How to Reassemble a Faucet Aerator

Once you have removed and cleaned your faucet aerator, you may need help fitting it back together again. If you don't place the pieces back in the device in the correct order, you may have some trouble fitting them all together, or you may find that the aerator won't fit back on the faucet properly. It is also likely that the aerator will not work in the way it was designed if it's not reassembled properly. This is not a difficult task when you know what you are doing, and with these simple steps you can get the device back together in a matter of minutes, correctly.

Step 1 - Gather the Pieces Together

Before you start assembling the pieces of the aerator, make sure that you have them all on hand. You should have the metal cap which connects the aerator to the faucet, the metal screen, the plastic screen, a small piece that mixes air into the water, and the rubber washer. Lay all of these out on a small hand towel after they are cleaned so they're easy to keep track of.

Step 2 - Start with Metal Pieces

The first parts of the aerator which slot together are the metal component. Build your aerator in the cap which will be screwed on to the faucet. Hold this in your left hand, and place the metal screen inside. Push it right to the bottom, so that you can see the screen showing through the bottom of the cap.

Step 3 - Add Air-water Mixer

You will have either a plastic screen and a piece which puts air into the water, or you may have one single plastic piece that does both jobs. In the former case, you will need to put the screen in first, followed by the air-water mixer. If you only have the one piece, this will be fitted in now. Make sure that all of these pieces are facing with the correct side up, so that the air-water piece is pointing with the flow of water.

Step 4 - Place the Rubber Washer In

The final step to reassembly is to add the rubber washer. It is important to get this piece in the right way up, as it can affect how tight you are able to screw down the aerator. If at first it doesn't seem right, simply take the aerator back off and flip the washer. If you forget to include the rubber washer altogether, then you may find that the faucet starts to leak, and you completely lose water pressure. Try replacing the washer before buying an entirely new aerator when this happens.

Step 5 - Fit Back on the Faucet

Now that you have all your pieces assembled, you should be able to screw the aerator onto your faucet. This can be tightened at first by hand, but will then need to be tightened further using a pair of pliers. This will prevent water from dripping out from the aerator. If you are going to use pliers, wrap masking or duct tape around the edges so that you can hold the aerator without scratching the chrome.

Turn the faucet on once you're finished and check for any leaks to make sure your reassembly was a success. If not, take the aerator back off and double check all your parts one more time.