Why Is My Faucet Dripping?
Dealing With a Leaky Faucet? Call Dutton!
A dripping faucet may seem like it’s not that big of a deal, but you’d more than likely be shocked at how much water even the slightest drip can waste. If your faucet dripped one drop of water per second, it would drain a gallon every four and a half hours. That’s five gallons of water per day and more than 2,000 gallons of water per year! To make matters worse, the average home has at least one faucet that drips or wastes water, even just a little bit, which wastes hundreds or thousands of gallons of water every year.
What Causes a Faucet to Drip
There are a number of different reasons, but the most common cause for a dripping faucet is that a seal around a connection has worn out. Faucets have a number of moving parts, and moving parts need to have space between them in order to provide the tolerance with which to operate. However, space for these tolerances is an area where water can leak out, which means that they need to be sealed in other ways. Rubber gaskets, o-rings, and other parts take care of this task, but the nature of their materials means they’re prone to wearing out. Likewise, loosening connections can also cause small gaps through which water can leak.
Why Is My Faucet Leaking?
- Loose screws: Screws, nuts, and bolts can wear out and loosen over time. The easiest way to tell this is the issue is if your handle has wobble or free-play in it. If the faucet is shut off and you can jiggle the handle in ways other than the direction you’re supposed to turn it to turn it on, then you likely have a loose connection.
- Corroded O-rings: An O-ring is a type of gasket or seal that most cartridge-type faucets depend on. If your faucet is leaking at the handle, a faulty or worn-out O-ring is more than likely the culprit.
- Washer problems: Washers provide seals for critical components. If a washer wears out or corrodes, or is the wrong size, it can lead to leaks.
- Corroded valve seats: A valve seat is an important part of your faucet’s compression hardware. They are usually constructed from rubber or another flexible material that can seal. If they’re not set correctly, or if they have worn out, they can leak, causing dripping.
Do I Need a New Faucet?
In the overwhelming majority of cases of leaky faucets, the answer is no. Your faucet is more than likely just fine but needs a few new seals or other parts replaced as well as some screws and connections tightened. How to do this depends on the type of faucet you have. There are so many different types of faucets, and each operates differently, requires different parts, and has different repair techniques. There are single-handle faucets, double-handle faucets, ball-valve faucets, and much more.
The best way to get your faucet fixed is to consult the instructional materials that are included with your faucet when you purchase it, which will likely tell you how to access the corroded part and even what part to order to replace it. You can likely also find replacement parts at your local hardware store.
If you need your faulty or leaky faucet fixed, call Dutton Plumbing at (805) 849-0965 or contact us online today!
