Why Does My Faucet Leak?

Perhaps the most common of all plumbing issues is the leaky faucet. It can be like in a sitcom––the drip, drip, drip late into the night, keeping you awake, while somehow everyone else in your home is able to sleep… It can drive you crazy.

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You get up to fix it yourself, only for the drip, drip, drip to start again. You get up one last time, put a cup under it and go to sleep, promising yourself you will fix it in the morning. Sound familiar?

In this post, we will explain six of the most common causes of leaky faucets:

• Corroded valve seat: The valve seat is the connection between your faucet and your spout, and after a while it can accumulate a lot of minerals, such as calcium and lime, which are naturally occurring in your water. Over time, these minerals can be corrosive and can cause leaks around your faucet. Keeping the valve seat clean can prevent this, but if it’s already corroded, you probably need professional plumbing repair in Colorado Springs, CO.
• O-ring problems: The O-ring is part of the handle system, which allows your faucet to be turned on and off. Because it is one of the most used parts of your faucet setup, it is also commonly the most worn down. If your faucet is leaking around the handles, this is likely your problem.
• Worn-out washer: This is also very common. Every time you use your faucet, the washer is forced against the valve seat, and because of this friction, both your valve seat and your washer are commonly among the most worn down parts of your faucet. Replacing the washer is often easy, however, it can be confusing for some faucets. In fact, improper installation of the washer is a very common cause of faucet leaks.
• Worn-out seal: Your faucet has both inlet and outlet seals and, as with your valve seat, they can both accumulate sediments from the water, causing them to wear out. One solution is to hire a plumber to regularly clean the sediment from your seals.
• Loose parts: Regular use of your faucet––because the water pressure creates friction on every part of the faucet mechanism––can loosen parts. Loose parts in the faucet setup are a common cause of leaks. Just checking that everything is snug when you have a leak is a good test to see whether you have a problem that requires plumbing repair in Colorado Springs, CO or not.
• Broken pipe: The most unusual cause of a leaking faucet is a broken pipe. A broken pipe can interfere with water pressure, which can cause leaks elsewhere in the water system. If you’ve tried everything and you cannot fix your faucet leak, this is a good indication that you may need plumbing repair, and therefore should call a professional plumber.

Affordable Rooter provides the most affordable and highest-quality plumbing repair in Colorado Springs, CO. Whether you’ve got a huge problem with your plumbing, or something as simple as a constantly running toilet or a leaking faucet, we can help. Give us a call today before that little problem becomes a huge issue. We’re well known for our excellent and fast work, and will get your plumbing functioning perfectly again in no time.

Categorised in: Plumbing Repair

This post was written by Writer