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One of the reasons why you need to call a plumber to fix a leaky or malfunctioning faucet is because there are so many different types of faucets out there. You need to be able to first distinguish the type of faucet that you have in your home before you can do any type of repairs. You also need to make sure that the replacement parts match the original parts. They must be designed for the same type of faucet.
There are four basic types of faucet designs: ball types, cartridge, disc, and compression. In general, these faucet types can be easily identified by their appearance. Their inner mechanisms and parts are also different. A skilled plumber will have experience in dealing with all of the different types. In this article, we’ll take a look at each type in more detail.
Ball-Type Faucets
Ball-type faucets typically have a single handle. These faucets are easily identified by the hollow metal or plastic ball inside their body that controls both the temperature and the flow of water. These are some of the most popular faucet types that you’ll find in older homes. They’re fairly easy to repair, and you can even find repair kits at many home improvement stores.
The most common problem that you see with this type of faucet is a leak at the spout. This is usually caused by worn-out valve seats, springs, or a damaged ball. Before calling a plumber in Normal, IL, you can try tightening the cap with channel-type pliers if you feel comfortable tinkering with the appliance. Another common problem that you might notice with some of the older faucets is leaks around the base of the faucet, which are caused by worn-out o-rings.
If you’re thinking about replacing the rotating ball, you have two options to choose from: metal or plastic. Metal balls tend to be more expensive, but they’re a great investment because they’re more durable.
Cartridge Faucets
Cartridge faucets are also identified by their inner mechanisms and parts. These types of faucets have a narrow metal or plastic cartridge inside the faucet body. This cartridge lifts and rotates to control the flow and temperature of the water. Unlike ball-type faucets, this type of faucet can come in either a single-handle or double-handle option. Since this type of faucet comes in many different styles, it’s a good idea to bring the old cartridge with you when shopping for a replacement part.
These faucets are a bit trickier to repair. Due to this reason, you should leave the repair work to a plumber in Normal, IL if you don’t have any experience with plumbing at all. The cartridge must be aligned properly during the repair process; otherwise, the hot and cold water controls may become reversed. It’s also important to find and use the right type of cartridge.
Compression Faucets
Compression faucets are a bit unique. They have separate controls for both the hot and cold water, and they are usually identified via a threaded stem assembly inside the faucet body. The stem assembly consists of a retaining nut, threaded spindle, stem screw, stem washer, and o-ring. These faucets come in many different styles and designs, which is also why most homeowners will leave repair jobs to a professional.
Even though these faucets come in many different styles, they all have the same type of neoprene washer or seal to control the water flow. Leakages happen when these stem washers and seals become worn down.
These faucets have many different parts. Because of this reason, all of the parts should be examined during the repairs. For example, most plumbers will inspect the metal valve seats inside the faucet body as well. If the valve seats feel or look rough, they should be replaced during the repairs. It’ll make a world of a difference in how long the repair may last.
Another interesting thing to note is that there are different compression stems. The faucet will either have a standard stem, tophat stem, or reverse-pressure stem. It’s crucial that the right type of stem is used.
Disc Faucets
Last but not least, we have the disc faucet. This type of faucet is often found in only a single-handle design. It’s identified by the cylinder that’s inside the faucet body. This sealed cylinder contains two ceramic discs that will slide into alignment in order to control the water flow.
Disc faucets are considered to be top-quality fixtures. They’re easy to repair, and you might not necessarily need to call a plumber to get the job done. You can fix a leak by lifting out the cylinder and cleaning the neoprene seals. The only time that you need to replace a cylinder is if the faucet continues to leak even after you’ve thoroughly cleaned it. This usually means that there is a crack or a scratch in the ceramic discs.
The only notable thing about this faucet when it comes to repairs is that you need to open the shutoff valves slowly. The ceramic discs are prone to get damaged if they are exposed to a sudden release of air. Other than that, you don’t really have to worry about anything else when tinkering around with this type of faucet.
Call Covenant Plumbing for Plumbing Repairs
Are the faucets in your home leaking or not functioning properly? Or, are you dealing with some other type of plumbing problem, like noisy plumbing?
Regardless of the type of plumbing problems that you’re facing, plumbers from Covenant Plumbing are here to help. With decades of experience under our belts, our licensed and insured plumbers have dealt with just about every plumbing problem that’s out there. We can easily figure out what’s wrong with the plumbing system in your home through various means and propose several solutions for different budgets. For example, our skilled plumbers can easily detect leaks in your plumbing.
Give us a call at (309) 603-1253 whenever you’re ready!
