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Remove Packing Nut and Old Seals — Disassemble the Faucet

Beginner2 hours

Part of project

Fix a Leaky Faucet: Troubleshooting Faulty Water Intake · Step 2 of 5

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In this video

After removing the handle, unscrew the large packing nut surrounding the faucet stem. This may be done by hand or with pliers/wrench. Once the nut is off, use a small screwdriver to carefully pry out the old packing gasket from inside the faucet body and remove the old O-ring from the nut you just removed. Inspect them for cracks and wear.

Goal: Inspect the Seals

  • Note the color of your packing nut. In the video, white nuts are right-hand threaded and tan nuts may be left-hand threaded.

Used in this video

  • Pliers (Tool Type: Pliers) · optional — Gripping and turning the packing nut if it's too tight to remove by hand.
  • Screwdriver (Tool Type: Screwdriver) — Prying out the old packing gasket.
  • Socket Wrench Set (Tool Type: Hand Tools, Size/Capacity: 7/8-inch socket) · optional — Unscrewing the packing nut.
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Everyday Home Repairs

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FAQs

What should I do if I can't locate or turn off the hot and cold water supply lines under the sink?

If the shut-off valves under your sink are inaccessible or seized, you must locate and turn off the main water supply to your entire house before proceeding. Never attempt faucet disassembly with the water supply still on, as this can lead to significant flooding and water damage. Once the main supply is off, open a lower-level faucet to drain the remaining water from the pipes.

Are the specified tools (Adjustable Wrench, Phillips head screwdriver) the only ones I'll need, or should I have others on hand?

While the adjustable wrench and Phillips head screwdriver are essential, it's also helpful to have a small flathead screwdriver or utility knife for prying off decorative caps. A set of O-ring picks can make removing old O-rings easier, and a wire brush can be useful for cleaning mineral deposits on internal components. Having a rag or small bucket ready for drips is also a good idea.

My faucet is still leaking after I've followed all the steps and reassembled it. What should I check next?

If the leak persists, carefully re-tighten all connections, ensuring they are snug but not overtightened, which can damage parts. Double-check that the new O-rings and washers are correctly sized, seated properly, and that plumber's grease was applied. Sometimes, the faucet seat itself might be worn or corroded, requiring a specific seat wrench for repair or replacement.

How do I ensure I get the correct replacement O-rings and washers for my specific faucet model?

The best way to get the correct replacement parts is to take the old O-rings and washers with you to a hardware store to match them for size and material. Alternatively, if you know your faucet's brand and model number, you can often find a repair kit or parts list online. Always apply plumber's grease to new O-rings for a better seal and extended life.

Transcript
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one's probably been in say 20 years 20 years has any service done ok so here's here's the nut this is a right hand tight nut so when you turn it right it tightens they're also left hand and I think those are usually tan so you might see a white one which is the right hand tighten or a tan one which would be a left hand tighten this one at least was him loose that alone can be your source so you could tighten this down and see if that stops your leak by putting the handle back on screaming back down turning the stem see if that stops your leak I'm gonna actually remove this which you can remove with a pair of pliers or this is actually if you already have your socket set out 7/8 so a 7/8 socket fits this knot I'll take it out when I'm looking for is the o-ring and gasket I want to see the condition of those if those look bad that's probably going to be the the issue okay here's the o-ring don't even look too bad now there's the gasket that already looks a little dried out let me try to take it out of there yep okay you see it's it's got cracks in it chunks missing broken so that is definitely not going to make a good seal and that's most likely the source of our our problem I did grab a repair kit here the house - all the parts we need to go ahead and make it actually has many of the parts for the kind of tan one there is the left hand tighten nut we have the white one so that's the right hand tighten nut and many other components you can actually rebuild you can remove this entire stem and then there's some additional gaskets in there that you can rebuild we're just gonna do this nut and see if that works for us so I grabbed

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