Delta® is a high-end brand that sells center-set stem faucets with two handles. They have a seat, spring, and cartridge under each handle, and you don’t have to be a plumbing master to replace these parts to stop a leak. Read below for a step by step guide.

4 Steps to Repair Your Delta Faucet

1. Get Your Supplies Together

You'll need a universal Delta repair kit with seats and springs for each handle, and you may need cartridge replacement kits, as well. Buy two so they’ll be on hand for future fixes. You'll also need needle-nose pliers, plumbing grease, an adjustable wrench, and an Allen wrench.

2. Identify the Leak & Turn off the Water

If the leak is around the base, replace the handle’s cartridge. If the faucet is dripping, replace the seat and spring in the handle. To figure out which handle is causing the leak, turn off the hot water supply. If the leak persists, the cold side is leaking, but if it stops, then it’s the hot one. As with all plumbing fixes, shut off the water supply once you know which side is leaking.

3. Replacing the Cartridge for a Leak Around the Base

Unscrew the handle, then use the Allen wrench to undo the screw holding the body to the base. Use an adjustable wrench to undo the nut on the stem unit, then utilize the needle-nosed pliers to pull the cartridge straight up out of the handle. Take a picture documenting its exact position so you can install the new one correctly.

Take the new cartridge out of the package and apply a small amount of plumber’s grease on the metal O-ring at the bottom, and then lower it into place in the exact same alignment as the old one. Replace the nut, handle body, and handle, then turn the water on and test for leaks. If there’s still a leak at the base, replace the cartridge on the other handle. If it begins to leak from the tap, replace the seats and springs.

4. Replacing the Seats & Springs for a Dripping Faucet Head

Remove the handle and handle body, and then pull the cartridge straight out, documenting its position for when you put it back. The seat is a rubber cap that rests over the spring. Use a screwdriver or long tweezers to pull the seat and spring out. Place the replacement spring in the replacement seat—with the narrow side of the spring facing up into it—and put it in the handle. Replace the cartridge and handle, and then turn on the water and test for leaks. If it’s still dripping, replace the seat and spring in the other handle, too.

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