Appliance Repair Caroll Gardens

Think about it. You walk into your kitchen or bathroom, and as you have done countless times before, you grab the handle of the tap and turn the water on. Have you noticed anything? Probably not. The water flows; you turn it off and go on your way. Because you use the faucet everyday, what you don't notice is that gradually the internal parts of the faucet gain a buildup of minerals from the water, and the parts wear. The internal parts become stiffer and the handle becomes more difficult to move. Imagine it as arthritis in your faucet joints.

You can save a lot by repairing your faucet yourself. Now, don't let plumbing scare you. With a few common tools and some guidance, even the novice can accomplish the task and become a hero to your spouse or friend. Following, I have listed a few simple steps to help you repair a single lever faucet. This article only covers the repair of a one-lever faucet because the steps to repair this faucet are unique, and I do not have the space to explain how to fix a multi-lever faucet.

Please read the entire article prior to beginning the repair process. You can refer to the steps once you have started the repair to refresh your memory.

Steps to repair a single lever faucet

1) First of all, determine the brand and type of faucet you are repairing; if you can actually locate a brand imprint on the faucet that helps immensely. There are over 100 different brands and makes of faucets, and most of them take different parts. If you can't find a name on the faucet, a great help is a digital camera. Take a picture of the faucet and show the picture to the plumbing supply store clerk. Odds are, when an experienced clerk sees the picture, he or she will know immediately what brand it is.

2) Once you have the brand of the faucet or a picture, you can buy the repair parts. You can go to a big box store or a local hardware store. Each has their own strengths. Tell the clerk the symptoms of a sick faucet. Is the handle difficult to move? Does the faucet leak water around the base of the spout? (Kitchen faucets are notorious for this.) The clerk should know which parts to give you and may save you from having to make multiple trips to the store because you have the wrong parts. It is a good idea, if you are repairing Moen brand faucets, to purchase a "puller tool" to remove the old cartridge. There are different types of cartridge removal tool. You can choose from a plastic model that is inexpensive or a metal one that is more expensive. For the homeowner, the cheaper plastic one should work just fine. You can accomplish the faucet repair without one, but using the removal tool makes life a LOT easier. When I am making repairs, saving a few pennies on parts is the least important thing to me. I would much rather frequent a store or supplier that stocks a wide variety of quality parts and employs knowledgeable and helpful staff.)

3) TURN THE WATER OFF TO THE FAUCET. Did I stress this enough? Turn off the water before you disassemble the tap. There are usually small valves in the back of the sink cabinet. They can be brown or chrome. If you're like all the Americans I have worked for in my career, your sink cabinet is stuffed full of bottles and cleaning products. The valves are buried beneath every type of shampoo and cleaning product. Add a hair dryer, make-up, toothpaste, soap, and spare soap. Find the valves by digging through the debris. If the valves are difficult to turn, you may need to turn off the water at the main shut-off valve of the house. Check out my website for a guide on how to find the main water valve.

Once the water has been turned off, close the drain stopper in the sink. This little trick was first taught to me by a plumber more than 30 years ago. The reason for this? The reason for this is that you will most likely drop a small gasket or screw while disassembling the tap. The closed stopper will prevent the small part from going down the drain. Brilliant. Before disassembling the faucet, if you want or need a detailed, illustrated breakdown of your particular faucet and its parts, these illustrations can usually be found on the manufacturer's websites.

5) Remove the handle. There is often a removable plastic lid which covers the handle screw. Remove the lid by prying it off. Some handles are attached by a set screw on the side of the handle instead of the top. With a little investigation, you should be able to tell.

After removing the handle, you will find a device that holds the replaceable components in place. Sometimes this is a horseshoe shaped metal clip that slides out. Other times it is a type of round threaded cap that unscrews. Remove the retaining clip or cap.

(Some brands of faucets have a surrounding sheath that encircles the horseshoe clip. The tube must be removed before the horseshoe-shaped ring can slide out. The sheath can be unscrewed or pulled off with pliers by grasping it and pulling towards you. After the sheath is removed grasp the tab of the horseshoe clip with pliers and carefully slid it out by pulling it to the side. These parts should remove easily.)

7) Now, you should see a plastic or brass cartridge that can be removed by pulling it out. This is the time to use the removal tool if this is a Moen tap. Follow the directions found on the tool packaging. Be careful not damage the faucet body during this process. Some faucet brands contain a plastic or brass ball here instead of a cartridge. Lift or pull this part out. You should see two small rubber springs and seats under the round ball. Remove them. (In this step, all parts removed should match the new parts which you picked up at the store.)

It is a good idea, once the old cartridge or parts have been removed, to use a torch and look inside the faucet to see where the old part was. See any pieces of debris or broken pieces of the old cartridge in there? If so, remove it with needle nose pliers.

9) You can now install the new parts and work your way backwards through the steps as you reassemble the faucet, remembering to replace all retaining clips and rings. If you have any parts left over, take Good Old Appliance Service the faucet back apart and figure out where they go before turning the water on. Take your time, and you'll be fine

10) This is the most important step. Show off your work after you have reassembled the faucet, turned on the water, and tested it. Watch their reactions as they marvel at how well the faucet works. Now YOU are the hero and not the plumber that you would have paid to make the repair.

The author does not accept any responsibility for the work performed by his readers. The plumbing repair articles are meant to be a helpful general guide for the homeowner.

Sunbeam electric mattress pad is one of the best choices when it comes to increasing comfort during cold winter seasons. This mattress pad distributes heat evenly over your mattress, so you feel comfortable and warm even without blankets.

These pads are fitted and placed on top of the primary mattress. There are electric circuits inside responsible for the distribution of heat. It comes with a hand-held controller that will allow the consumers easy access to its temperature settings. But because of its electric functions, faults and failures are likely to happen.

Here is how you can fix your sunbeam electric mattress pad:

Step 1: Check first to see if the heating performance of the pad has been compromised. Folding it three times is the best way to achieve this. This will let you feel the circuit inside the pad. Check with your hands if the cord has been properly connected to module of the mattress topper. Make sure it is not loose. After checking the connection, try plugging it into the outlet. Turn it to the highest setting. If your mattress topper doesn't heat up after a few moments, then something is wrong. You may also want to check if the outlet is working properly. Test the outlet by plugging in another appliance.

Step 2: The pad usually fails to produce heat when there is a power outage. You may have to restart the pad to test its heat-producing ability. Unplug and turn it off. Follow Step 1 again.

Step 3: Check the plug if one of the blades are damaged or twisted. Usually, this is the cause of the problem. The blades have to be straight. Make sure the blades fit the outlet perfectly. Some people tend to jam the plug to the outlet even though it does not fit right. Call an electrician to install a new outlet near your bed. Be sure to get the right fit so that you don't damage the pad by forcing the plug.

When you are not using your mattress topper, turn it off and unplug it. This will prevent the cords from deteriorating quickly. If the mattress has not heated up within seven minutes, immediately turn it off. It means the cord came off from the module or the plug is not working properly.