It's not that hard to fix, but since it's plumbing, the risks can be significant. I doubt your YouTube vids will mention, but you'll start at your main water shutoff, then your hot water heater. Test to make sure they work please. If they work, turn them back on.

Turn off your supply lines at the shutoff under the sink. Test please. Only now, armed with the knowledge of the locations of the mains, may you begin removing the supply lines from the shutoff valves.

After the new faucet is secured and the supply lines attached, remove the strainer from the spout. Turn on the shutoffs and bleed the lines for 20 seconds before reinstalling the strainer.

Good luck.

Okay, so here's where I am now. After months of a steady stream of hot water going down my drain, I learned that I could shut off the offending side of the faucet. Is it true that the part that leaks is in the mouth of the faucet? I'm confused why the cold water would not be leaking as well.

Back to YouTube, except they're at the point in the video where I take the faucet apart, so I trust that merely shutting off both faucets under my sink will stop water spraying all over.

I don't even care if I'm all alone chatting here, because I plan on reversing all these steps.

Ut oh. I'm losing confidence. In my dreams would it be so easy! Of course it's not just in the spout! The whole works are going to get taken apart with hex things and things are going to have to be greased and washers replaced. There are stems. If my past is any indication, I'll get the entire sink dismantled except for the very last tricky part and never be able to use the sink again.

I'm off to google would new faucets be easier to replace than fix?

No, it would not.

It'd be helpful to provide a photo of the faucet of question. And/or locate the model of it, which should be somewhere on it. That would allow an online search for possible information about repairs on your specific faucet.

What are the circumstances regards to "... I'm the only person available to fix it?" There are no plumbing services available? No family, friends, neighbors, or a handyman for hire?

I can't believe you aren't surrounded with people not willing to jump at the chance to help you. I would do it and furnish the washer in exchange for 2 bags of leaves if you were on my street. (;

Joseph, do you want me to locate and shut off the hot water heater and the main to become acquainted with them in case of disaster? I feel nervous shutting them off. I assume that flipping them off and back on is simple and can't go wrong. I know where the hot water tank is (Is that also the heater?) I don't know where the main is, but I wonder if that's where the water comes in the house.

Don't remover the strainer from the spout until the lines are fixed for a reason?

Bleed the lines just means running the water until it doesn't have air in it?

Dadoes, I will take a picture of it. I don't know what company even, although I think it's Kohler. I didn't realize they might have instructions for it. I may even have the original installation paper work.

I can't get a plumber, and I don't have anyone else to ask who doesn't know even less than I do. I live on a road that is mostly seasonal, and my neighbors all put their tails between their legs, get in their cars and head south every Oct. to avoid our cruel winter, leaving me here to fend for myself.

Klem, if you were my neighbor, and fixed this leaking faucet, I think I feel like I would throw in a pumpkin and up those leaves to three bags!

The sad thing is this is just the worst of four faucets, which all leak. And the four leaky faucets have corroded the drain stoppers, but that's a problem for another day.

Thanks for your willingness to help. I didn't think my question would be seen. I'm going to attempt this this week---after I make sure I have all the tools I need.

The basement with the main in it is dark and scary at night, but I can locate the hot water heater.

"Joseph, do you want me to locate and shut off the hot water heater and the main to become acquainted with them in case of disaster?"

Yes.

"I feel nervous shutting them off. I assume that flipping them off and back on is simple and can't go wrong."

Much better to feel a bit nervous than panic.

"I know where the hot water tank is (Is that also the heater?)'

Yes.

"I don't know where the main is, but I wonder if that's where the water comes in the house."

It is and you want to locate it when there isn't water gushing out somewhere.

"Don't remove the strainer from the spout until the lines are fixed for a reason?"

I doesn't matter when you remove the strainer, just do it before any water runs through the new faucet.

"Bleed the lines just means running the water until it doesn't have air in it?"

Air isn't the problem. Little bits of crud from the valves are. Flush them out; don't plug the screen with them please.

Respectfully, I can tell from your questions that you really have no business attempting this.

Oh, dear.

I'm fairly handy, but I've never done anything with plumbing---obviously. And I've never had to deal with a house---and its parts---before. Hence my unfamiliarity with things like the main.

I appreciate the heads up. A mechanic once told me that I could change the gas lines in my car and he was wrong. I almost blew up the whole neighborhood. So, I'm pretty convinced you know something I don't. If you don't mind indulging me more, though, I wonder what you can foresee going wrong.

I was going to start by removing the faucet handles by removing a set screw on their sides. I saw a YouTube that filled me with confidence. My main concern was not having the right tool (as shown in the YouTube) once I got the handles off, in order to actually remove them, so at that point, I was going to Home Depot with photos and approximate measurements. I think the tool looks (to me) like some sort of reverse (male?) socket wrench.

I don't have any tool language, but I thought I could work around that.

I really only have two options---fix it myself or keep the water shut off in the bathroom for the rest of my life. Obviously, though, I'd rather not have tap water than flood the rest of the house in the attempt. I do have patience, and my hands are capable of doing fine, small work.

