"Kirk" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am a plumbing idiot so here goes. The handles on two of my oudoor
faucets are broken and I want to replace them. It appears to be a very
simple job but do I need to cut the water off?

Unless the faucet is busted such that the faucet stem itself has broken off
from the faucet (in which case you would have to shut off the water to fix
the faucet), the water need not be shut off. Just unscrew the screw in the
middle and use a pliers to grab and wiggle off the remaining piece of the
handle. Screw the screw back into the faucet stem to keep it from getting
lost. Take the piece of handle you removed to a hardware or home improvement
supply store to get another handle that fits the same shape stem. Remove
the screw again from the faucet stem, press the handle onto the faucet stem,
and replace the screw and screw the screw in firmly. Voila.