How to Stop a Dripping Faucet
Need help? See our Faucet Repair in the South Bay service page.
A faucet that drips once a minute wastes more than 30 gallons a month. Faster drips waste far more, and the constant moisture stains sinks, wears out fixtures, and can hide a bigger leak behind the wall. Most drips come from one worn part, and identifying your faucet type tells you which one.
1. Find your faucet type
There are four common types. A compression faucet has separate hot and cold handles that you turn several times to shut off. A ball faucet has a single handle that moves over a ball valve, common in older kitchens. A cartridge faucet has a single handle that moves up and down and side to side. A ceramic disc faucet also has a single handle, usually with a wide, flat base, and turns only a quarter turn. If you know the brand and model, the replacement part is easy to match.
2. Shut off the water and plug the drain
Turn off the hot and cold supply valves under the sink. If there are no shutoff valves, shut off the house main. Open the faucet to drain the remaining water, then plug the drain so small screws and parts cannot fall in.
3. Compression faucets: replace the washer
Unscrew the handle, remove the packing nut, and pull out the stem. At the bottom of the stem is a small rubber washer held by a screw. If it is flattened, cracked, or grooved, that is your drip. Replace it with the same size, reassemble, and test. If the metal seat the washer presses against is pitted, a seat wrench and a replacement seat fix that too.
4. Cartridge and ball faucets: replace the cartridge or the seals
For a cartridge faucet, remove the handle and the retaining clip or nut, pull the cartridge straight out, and take it to the store to match it exactly. Cartridges are model-specific, and the wrong one will not seal. For a ball faucet, the repair kit includes new springs, rubber seats, and O-rings; replace all of them at once, since they wear together.
5. Ceramic disc faucets: replace the seals or the cylinder
Remove the handle and the escutcheon cap, then lift out the cylinder. The neoprene seals at the bottom are the usual failure. If they look worn, replace them. If the cylinder itself is scored or cracked, replace the whole cylinder, matched to the brand.
6. Check your work
Turn the water back on slowly and check for leaks around the handle and base, not just the spout. A drip that moves from the spout to the handle means an O-ring needs replacing too. Run both hot and cold and confirm the drip is gone before you call it done.
When to call a plumber
Call if the faucet is a wall-mounted or specialty fixture, if the shutoff valves under the sink are seized or leaking, if you find corrosion or mineral buildup so heavy that parts will not come apart, or if the drip is coming from behind the wall or under the sink rather than the spout. South Bay Plumbing Pros is available 24/7 across San Jose, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Mountain View, Campbell, Los Gatos, Menlo Park, and Santa Clara. Call (669) 308-4516 any time, day or night.
FAQ
How much water does a dripping faucet waste?
One drip per second wastes more than 3,000 gallons a year. Even a slow drip adds up on the water bill and stains the fixture.
Can I ignore a slow drip?
It will not fix itself, and it usually gets worse as the washer or seal keeps wearing. Fixing it early is a small repair. Waiting can turn it into a damaged valve seat or a stained, corroded fixture.
Why does my faucet drip only at night?
Water pressure is often higher at night when neighborhood demand drops. Higher pressure pushes past a worn seal that holds during the day. It still means the seal needs replacing.
My faucet is new and already dripping. What gives?
Debris from the supply lines can lodge in a new cartridge or seal during installation. Flushing the lines and cleaning the cartridge usually fixes it. If it persists, the cartridge may be defective.
