QUESTION:
I have a single lever, kitchen faucet. It doesn’t leak or anything. However, the cold water runs smooth and fast. But when I switch it over to hot, it runs very slow, with low pressure. Can I fix it myself or do I need to replace the whole faucet?
ANSWER:
This is a fairly common problem with older faucets. Even though it seems like a single line, there are still separate hot and cold lines coming into that faucet. They will have separate cartridges and separate washers etc. Hot water lines tend to need more maintenance than cold water ones as the temperature wears things out faster.
In a case like this, it may be as simple as a washer or gasket that has broken down and created a partial plug in the hot water line. It is a fairly simple fix. You would start at the faucet cartridge(s) but, the plug may be in the shut-off valve or the supply tube, leading to the faucet. If that’s the case, leave the job to us.