Once you shut off the water and remove the handle and escutcheon, you can quickly determine whether your single-handle tub and shower faucet is a cartridge, ball, or disk type. Tub cartridge faucets work just like sink cartridge faucets. Usually the faucet only turns water on and off; a diverter valve on the spout directs water to the showerhead or the spout. A number of manufacturers make cartridges of varying designs, so take the cartridge with you when you shop for parts. You may need to replace the entire cartridge. Follow the steps remove it. Screwdriver, hex wrench if needed, groove-joint pliers, cartridge puller if needed Cartridge or repair kit for your faucet model, silicone grease Shut off the water and turn the faucet on until water stops running. To remove the handle you may need a hex wrench, which is sometimes included in a repair kit. Remove the screws holding the escutcheon and slide out the escutcheon. If there is a chrome sleeve, unscrew it or pull it out.

Use a small screwdriver to pry out the retaining clip that holds the cartridge in place. Some cartridges can be removed easily with pliers; others require a special cartridge-pulling wrench (usually available at hardware stores or home centers) made for a specific brand of faucet. If the cartridge is in good shape, replace the O-rings and any other worn parts. (It doesn't cost much more to replace the cartridge.) Rub the O-rings with a thin coat of silicone grease. Insert the new or repaired cartridge into the faucet body, oriented as it was originally. Slide in the retaining clip and replace the handle and escutcheon. This cartridge works by virtue of its tapered shape, rather than a series of grooves. Note the cartridge's orientation when you remove it so you can put it back the same way. If hot and cold are reversed after you reinstall the cartridge, turn it 180 degrees.Corrosion freezes joints and makes it impossible to turn movable pieces. The metal in sinks and faucets is exposed to air and moisture every day, and this causes a chemical reaction that eats into the metal.

Along with this chemical corrosion, the minerals in the water can build up on the faucet, leaving corrosive deposits. The layers of rust and buildup form bonds that join pieces of the faucet together, making it difficult to remove retaining nuts, water-line connections or even to turn the faucet handle. Tire Dealers In Fairmont WvTo loosen the pieces and restore their usefulness, break the bonds caused by the corrosion. Laser Light Show CupertinoTurn off the water supply to the sink. Homes For Sale In Walker La 70785 With LandIf you can turn the faucet on, do so, and let the water in the pipes drain out. Scrape off as much of the corrosion in the faucet joints as you can with a wire brush. Sometimes just removing some of the buildup can free the joints.

Try to turn the stuck part with a wrench. Heat the corroded part of the faucet with a hairdryer if it won't turn. The metal swells as it heats up, and this can loosen or break the bond caused by the corrosion. Again, try to turn the part with the wrench. Let the metal cool off if the part is still stuck. When it is cool to the touch, squirt a penetrating oil into the corroded joint. Let the oil work for as long as necessary. Apply more oil every few hours if the part doesn't loosen quickly. Scrape off bits of corrosion with the wire brush as they come loose. Tap the stuck part gently with a hammer if necessary to help the oil work. If the part is small or delicate, position a center punch against it and tap the center punch with the hammer instead of the faucet itself. The force of the hammer together with the oil should be enough to break the bond of the corrosion and loosen the faucet. Things You Will Need Wire brush Wrench Hairdryer Penetrating oil Hammer Center punch Tip Warning References Friendly Plumber: Eliminating Faucet FearThis Old House: Loosening a Stuck Nut Photo Credits Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images Suggest a Correction

A broken tub diverter can reduce the water pressure of your shower. The little knob on the end of your tub spout is the diverter. When you raise the diverter with the water running, it "diverts" the water from the spout to the showerhead. Over time, the diverter can wear out. When this happens, it reduces the water pressure for the shower, because not enough water diverts from the spout. A replacement tub spout is an inexpensive fix to your diverter dilemma, and you can change it to match your bathroom decor. Lay a towel in the bottom of your bathtub beneath the spout. The towel can catch any dropped screws and protect the tub enamel from dropped tools and parts. Look for a small setscrew on the underside of the spout next to the wall. Use a hex key to remove the setscrew and pull the spout off the supply pipe. If your tub spout does not have a setscrew, insert a heavy-duty screwdriver into the spout opening and twist it counterclockwise to remove it from the supply pipe. Measure the length of the supply pipe from the wall to the tip.

Take the measurement and the original tub spout to a home improvement center or a plumbing supply store. This will ensure you get the correct replacement spout with the proper diverter location that fits your supply pipe. Before installing the new spout and diverter, wipe the threads on the end of the supply pipe with a rag. Wrap the threads with two or three layers of thread-seal tape. Use silicone caulk to seal around the supply pipe where it enters the wall, if necessary. Slide the new spout over the supply pipe and tighten the setscrew to secure it. If your spout screws on, slide it over the pipe and turn it clockwise with your hand. Wrap masking tape around the teeth on a pair of tongue-and-groove pliers to protect the new spout. Use the pliers to tighten the spout to the pipe. Do not over-tighten the spout as you could damage the wall and the pipe. Things You Will Need Towel Hex key set Heavy-duty screwdriver Tape measure Rag Thread-seal tape Silicone caulk Masking tape Tongue-and-groove pliers References The Family Handyman: How to Replace a Bathtub SpoutThis Old House: Replace a Leaky Shower DiverterPlumbing 123;