Found an old-school fix for my leaky faucet that plumber didn't mention

My kitchen faucet was dripping for like two weeks, driving me nuts at night. I called a plumber who quoted me $180 just to come look at it. Before I booked it, my dad told me to try replacing the rubber washer inside the handle - cost me $1.50 at the hardware store. Took me 20 minutes with a screwdriver and a pair of pliers, and the drip stopped completely. Has anyone else had luck with those simple fixes before shelling out for a pro?

3 comments

3 Comments

charles_coleman5d ago

My uncle Dave fixed a washing machine with a paperclip once. It was this old Maytag from the 80s and the lid switch broke. He bent a paperclip to hold the switch closed and it ran for like another three years before we finally got a new one. Sometimes those tiny little parts are all that's wrong but it's like the pros just want to sell you a whole new thing. The rubber washer trick is classic though, my dad showed me that same thing when I moved into my first apartment.

pat_murray535d ago

That paperclip trick is brilliant, my neighbor kept a dryer running for two years with a penny wedged under the start switch. You ever try that WD-40 trick for squeaky hinges or does your dad have a cheaper fix for that too?

wright.leo5d ago

Wedged a penny under my old dryer's start switch for like five years before it finally gave out. Cheapest fix ever, just gotta be careful it doesn't pop out when the thing shakes. That paperclip trick is basically the same idea, just more hidden.