A dripping tap is more than an irritation. The EPA’s WaterSense program estimates that a faucet dripping once per second wastes more than 3,000 gallons of water a year. Faucet repair is usually straightforward once you know which kind of faucet you have and which part is worn. M3 Home Repair and Remodeling repairs and replaces kitchen and bathroom faucets as part of our home repair services.
Know Your Faucet Type
A typical faucet repair depends on how the faucet is built inside:
- Compression faucets have separate hot and cold handles that you turn several times. They use rubber washers that wear out and drip. They are the oldest type and the simplest to repair.
- Cartridge faucets have one or two handles that move smoothly. A replaceable cartridge controls flow, and O-rings seal it.
- Ball faucets have a single handle over a rounded cap. They use a ball with springs and seals, and have more parts to wear.
- Ceramic-disc faucets have a single lever and a sealed cylinder with ceramic discs. They tend to last longest, and the usual repair is a new cylinder or seals.
Matching the Symptom to the Cause
Dripping from the Spout
This is a worn washer or seat in a compression faucet, or a worn cartridge or seals in the other types. The fix is replacing those parts. Because faucet parts are brand- and model-specific, a photo of the faucet and any model name stamped on it helps us bring the right parts.
Leaking Around the Handle or at the Base
Water at the handle usually means a worn packing washer or O-ring. Water pooling around the base of a spout points to worn spout O-rings. Both are cheap parts, but you must shut off the water and take the faucet apart carefully to avoid damaging the finish.
Low Pressure or a Weak Stream
Often the cause is the aerator, the small screen on the tip of the spout, which clogs with mineral deposits and debris. Unscrewing it and soaking it in white vinegar usually restores flow. If every faucet in the house has low pressure, the cause lies elsewhere, such as a partially closed shutoff valve or the main supply.
Water Only on One Side, or Hot and Cold Mixing
Cartridge faucets can pass hot water into the cold line when a cartridge wears. Replacing the cartridge restores proper mixing.
A kitchen in Marietta had been dripping from its pull down spout for two months before they called; the husband said he got used to the sound, his wife did not. The drip started slow and grew until there was a steady bead of water under the sink, and one morning the cold handle was letting hot water through, which is what a failing cartridge does when its seals pass.
I shut off both stop valves, pulled the handle with a ratchet socket so nothing touched the finish, and unscrewed the retainer clip. The cartridge that came out had a scored seat and a split in one of the O rings; it was past its life in hard water like ours.
We set in the new unit with fresh seals, replaced the spout base O rings while we were in there, and soaked the aerator in white vinegar to bring the pressure back up. Reassembly takes care: no pliers on chrome, and hand tight on every nut with only a quarter turn of tool behind it.
We ran both handles through their full range, checked under the cabinet for twenty minutes with paper towels, and exercised the two stop valves so they are not seized when somebody needs them next. The drip is gone and the water temperature holds steady now.
“Jim and the technician, Aidan, that completed work at my house were very professional and prompt when they installed some new plumbing fixtures. Both Jim and Aidan were very polite and communicative, and the quality of the work was very high.” – Matt Bird
“Quick, professional, and cost effective! M3 repaired a leaking sink in my kitchen on very short notice with perfection.” – Patrick Wilmot
M3 Home Repair and Remodeling LLC is a Kennesaw, Georgia-based handyman business backed by over eighty verified 5-Star Reviews on Google.
Faucet Repair or Replacement?
A faucet is worth repairing when the body and finish are in good shape and the parts are available. Replace it when:
- The body is corroded or pitted, or the finish is flaking.
- It has been repaired several times and keeps failing.
- Parts are no longer available for that brand and model.
- You want a different style, a pull-down sprayer, or a touchless model.
What a Faucet Replacement Involves
- Shut off the water at the stop valves under the sink. If a valve is stuck or leaks, we will tell you, because replacing worn stop valves while the sink is open saves a second visit.
- Remove the old faucet and clean the sink surface.
- Install the new faucet and connect new supply lines, which are inexpensive and best replaced at the same time.
- Check hole count. The faucet must match the sink: one hole, three holes, or a deck plate to cover extras.
- Run and inspect. We check every connection for drips and flush the lines.
When a Plumber Should Do It
Some jobs belong with a licensed Plumber, and we will say so plainly: replacing or moving the pipes behind the wall, repairing a leaking drain inside the cabinet that needs more than a connection tightened, or work on the main water supply. We would rather point you to the right professional than do work that should be permitted and inspected.
Simple Maintenance
- Wipe the faucet with a soft cloth. Avoid harsh abrasives that scratch the finish.
- Clean aerators every few months in areas with hard water.
- Do not overtighten handles. Forcing the water off wears washers and seats.
- Exercise stop valves under the sink once a year so they do not seize.
Get Help With Your Faucet Repair
M3 Home Repair and Remodeling is a registered Georgia LLC, bonded and insured, owner-run by Jim Mitchell. We can diagnose a garbage disposal jam, a leak or a dead unit, and replace the disposal when that is the better choice. Call 706-969-5774 or send us a message with a photo of the problem, the make and model if you can see it, and what it is doing. We always offer free estimates.