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Plumbing Emergency: What To Do During a Flood

Welcome! My name is Sally. This is my blog about plumbing. I decided to start writing about plumbing after a very scary experience. I arrived home from work one day only to discover that a pipe burst in my home. When I opened the front door, I saw a torrent of water pouring down the stairs. I panicked and ran next door to my neighbour. Luckily, he used to work as a construction contractor, so he has a lot of experience in dealing with household problems. He helped me to turn off the mains water and helped me to mop up the mess. After this event, I decided I wanted to learn more about the plumbing in my house, so I went to a night school class.

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Plumbing Emergency: What To Do During a Flood

Common Tap Repairs for Compression Faucets

by Melvin Owens

Compression faucets are the most common type of faucet you will find in older homes. They work with a washer and pressure system. When the tap is open the washer is raised and causes pressure for the water to release at a certain rate. Though this is the most common faucet type, it does come with several common tap repairs. Here are a few of those repairs and what you need to know about each one.

Washer Breakdown and Replacement 

One of the leading tap repairs that happen with compression faucets deals with the washers. Washers receive ongoing pressure every time the faucet is used. The compression pressure forces the washers to move and stay under strain during use. This means the washers will breakdown quicker and easier over a shorter span of time. When they break down, leaks will occur and may be unnoticeable at first. This leads to possible water damage and repairs if the leaks go unnoticed. The repair for this issue is to have a simple replacement of the washers and upgrades to more durable washers made for compression faucets.

Compression System Failures

In some cases, the compression system itself may fail. This will result in you not receiving the water pressure you need in showers, sinks and dishwashers. The water will flow but will have a very weak stream. If you begin noticing this issue, it could be the compression system that is failing due to the air seals. If the air seals are damaged, the pressure can't build up. If the pressure can't build properly, then the system will not have enough force to give a stronger output of water. Your plumber can do a tap repair to replace the seals of the system. If there are more issues than the seals, the entire system will be replaced.

Loose Tap System

There are times when the compression system may cause the faucet to become loose. This can affect everything from the water pressure to leaks in the faucet mechanics. The loose tap can often be fixed easily with a screwdriver and tightening the faucet system. If you have to do this too often, it can cause the screws and faucet to become damaged and loose. Your plumber can fix this issue with a tap repair and replacement of the faucet.

These are just a few of the common tap repairs you will see with traditional compression faucets. If you would like to take preventative steps to reduce the chances of these repairs, contact your local plumber. They can help you with the preventative consultations, repairs and any pricing questions you have.

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