Faucet & Fixture Repair: Same Day Service

Faucet and Fixture Problems Worth Fixing

Faucets and fixtures usually fail slowly. A drip that gets steadier, a handle that gets stiffer or a shower that won't hold its temperature are signs a cartridge, washer or seal is wearing out. For a drip you want to try fixing yourself, see dripping faucet.

• A faucet drips from the spout
• Water leaks under the sink or around the handle
• Low flow from one faucet or shower head
• Handles that are stiff or hard to turn
• Shower temperature that jumps when someone flushes
• A garbage disposal that hums, won't spin or leaks

4 Faucet Types and What Wears Out in Each

The fix depends on what's inside the faucet, so the first step is identifying the type.

• Compression: 2 handles you tighten to shut off. Rubber washers wear out and cause drips.
• Ball: one handle over a rounded cap, common on older kitchen faucets. Springs and seals wear.
• Cartridge: 1 or 2 handles that move smoothly. The cartridge is replaced as a unit.
• Ceramic disc: one handle over a wide cylinder. Durable; leaks usually come from worn seals or debris.

When a Fixture Leak Can't Wait

Fixture problems are rarely emergencies, with one exception: a burst supply line under a sink, which can release a lot of water quickly. Close the valve under the sink and call.

• A supply line under a sink has burst or is spraying.
• The shutoff valves under the sink won't close and the leak won't stop.
• Water from a leaking fixture is reaching a ceiling below or electrical outlets.

How to Shut Off Water to a Leaking Fixture

1. Close the shutoff valves under the sink by turning them clockwise. If there aren't any, use the main water valve.
2. For a garbage disposal, switch off the power before doing anything. Never put your hand inside.
3. A jammed disposal can often be freed by turning the hex socket on the bottom of the unit with the hex key, then pressing the reset button.

How Faucets and Fixtures Are Repaired

The plumber first identifies what kind of faucet or valve you have, because each type has different internal parts. Then it's usually a matter of replacing the worn part and testing for leaks above and below the sink.

1. Identify the faucet or valve type: compression, cartridge, ball or ceramic disc.
2. Replace the worn washer, O-ring, seat or cartridge with matching parts.
3. For replacements, install the new fixture with new supply lines.
4. Clean the aerator or shower head if flow is low.
5. Run the fixture and check for leaks above and below the sink.

Repair the Fixture or Replace It

Repair

Replaces internal parts. Best when the fixture is in good condition and parts are available.

Replace

Installs a new faucet, valve or disposal when the old one is corroded, outdated or keeps failing.

What Affects the Cost of Faucet and Fixture Repair

Most fixture repairs are small jobs. Cost goes up when parts are hard to find, when old shutoff valves have to be replaced first, or when a shower valve can only be reached through tile.

• Repair or replace. A cartridge or washer is a small part; a new faucet or shower valve is a bigger job.
• Parts availability for older or less common brands.
• Seized or corroded shutoff valves that have to be replaced first.
• Access. A shower valve may be reachable through an access panel or may need tile work.
• Hard water scale that has locked parts in place.

Check the Shutoff Valves Before Any Fixture Work

Every sink and toilet should have its own shutoff valve. Older multi-turn valves often seize or start leaking the first time they're turned in years, which is why a simple faucet swap sometimes becomes a valve replacement too. Quarter-turn valves are easier to close in an emergency and are worth installing while the plumber is already there.

Hard Water and Fixture Wear

In very hard water cities, fixtures wear out faster. Phoenix (about 10 to 16 grains per gallon), Las Vegas (16 to 17) and San Diego (about 16) all have water that leaves white scale on aerators, shower heads and the cartridges inside faucets. That scale causes low flow, stiff handles and drips, and it can lock parts in place so they have to be replaced instead of cleaned. In soft-water cities like Boston and Seattle, fixture problems are much more often plain wear.

Local plumbing details: Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Diego, Boston, Seattle

Hard Water Scale by City

What our city pages say about hard water scale:

• Lincoln, NE: At about 11 grains per gallon, scale builds up in water heaters, fixtures and appliances.
• Aurora, CO: At about 8 grains per gallon, scale builds up in water heaters and fixtures.
• Vacaville, CA: Neighborhoods getting more well water see more scale.
• Avondale, AZ: Mineral-heavy water leaves scale in heaters, faucets and valves.
• Meridian, ID: At about 8.6 grains, scale builds in tanks, tankless units and fixtures.
• Des Moines, IA: At up to about 8.8 grains per gallon, scale builds in water heaters and on fixtures.
• Dayton, OH: At about 9 grains per gallon, sediment builds in water heaters and crust forms on fixtures.
• Maple Grove, MN: At 26 grains per gallon, an unsoftened house scales up water heaters, dishwashers and shower valves fast.

What to Have Ready

A photo of the faucet and the plumbing underneath helps the plumber identify the brand and bring the right parts.

• The faucet or fixture brand if you know it (often on the handle or trim).
• A photo of the faucet and the plumbing under the sink.
• Whether the shutoff valves under the sink work.

After the Repair

Check under the sink for drips over the next day, and clean the aerator if the flow drops.

• Check under the sink for drips over the next day.
• Clean the aerator if flow drops; new work can loosen debris in the lines.
• Run cold water while using a garbage disposal.

Types of Faucet and Fixture Service

• Garbage Disposal Repair
• Shower Valve Repair

How to Keep Faucets and Disposals Working

• Clean faucet aerators and shower heads to remove mineral buildup.
• Don't overtighten faucet handles.
• Run cold water while using the disposal, and keep grease, bones and stringy foods out of it.
• Replace supply lines when you replace a faucet.

Faucet and Fixture Questions Homeowners Ask