Section 3 · Plumbing
Faucet Problems and Repair Guides
Every faucet has a valve that opens and closes the water: a cartridge, a ball with seats and springs, or a washer on a stem. Most drips start with a worn part in that valve or with grit in the aerator. Find your faucet type, then use the problem table for the first check.
Start with the symptom
Handle DIY with care
Water at the handle while the faucet runs usually comes from the cartridge or a torn O-ring under it. On a ball faucet, Delta first snugs the adjusting ring under the cap.[10][3] Water around the handle: Handle
Cartridge (valve) DIY with care
The valve under the handle that controls the flow. A single-handle faucet has one, a two-handle faucet has two. A spout that drips all day points to a worn cartridge.[2][1] Replace the cartridge: Cartridge (valve)
Aerator DIY
The small screen at the spout tip. Debris caught here makes the spout drip for a minute or two after you shut it off; Kohler soaks it in warm water and white vinegar.[1] Clean the aerator: Aerator
Shutoff valves and supply lines DIY
Each supply line, hot and cold, has its own valve under the sink. Delta closes both, then opens the faucet to drain the lines before it takes anything apart.[3] Shut off the water: Shutoff valves and supply lines
Packing nut DIY
Water around the stem while the faucet runs is a packing leak. Woodford snugs the hex packing nut behind the handle; a leak that persists needs new packing.[5] Water around the stem: Packing nut
Vacuum breaker DIY
The cap on top. If water comes out of it while the faucet runs, Woodford says the vacuum breaker is fouled or damaged and should be cleaned or replaced.[5] Water from the cap: Vacuum breaker
Hose connection DIY
A leak where the hose screws on is usually the hose, not the faucet. The EPA tightens the connection with pipe tape and a wrench.[4] Leak at the hose: Hose connection
Seat washer DIY with care
A frost-free faucet closes at the inside end of a long stem. A spout that drips with the handle off has a worn seat rubber or a loose retainer screw; older sink taps drip from worn washers the same way.[5][4] Spout drips when off: Seat washer
Tube inside the wall Replace the unit
A hose left on in freezing weather keeps the faucet from draining, and the tube can burst inside the wall. It leaks only when the faucet is on, so it can go unseen for months. Woodford replaces the faucet.[5] Leak inside the wall: Tube inside the wall
Indoor shutoff valve DIY
Most outdoor faucets have their own shutoff valve inside the house. Before winter, disconnect the hose, close this valve and leave the outside faucet open to drain.[6] Find the shutoff: Indoor shutoff valve
- Other sink faucets. A ball faucet seals with small seats and springs instead of a cartridge, and an older two-handle compression tap closes on a rubber washer.[3][4]
How a faucet works
Water reaches a sink faucet through two supply lines, hot and cold, each with a small shutoff valve under the sink. Inside the faucet body, a valve meters the flow and mixes the temperature. The water then leaves through the spout and the aerator, the small screen at its tip.[1]
Three valve designs cover most homes, and each one wears out a different part:
- Cartridge faucets. Moen describes the cartridge as the part that controls the water flow. A single-handle faucet has one; a two-handle faucet has two, one per side.[2]
- Ball faucets. A single handle on a rounded cap moves a ball inside. Delta's ball-valve faucets seal with small round seats, each with a spring beneath it.[3]
- Compression taps. Older two-handle taps close by pressing a rubber washer onto a seat. EPA names worn washers and gaskets as a frequent cause of faucet leaks.[4]
Outdoor faucets add a twist. A frost-free wall faucet closes far inside the wall at the end of a long stem, so the outside part can drain before a freeze. Woodford explains that a hose left attached stops that draining and can burst the tube inside the wall.[5]
Safety basics for faucet repairs
Close the supply valves before you open any valve body, then turn the faucet on to drain the lines, as Delta does before it removes a handle.[3] If a supply valve won't close or leaks at its stem, fix that first or use the main shutoff for the house.
Outdoor faucets usually have their own shutoff valve inside the house. Philadelphia Water also points owners to the house-side main valve near the meter for emergencies.[6] Find both before you need them.
Shower valves may hold hot water. When you flush one with the cartridge out, Delta closes the shower door or curtain first and warns that the water may be very hot.[7]
Common faucet problems and the first check
Start with the row that matches what you see. Each first check needs no tools.
| Symptom | First check | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Spout drips after shutoff | Time it. Kohler says a drip that stops after a minute or two points to debris in the aerator.[1] | find why the spout drips |
| Water at the handle while it runs | Dry the faucet and watch whether the water comes from the handle or the base. | leaks around the faucet handle |
| Outdoor spigot leaks | Note whether it leaks at the hose, behind the handle or inside the wall.[5] | outdoor faucet leak fixes |
| Shower head drips when off | Watch a clock. Short drips after shutoff are water draining from the head. | — |
| Weak flow at one faucet | Unscrew the aerator and look for grit or scale on the screen. | — |
Faucet maintenance and expected life
Clean aerators when the stream starts to spray unevenly. Kohler soaks them in a 50/50 mix of warm water and white vinegar.[1]
Fix drips early. EPA says a faucet dripping once per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons a year.[4]
Winterize outdoor faucets each fall. Philadelphia Water's advice is to disconnect garden hoses, close the dedicated indoor valve, and leave the outdoor faucet open to drain.[6]
When a faucet is worn out, replace it with an efficient one. EPA says WaterSense bathroom faucets use a maximum of 1.5 gallons per minute, against a standard flow of 2.2, and can save the average family 700 gallons a year.[8] A NAHB study found kitchen faucets work properly for about 15 years.[9] Other fixtures in the house are covered in all plumbing repair guides.
All faucet guides
Troubleshooting
Sources
“Bathroom Faucet: Dripping From The Spout” · accessed
“DIY: Easiest Way to Fix a Leaky Faucet” · accessed
“Fix a Leak Week” · accessed
“How to Prevent Frozen Pipes and Avoid Costly Repairs” · PDF · accessed
“How to Fix a Leaky Shower Head” · accessed
“Bathroom Faucets” · accessed
“Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components” · PDF · p. 6 (Faucets and Fixtures) · accessed
How this page was made
This page was drafted with AI assistance from the manufacturer and safety sources listed above, then checked against those sources in an AI-assisted review. No licensed technician reviewed it. Last reviewed . Our methodology