Faucets play a critical role in helping you control the flow of water coming into your home. While faucets are designed to help you access your home's plumbing features more conveniently, these same faucets can become a source of stress when they begin to leak.

A leaking faucet could cause your water bill to rise, and it could contribute to structural damage within your home. Here are three tips that you can use to help repair a leaky faucet in the future.

1. Identify where the leak is coming from

Before you begin the process of repairing your leaking faucet, you must identify where the water is leaking from. Most faucets will start to drip from their spout over time, but some faucets could be exhibiting leaks around the base of the fixture.

These leaks represent two different types of problems that will need to be approached differently during the repair process. Identifying where the leak is coming from prior to attempting any repairs will help you avoid wasting time and effort fixing the wrong part of your faucet.

2. Turn off your home's water supply

Once you have identified where the leak is coming from, you should cut off your home's water supply while you attempt to repair your faulty faucet. Leaving the water supply on means that your faucet could start spouting water at any time.

This might result in serious injury or damage to cabinets, walls, and flooring near your faucet. By turning the knob on your home's main water line to the off position, you can make repairs without worrying about causing any water damage during the repair process.

3. Document the process of taking your faucet apart

Taking your faucet apart to make repairs can seem simple, but putting the many small parts that make up your faucet back together in the same order can be challenging. To ensure that you remember how to reassemble your faucet properly once you have made the necessary repairs, document the process of taking the faucet apart.

Have a spouse, child, or friend use your mobile phone to video you as you remove your faucet. You can refer to the video for help determining which parts go whereas you reassemble the faucet following a successful repair.

Being able to fix a leaky faucet will help you eliminate costly water loss and protect your home from water damage in the future. Make the repair process easier by identifying the source of the leak, turning off your home's water supply, and creating a video that will help you remember how to reassemble your faucet once repairs are complete. For more information about faucet repair, contact a professional.