What’s the Deal with Dripping Faucets?
You may be tempted to ignore the steady drip coming from your faucet and to avoid buying replacement parts, but this evasion could increase your household’s water use and water bill significantly. Seek help from a Minnetonka plumber for your plumbing repairs if you can’t discover the source of the leak or if you’re feeling hesitant about fixing the leak yourself.
Common Causes of Leaky Faucets
- Faulty O-Ring – Stem screws make sure faucet handles stay put. A small rubber disc, called an O-ring, rests inside the stem screw. A drip near the handle of the faucet may develop if the O-ring is loose or worn out, necessitating an O-ring replacement.
- High Water Pressure – If your faucet drips only after certain behaviors or during certain times of the
day, check your water pressure. High water pressure can prevent water from moving away from a specific section, and the water will then back up and leak in another location, such as a toilet tank or a faucet. - Wrong Washer – If a washer is not installed properly or is the wrong size, dripping can develop. The washer presses against the valve seat when a faucet is turned on, causing deterioration over time and subsequent leaking. Make sure that you hire a plumber to replace the washer if you are unsure what size to use.
- Worn-Out Cartridge – Replace a disintegrating cartridge with another one that fits the gap left by the original cartridge to fix a leak from the faucet spout.
Negative Impacts of Leaky Faucets
Repairing dripping faucets is critical because they waste water and increase your water bill. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency asserts that leaks in an average household are responsible for 10,000 gallons of water waste annually. Additionally, leaks can cause problems with your plumbing system. These complications include disintegrating grout and caulk, drain clogs, overflows, damaged ceilings and floorboards, and water staining in sinks. Hiring a plumber to correct dripping faucets will prevent these problems and can save you approximately 10% of your annual water bill.
If you need help identifying what component is making your faucet leak, reach out to Aqua City Plumbing, an experienced Minnetonka plumber, to make sure that your repairs are done correctly.
