Common Causes of Faucet Corrosion and How To Loosen Them

Do you have corroded faucets at home? The most common causes of faucet corrosion include:

1. Hard water
2. The use of strong cleansers such as muriatic acid
3. Mineral buildup
4. Galvanic corrosion
5. The connection of dissimilar pipes in the system

When these 5 factors get the best of your faucet, removing retaining nuts, water-line connections or even turning the faucet handle can become hard. Home Guides has the 5 steps you should take to loosen a corroded faucet:

"1. Turn off the water supply to the sink. If you can turn the faucet on, do so, and let the water in the pipes drain out.

2. Scrape off as much of the corrosion in the faucet joints as you can with a wire brush. Sometimes just removing some of the buildup can free the joints. Try to turn the stuck part with a wrench.

3. Heat the corroded part of the faucet with a hairdryer if it won't turn. The metal swells as it heats up, and this can loosen or break the bond caused by the corrosion. Again, try to turn the part with the wrench.

4. Let the metal cool off if the part is still stuck. When it is cool to the touch, squirt a penetrating oil into the corroded joint. Let the oil work for as long as necessary. Apply more oil every few hours if the part doesn't loosen quickly. Scrape off bits of corrosion with the wire brush as they come loose.

5. Tap the stuck part gently with a hammer if necessary to help the oil work. If the part is small or delicate, position a center punch against it and tap the center punch with the hammer instead of the faucet itself. The force of the hammer together with the oil should be enough to break the bond of the corrosion and loosen the faucet."

For questions on faucet corrosion or new faucet installations call NY Plumbing & Sewer Rooter at 212-235-1436.