# Faucet leak



## Ken H (Aug 24, 2008)

Hi ..I am a newbie on this site and although I am familiar with the structure of this forum ...this is my first posting.
I have a leaky faucet which is soldered onto the pipe of course . When I hook the hose onto it ..then turn on the tap ..I am getting a heavy leak through the handle of the faucet. Is it possible to ..shut off the water ...loosen the nut on the faucet and whined some packing inside the valve and then tighten it back up? Will that eliminate the leak or do I have to call a plumber and change the faucet ? The faucet doesn't leak when it's off .
Or is the job of replacing the faucet easier than I think ..I haven't done any soldering before .
Thanks Ken


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## Blue Jay (Aug 24, 2008)

You are on the right track, sounds like the packing has worn out just behind the handle. Find a shutoff point ahead of this fixture then take the handle and packing nut off and re-pack.


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## Ken H (Aug 24, 2008)

Thanks Blue Jay ...I will attempt to do that !


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## handyguys (Aug 26, 2008)

Yep - simple. The packing material is usually black stringy stuff. Remove the old and wrap new around the stem. 

First thing I would try is just tightening up the packing nut a bit. That sometimes fixes it.


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## Charlie (Aug 26, 2008)

I wish I could find a better picture, but this guide from Ace will give you an idea of how the faucet is built. Usually most hardware stores sell all the replacement parts including packing and washers. 

If you are taking it apart anyway and it is an older faucet it would probably be a good idea to check and replace the other washers if necessary.

http://www.acehardware.com/sm-repairing-faucets-and-valves--bg-1280424.html


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