Water droplet from a bathroom sink faucet

What Causes a Leaky Faucet and How Can You Fix It?

A leaking faucet may seem like a trivial matter, but it can lead to more problems if left unattended. Some to note are water damage, rusting pipes, and mould growth, all of which can risk your family’s health and reduce the value of your home. 

As much as possible, you should check your faucets for any leaking. It’s also a fantastic idea to learn about the causes of leaking faucets. If you don’t know, you can find some of them below.

What Are the Causes of Leaking Faucets?

Leaking faucets can result from a wide array of ills, from mechanical failure to neglected cleaning jobs. Here are the most common causes of leaking faucets.

1. Worn Cartridge

A cartridge is a mechanism often found in two-handle faucets. If your faucet provides hot and cold water, you likely have a cartridge, too. Since the cartridge is constantly in use, it has a tendency to get worn quickly. Your faucet may be leaking due to this.

2. Corroded Parts

You can’t blame a leaking faucet on just one problem. Often, you can find a number of factors that cause a faucet to leak. Corroded parts on the stem and cartridge are two of them. Fortunately, you can solve the problem by changing the parts.

3. High Water Pressure

If you have high water pressure, you may need to find a way to lower it. An excess of water pressure may damage vital components of your faucet, including valve seals and o-rings. Your faucet could begin to leak as a result.

4. Damaged O-Ring

O-rings maintain a tight seal between the faucet handle and the valve stem. If the O-ring is damaged, the faucet will be more prone to leaking. This can happen when you install your new faucet. If you need to change your faucet, you have to ensure that you have the proper tools.

5. Bent Or Twisted Valve

Your valve may be bent or twisted. Every time you turn on the faucet, the valve stem might move slightly. Over time, they start getting worn down. You can solve this problem by removing the faucet and realigning the valve.

6. Rusty Pop-up Assembly

The pop-up assembly is a popular design for faucets. It allows you to control the water’s volume and temperature with the help of a lever. A leaky pop-up assembly could be due to a rusty mechanism. Sometimes, a new washer fixes the problem.

How Can You Fix a Leaking Faucet?

If your faucet is leaking, there are a few things that you can do to fix it. The best way is to check the source of the problem. If you know where it is, you can correct it more easily.

Of course, you can fix your leaking faucet yourself, provided that you have the proper tools. If not, you may want to consider calling an emergency plumber. A licensed plumber can handle the situation immediately, leaving you free to attend to other important matters.

Aside from repair, a licensed plumber can also offer drain cleaning, leak detection services, and other plumbing services.

In Conclusion

Leaking faucets may seem like a simple problem, but they can lead to more severe problems. The best thing that you can do is keep your faucets in good shape. Otherwise, they may cause even more damage in the future.

When you come across a leak, the first thing that you should do is acknowledge it. Take note of how severe the leak is. If it’s extreme, you may need to call a plumber to handle the situation.

Bromac Mechanical offers plumbing services in Chilliwack. We have a team of professional plumbers to handle any plumbing problem you may have. If you want to know more, you can give us a call today.

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