This is the Lowes' YouTube I watched that made it seem like something I could handle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX-OLwqFdHI

Let's hope yours is clean with no corrosion like those in video. I want to add something to video. Make sure stem isn't in the fully off position when tightening down during reassembly. Reason being it's possible to crack the housing if stem is in contact with seat while wrench tightening. At least you have shut offs below so that only that sink can be turned off without entire house being off. Good luck,we will have celebration when it's finished.

I’m no pro, just someone with a little DIY experience. The problem is in your faucet. Replacing a faucet isn’t that hard. Totally agree with Joseph that you need to know where your water main shut off is and ensure you can turn the water off there before you touch this or any other plumbing thing. (I know a guy who caused $50K in damage to his house because he messed with under sink plumbing, caused a big leak, and didn’t have an accessible shut off valve. Got himself all new hardwood flooring, baseboards, etc.).

After locating the shut off valve and making sure I knew how to turn it off I would turn off the water supply under the sink- there should be two valves, one for hot water line and one for cold. Shut them both. Turn on the faucet…a little water should come out (what is already in line) and then it should stop completely. If it does not, you absolutely cannot do this work yourself. If it does, you can remove the faucet by disconnecting the water lines from the valves and unscrewing the nut beneath the faucet that holds it in place. As a relative novice I would feel comfortable changing a faucet but not disassembling, troubleshooting, and reassembling a faucet…you will need tools and plumbers tape or putty- your videos will show which tools. (As an aside, there is huge variation in the quality of plumbing products…there are reasons some cost $29 and some cost hundreds. If yours is a crap faucet it should def be replaced. If it is a good metal one maybe you save it and take it to a plumbing supply store in future and try and fix it and use it elsewhere down the road).

Alternatively, you can stick with your current situation through the winter, but turn the hot water off each time using the under sink valve. Given the leakage rate of hot water you describe, you are having money drip down the drain every day that could be saved to pay someone to do this work in the spring.

As advised above, check ahead that the relevant shut-off valves aren't stuck, can be turned on/off. It's common that valves corrode or are stuck after being unused (not turned) for years. They may also not shut fully off (water continues to dribble/drip from the faucet). A shut-off valve may leak at the stem upon being turned after years of non-use.

Hot water supply can be shut off at the water heater (which kills hot water to ALL faucets in the house), but make sure again that the outflow valve at the water heater can be turned off ... and turning off the hot supply at the water heater that won't stop COLD water to the faucet.

You could run into a situation where the main feed to the entire house must be shut off (at the city water meter or water well tank, whichever you have), so be sure you know where is that mains shut-off and are able to turn it. The mains shut-off at a water meter typically requires a special tool or a wrench, and possibly a bit of digging to get at it if there's a build-up of dirt in the meter box.

Thanks all. You probably just prevented a terrible disaster. In fact, I'm certain of it.

I'm cured of my notion that I can do the job. Here's why. While my bathroom plumbing looks clean and doable, I just went this morning to shut off the valve under the kitchen sink which has leaked even longer than the bathroom sink although not as badly. The stream from both is not a drip. It's a steady stream. This has gone on for maybe five years.

Following my success shutting off the valve under the bathroom sink ending the leak temporarily, I decided to do the same in the kitchen where I encountered the scenario you and Klem mentioned, dadoes. The shutoff valve under the kitchen sink is corroded and wouldn't budge. When I tried a little harder, I felt water on my fingers and stopped. Shutting it back off the few mms it moved stopped that leak, but I'll keep checking it today.

I googled "What could go wrong fixing a leaky sink?" so I could better understand Joseph's concerns. Then I realized that the sink repair video was from Lowe's so the scenario was probably deceptively encouraging.

The kitchen sink is directly above my furnace. Thank you---all---for preventing what could have been the worst week of my life to date.

I believe backing off is the right decision. I feel sad thinking you don't have family,friend or neighbor to help. Hopefully you find a handyman soon.

Thank you, Klem..

Susan, I don't know how I missed your post. You've got me back to thinking about this. I don't mind replacing the whole unit, then putting this one---that I do like---in a different bathroom. I think I'll take photos, so I can really see what I'd be dealing with. Thanks everyone for taking the time for me.

Have you considered asking the plumbling clerk at your local home depot ?

No, I hadn't. My plan was to take the parts in and ask for replacements.

Years ago when printers became popular in offices (remember when you ran to office supply or public library for copies) the church secretary had a cartoon on her desk. First picture was BC staring at a single leaf on an otherwise bare dormant tree. Second picture he plucked the leaf and the limb smacked him under his chin. Caption read "if you don't know how it works,leave it alone". Good wisdom imo.

It would be wounderful if folks geathered once a month to vist then watch demonstration of a common diy for homeowners. Fix a faucet one month,clean ac coils the next and clear a clogged drain another. As it stands,people think utube and online forums have all the answers. Let's take Susan's post that has Ann back to thinking about trying to fix the faucet. Read it and tell me how it differes to this simple diy engine replaement for your car. Drain fluids,disconnect hoses,wires and brackets,loosen motor mounts and use rented engine hoist to carfully lift old engine from car. Reverse proceedure to install new engine. Don't overlook refilling all fluids to proper level.

I'm a waffler.