Faucet Cartridge: replaced every five years or so is a good rule of thumb for replacing your cartridge. The problem with this however is that every time you do this you are just replacing the old one with a new one. Over time the cartridges get dirty and clogged with hard water deposits. Instead of trying to figure out if a cartridge is defective, just simply replace it with a new one. When you are wondering if a cartridge is really bad, just swap it out.

Replacement of Faucet Cartridge: technical ceramics does not use technical ceramics; instead they use a combination of physical media (diamond plate, technical ceramic disc, brass shell, steel wool, etc.) to bond the faucets to the cartridge body. This method of repair is highly technical and should only be done by professional technicians. If you are unsure about it, just swap it out for another.

Faucet Cartridge: the old cartridges are typically covered with a plastic protective liner. Remove this plastic liner and carefully slide the faucet cartridge out. The next step is to disconnect the water supply from the faucet. You will need to pull off the valve stem, but do not remove the copper pipe connecting the water supply and the actual faucet cartridge. The other section of the cartridge, the insides that house the copper strands, is generally made out of brass, so you do not need to remove this.

Faucet Shell: to remove the faucet shell, unscrew all of the nuts on the end. Once you have unscrewed them you can lift the whole thing off. Then use a pair of wire cutters to cut through the plastic liner inside. Use your judgement here as you need to make sure the cut is clean and smooth without creating a lot of tear. You will find brass screws in most of the screws found on faucets, so again, if you are unsure, use a screwdriver or some pliers to ensure the plastic liner is securely removed.

Faucet Handle: once you have removed the handle from the faucet, it is time to unscrew all of the handles on the faucet. Make sure to not nick any of the screws because you will damage the handle beyond repair. You should be able to remove each handle without removing the handle itself. Once you have removed the handles, they can be recycled by simply placing them in a bin. It is important to note that some older models may have a retaining ring in the handle. To remove this ring, a screwdriver or pliers are needed.

Most modern faucet cartridges are made with a ceramic valve and a metal sleeve in the body, and both parts can be removed with ease. Ceramic valves are made with one large interior ball joint sealed by two rubber gaskets. They do not have an expansion vessel which means that internal pressure is not increased which improves stability and efficiency. Modern ceramic valves also feature a safety relief mechanism which prevents the needle from returning to its closed position when the pressure changes.