Faucet and Sink Repair in Clemmons, NC for Drips, Shower Valves and Tubs

Drips

A dripping faucet: what the drip tells you

A faucet that drips from the spout has a worn internal part. The kind of faucet decides which part.

Compression faucets, with two separate handles, usually wear a rubber washer. Cartridge faucets wear a cartridge. Ball and ceramic disc faucets wear seals and springs. Replacing the part usually fixes it, provided you buy the right one for that model.

A faucet that leaks at the base or the handle has a worn O-ring or seal. Water running under the sink along a supply line points to a failed connection or a corroded line.

Turn off the small stop valves under the sink before working on a fixture, so you do not flood the cabinet.

Under the sink

A wet sink cabinet: tracing it

Dry everything, then run water and watch. Drips at the supply connections or the shutoff valves mean a loose nut or a worn washer. Drips at the drain pipes mean loose slip nuts or a cracked trap.

If the cabinet fills with water and the sink is fine, the cause may be a failed supply line, the dishwasher hose or a leak from the disposal, covered on the page for disposal leaks.

A leak you cannot trace to a fixture is a different matter, and the meter check on the hidden leak page shows whether water is escaping somewhere you cannot see.

Showers

A leaking shower valve or a shower that will not shut off

A shower that drips after it is switched off, or one that runs warm when it should be cold, usually has a worn cartridge or valve seat. Single-handle valves use a cartridge, which can usually be replaced from the front once the handle and trim come off.

Water that stains the ceiling below or the wall behind a shower may be a leak at the valve body, a supply pipe behind the wall or a failed seal at the shower pan or tile. This is where a small repair can hide a bigger problem.

If you replace a cartridge and the leak persists, or if stains keep growing, stop and have a plumber open the wall. Old valves may need to be replaced altogether, and access varies with how the wall is built.

Bathtubs

Bathtub spouts, overflows and drains that leak

A tub spout that leaks around the wall has a failed seal or caulk. A tub that drips from the spout while the shower is running has a diverter that no longer seals.

Leaks from a tub overflow or drain show up in the ceiling or room below. The gaskets behind the overflow plate and under the drain age and crack.

Tub drain leaks are easy to miss because the water runs out of sight. Check ceilings, the crawl space or the floor beneath a tub that seems fine.

Outdoors

Hose bibs and outdoor faucets

An outdoor faucet that drips when off has a worn washer. One that leaks inside the wall when a hose is attached in cold weather has probably frozen. Disconnect hoses before winter.

A hose bib that froze and split can leak into the wall and stay hidden until the weather warms. The page on frozen and burst pipes covers what to do.

Replacing

When to replace a faucet or sink instead of repairing it

Replace when the part is no longer made, when the finish is worn through, when the faucet is old and corroded or when you want a different style.

A new faucet is a modest job if the holes in the sink and countertop match. A new sink is more involved, as it affects the countertop, the plumbing below and sometimes the cabinet.

Ask the plumber who supplies the fixture, what is included in the price and what happens to the old one. For designer fixtures, check that parts will remain available.

Installing

Installing a new faucet or sink: what to settle before the job

Start with what is already there. Count the holes in the sink or countertop and note how far apart they are, because a faucet made for three holes will not sit right on a one-hole sink. Measure the space behind the faucet too, as a tall spout can hit the backsplash or a window sill.

Look under the sink next. The stop valves, the supply lines and the drain connections all have to work with the new fixture. If a valve will not close fully, or a line is corroded at the nut, the install turns into a plumbing repair, and it is better to know that before the old faucet comes out.

A faucet swap is a short, contained job when everything matches. A new sink is not. It means disconnecting the drain and supplies, freeing the old sink from the countertop and sealing the new one, and a different bowl depth can move the trap. A sink set into stone or solid surface may need the countertop worked on, which is often a separate trade.

When you ask a plumber to install a fixture you bought, ask whether the supply lines and any needed fittings are included, who removes the old fixture and whether the work is covered if the fixture itself turns out to be defective. When the plumber supplies it, ask the model and where parts can be found later.

Fittings

Supply lines, stop valves and aerators: small parts, big drips

Flexible supply lines have a limited life. A braided line that is old, kinked or corroded at the nut can burst under pressure, flooding a cabinet. Replace them when you replace a faucet, and check them once a year.

Stop valves under the sink that weep at the stem can often be fixed by tightening the packing nut a little. Valves that will not close, or that drip when turned, need replacing. This is a job where a plumber may need to shut the main.

A faucet whose flow has dropped usually has a clogged aerator. Unscrew the tip, rinse out the grit and put it back.

Next step

Calling about a fixture leak

Tell the dispatcher which fixture it is, where the water appears and whether the stop valve closes. The dispatch line routes your call to an independent plumber serving your area. Ask for the price first. Ranges are on the cost page for fixtures.

Questions

Fixture leak questions

Browse a short list of answers on one page.