Soaking Vanity Faucet

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Molo

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I have a two-handle bath faucet, it leaks underneath the faucet base, and drips heavily into the cabinet below when I turn the hot side on. I have taken it apart and it is plastic insides with rubber rings, and the rubber plug at bottom with spring inside. I think it's standard.

I've done a search
Does this sound right? Will replacing rubber the components be enough?

"If you see water coming from below the handle, the packing nut is leaking. Older faucets have a string-like graphite packing material wrapped around the stem. Newer faucets use an O-ring. First try tightening the packing nut clockwise... about one-half turn. If this doesn't stop the leak, remove the packing nut and replace the packing or O-ring; then reassemble the faucet. "

TIA,
Molo
 

Jimbo

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First, NOTHING in plumbing is "standard"!

The faucet you have sounds like it one of the easy ones to repair. The rubber seat and spring means it is probably a Delta/Peerless, although Valley, EZ FLow, and Glacier Bay have used similar.

If water leaking out anywhere arount the handle when you turn the faucet on, you need to replace the stem, along with the seats and springs underneath. I haven't seen a lav stem that you could fix with string packing in a long time. And I would not use string packing on a shower either. There is a proper packing seal and I always get the proper parts.

Your best bet is to turn off your shutoffs underneath, remove the stem and seal parts, and take them to a plumbing store to obtain all new parts. You should be able to completely redo hot and cold for well under $20 worth of parts,

There are a couple of things that can cause leaking water to end up under the countertop. Maybe the gasket or putty that should be under the faucet body is missing or defective. You can't fix this without completely un-installing the whole faucet. This is a bigger job, so if you fix the leaking stems, you can probably put this task off to a later day.

Feel free to post some pictures here and we can offer more advice.
 

Verdeboy

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If your springs and rubber seats were bad, water would be leaking into your sink, not under the faucet.

Here are some possibilities for a leak as you have described:

The faucet aerator is plugged and water is squirting back under your faucet.

The stem is cracked.

The o-rings need replacing.

The retaining nut needs to be tightened down more. (Note: this is not a packing nut).

The valve body itself has developed a crack, and the faucet is toast.
 
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