcome! If the water doesn’t stop running, check that the water mains are in the “off” position. The brand offers functional kitchen faucet options in a vast variety. If your "O" ring is broken or crumbled, make sure to remove any small pieces from the faucet. What Size Faucet Should You Choose for a Kitchen Sink? Afterwards, slide a flat head screwdriver under the cap edge and lift to remove the cap from the handle. If the set screw is visible, hold the faucet in place and tighten the screw. 5 Tips to Identify the Brand of a Kitchen Faucet. You might not be able to do this with the faucet in the “off” position and may need to turn it to “on”. Double handle faucets have the set screw hidden under the top cap of the handle. Keep the screw and handle somewhere safe so that you find it when you want to put the tap back together. Widespread Faucet Handle Removal: Hold the handle with one hand. Hold the handle in place with one hand and tighten the screw by turning it clockwise as far as you can go. For this reason, being able to fix things yourself can help save a bit of cash. Faucet and Sink Installer,（8-in-1）Multi-purpose Wrench Plumbing Tool for Toilet Bowl/Sink/Bathroom/Kitchen Plumbing Repair Installation Hand Tools(red) 4.0 … How to Repair a Loose Faucet Handle. Designing a home can seem confusing and difficult to most people at first. Turn the spanner towards the right to tighten the screw. Plumbers grease can be purchased from a hardware store. But getting rid of these two minor issues is as easy as you will get. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Long time because of frequent use, the control of a Moen kitchen faucet will relax which effectively affects the convenience off and one of the kitchen valves. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. And if you want to have a go, here’s how to tighten a kitchen faucet. Put the plug in the plughole to stop any screws falling down the pipes. Test the handle to ensure that there are no leaks and that the handle no longer moves loosely. Tighten the screw while holding the handle in place. I then tried to loosen the back screw just a tiny bit. If your switch is a wheel, turn it clockwise to shut off the water supply. Before you start looking for the nut that you will need to tighten, you should turn off the two water valves located under the sink. To fix the problem you will need to dismantle the faucet and replace the ring before putting it back together. Once the screw is tight, the handle should stop shaking. How you tighten the handle will now depend on the type of faucet you have. You may need to hold the faucet handle as you do this. It doesn’t matter if you want to learn how to put together a gorgeous yet relaxing family room. Finally, open the faucet gradually to release any air bubbles until the water flows normally. Hence, we developed the article to tighten the Moen kitchen faucet base and handles. I think the faucet is not centered as before. If it is now fixed firmly in place, you are ready to put everything back how it was. Once the noises stop, this signals that the air is out of the pipes. Locate the screw securing the handle to the ball mount. The Moen kitchen faucet may get loose over time and may need some care. If this is the case in your home too, you will need to move them out of the way to gain access to underneath your sink. The Moen single handle kitchen faucet is one of these. If something is worn out or in bad condition, chances are it needs replacement. Slide the tip of a flat-head screwdriver under the edge of the cap. For more tips, including how to unscrew a stiff nut, read on! Our insight can guide the way for you. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. If you have a model with a set screw at the base of the handle, take the hex head wrench (Allen key), push it into the screw and turn clockwise to tighten. wikiHow's. Tighten the Handle Taking the appropriate tool, place it correctly on the screw or socket and begin turning it clockwise to tighten it. If you can’t find this, you need to pop off the decorative cap in the handle. Tightening the handle will greatly reduce the irritation associated with a loose kitchen faucet. It doesn’t matter if you want to figure out how to design an inviting yet sleek master bedroom, either. This is the main reason we closed the water valves before we started. The job is done. For more tips, including how to unscrew a stiff nut, read on! Finally, open the faucet gradually to release any air bubbles until the water flows normally. This means the main complication is going to be establishing what you need to do to tighten your particular model. Tightening a loose faucet handle is another simple job. How To Tighten Moen Kitchen Faucet Handle; A Pros Advice . This article has been viewed 36,678 times. You might not be able to do this with the faucet in the “off” position and may need to turn it to “on”. When the plumbing goes wrong in your home, it can cost a fortune if you have to call out a professional to fix it, and even the smallest of problems may end up costing you a lot of money. How to fix a leaky faucet leak repair stop dripping delta inspired living how to tighten a single handle kitchen faucet mr faucets how to repair a ball type faucet tos diy delta silverton 8 in widespread 2 handle bathroom faucet chrome 35713lf eco the how to repair a 2 handle cartridge faucet. Tighten everything up to ensure that the handle is nice and tight, but do this carefully so that you don't risk scratching or damaging the handle of the faucet. Use a Phillips screwdriver or a 1/8- or 3/32-inch hex wrench, depending on the model. So, keep twisting the screw until your Moen kitchen faucet handle is tightened enough. Also check the tightness of your handle. However, there are many different types of faucet, including pull-out kitchen faucets, and commercial kitchen faucets or even touchless kitchen faucets. Remove the cap and tighten the screw with a Phillips-head screwdriver. If you have a landlord, ask them where the water mains are located. Step 6: Reconnect The Water Supply Valves. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/5c\/Fix-a-Leaky-Faucet-Handle-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Fix-a-Leaky-Faucet-Handle-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/5c\/Fix-a-Leaky-Faucet-Handle-Step-1.jpg\/aid10327773-v4-728px-Fix-a-Leaky-Faucet-Handle-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"