Kitchen Tap Cartridge

If you are having problems with a leaky faucet in your kitchen, you will want to ensure that it is not a problem with your kitchen tap cartridge or other small components before you hire a professional to have a look at it. Hiring a professional will only cost you money and you might be able to solve the problem yourself by understanding the most common problems with kitchen faucets and how these problems can be identified.

Inspecting the Components of the Faucet

In order to find out whether it is the kitchen tap cartridge that is causing the problem, you will need to take the faucet apart. You can do this very easily with a small screwdriver and pliers. Once the faucet has been opened up, you will then need to study all of the components that make up the system, and these include:

The O-ring
The Seal
The Washer
Other small components

You must make sure that you handle every component with care so that you don’t damage them. If these components are dirty, simply wipe them down with a damp cloth. If the components do not look worn then you can place them back into the system to see whether your problem has been solved.

Replacing the Faucet

If your faucet is very old, it might be leaking due to wear-and-tear. This means that you will have to purchase a new one, instead of attempting to replace the kitchen tap cartridge. Faucets can be purchased from leading retailers for about $100, but this will depend on the brand that you purchase and the material that the faucet is made from. Higher quality faucets will last longer, as they are made from corrosion-resistant materials and this means that you will be saving money in the long run since you won’t have to replace the item as often.

Checking for Clogs in the System

You might not need to replace the kitchen tap cartridge if the water pressure is low. When you open up the faucet, check for any blocks in the system that could be causing the drop in pressure. It might be a good idea to scrub the pipe down with a toothbrush to get rid of any clumps of dirt and grime that might be building up and causing problems.

Replacing the Broken Kitchen Tap Cartridge

If you have checked for any other problems within the system and you have come to the conclusion that is the kitchen tap cartridge that is causing the problem, you will need to replace it. Replacing this part begins with finding the correct item to replace it and you can find these items online or at a local retailer for around $11. It might be a good idea to take the kitchen tap cartridge out of the faucet before you purchase a new one so that you can walk into the hardware store with the old cartridge and ask for a similar item. Not all cartridges are the same and you will need to ensure that you get the correct one to replace the worn item or it won’t fit in your faucet.