Let’s say you have a leaky faucet on your hands and it’s annoying the heck out of you. But, being the curious type – perhaps even handy with a wrench – you want to know why it’s leaking. Did you buy a bum product? Did someone mess with it? Is it the result of normal wear and tear?
There are several common causes of a leaking (or dripping) faucet. But before we examine them, you’d do well to become familiar with the type of faucet in question. Compression faucets, for example, have washers and seals, whereas disc, cartridge, and ball-style faucets are made with moving parts sealed by an O ring.
Here are the main reasons why a faucet might drip:
- Worn-out rubber washer – Each time you turn on a faucet, you’re effectively forcing the washer against the valve seat. Over time, that causes erosion of the rubber until eventually, it fails.
- Washer wasn’t installed properly – Not all plumbers or handy types are created equal, so human error – or the wrong washer – always has to be considered a possibility.
- The O ring – Over time, the O ring in your disc, cartridge, or ball-type faucet will wear out. When it does, you’ll notice leakage near the handle.
- Worn-out seals – Are you starting to get the idea that plumbing parts don’t last forever? Well, here’s another prime example. Water sediment inside the inlets and outlets of faucets causes the seals to wear out. There are only so many times you can clean the seals before you need to replace them, thus stopping the leak.
- Corrosion in the valve seat – Water sediment can also result in valve seat corrosion which then leads to leaks around the spout. Regular cleaning can forestall water leaks indefinitely.
If ultimately, you’re not the handy type or simply have time for a DIY plumbing repair, Arnold Plumbing has all the requisite skill, experience, and available time to assist you. So, for a leaky faucet or any other nagging plumbing problem, contact us today for prompt, professional, and highly dependable service.
