---
title: 'How to fix a leaking faucet yourself'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=_wkamgxoa0M'
video_id: '_wkamgxoa0M'
date: 2026-06-28
duration_sec: 0
---

# How to fix a leaking faucet yourself

> Source: [How to fix a leaking faucet yourself](https://youtube.com/watch?v=_wkamgxoa0M)

## Summary

This video demonstrates how to fix a leaky faucet without calling a plumber. Expert Krista Williamson walks through the simple steps, emphasizing turning off the water first and using basic tools. The entire repair can be done in under three minutes for less than $10.

### Key Points

- **Shut off water** [0:00] — Turn off water supply under the sink or main valve to avoid surprises.
- **Gather tools** [1:05] — Use a screwdriver, adjustable wrench, and possibly a putty knife or Allen wrenches.
- **Disassemble faucet** [1:44] — Remove the handle screw, then the large nut holding the valve stem.
- **Replace part** [2:39] — Replace the entire valve stem (throwaway type) or just the washer on repairable stems.
- **Reassemble and finish** [3:41] — Reassemble and test; the fix costs under $10 and takes less than three minutes.

## Transcript

your faucets leaking and you're not that
do-it-yourself type of person don't call
a plumber just yet Krista Williamson is
here to help and she says a leaky faucet
well it's an easy fix we'll see how easy
it is what's the first step that we need
to do okay well this time we're here and
we're working on the supply side so
water is being delivered here and it's
under pressure so we've got to turn the
water off turn the water off if we don't
do that then you'll have a surprise and
you won't do it twice so if under your
sink you've got water shutoffs then turn
those off if you find that when you look
under there you don't have shutoff
valves and you're going to have to turn
off your main water valve either way
you've got to stop the water from coming
to the faucet then go ahead and turn
these on and get that last little bit of
water out of here the next thing I do is
either stopper my drain or just drop a
little towel in there because there are
a few small parts that are going to come
out of these handles then have to work
on another good we don't really want to
make this project bigger than it was so
okay what are the tools that you need
okay you're going to need a screwdriver
and you will probably need some sort of
adjustable wrench and then these are
tools that you may potentially need this
is a little putty knife that's going to
help us get to the screw to remove this
handle and these are Allen wrenches some
handles are held on with Allen wrenches
this one isn't so we won't need it in
this case but so the way to find the
washer or the valve stem that needs to
be replaced in order to stop your faucet
from dripping you can always follow your
handle and that applies whether this is
a sink faucet or a tub or a shower and
same for kitchen faucets as it is for
this bathroom so under here what's
holding this handle in place is a screw
so we're just going to remove that
mm-hmm
and so since they're all different do
you need is there any advice online or
in case that what you need to do there's
all sorts of stuff on behind your
workshop absolutely this is the sort of
thing that we cover in our basic home
repair workshop so we're gonna move this
little piece right here and then see
this big nut
holding the valve in place so you just
need a this isn't something that's on
there particularly tight so you just
loosen that up and remove it okay and
then you're gonna replace them we are
going to pull this out and see what we
have on it you don't really want to mess
this up so if you use a little paper
towel or some sort of talent when you're
grabbing then you won't then chances are
you can put it back in place this
particular valve stem is sort of a throw
it away and replace the entire valve
stem pretty inexpensive yeah you can do
this for less than $10 this one I have
in my pocket here is actually from an
older faucet and these are meant to be
repaired that little washer that you see
down here that old on with a screw you
can buy these washers at any hardware or
home improvement store and just replace
those and then you slip this back down
in just as you would this so this one
you can be repaired this one is a throw
away you might not take it with you to
your to your hardware store get a
matching one so when she looked in a
professional when water spraying
everywhere I tried I tried to do it
myself you know I have had I've had it
where I haven't been able to repair it
just because there's been so much
corrosion in the faucet and so then it
becomes it's it's not so much calling in
a professional as that you know you
could potentially want to replace the
faucet itself okay okay so you go ahead
and finish
I'm so sorry hey no no just putting it
back together you want to slip it in
there's a little alignment in there by
the way there is a difference between
hot and cold sometimes so make sure you
have the right one yeah otherwise you'll
be turning your faucet in funny ways
that you wouldn't and there you go you
just fixed it in less than three minutes
yeah it's a very simple fix
um you know it's a perfect fix for
homeowners and really quick people can
find you at your k2 workshops and and
and get your help some hands-on help
each lots of things we teach we've got
an electrical workshop coming up this
weekend we teach tiling we teach just
beginning projects like this and lots of
other specialized projects well thank
you for coming in for sharing
this great do-it-yourself project