Let A Qualified Gilbert Plumbing Professional Tackle Your Leaky Faucets

A leaking faucet can be much more than an annoyance, it can be very costly. A single dripping faucet can waste up to 5 gallons of water a day (over 1800 gallons a year). If you want to check how much your water leaks are costing you, check out the USGS water drip calculator.

But don't go and try to stop the leak by tightening the faucet handle, especially if it is a compression style faucet. This is one of the worst things you can do. It's a gut reaction, we understand that. The problem is that putting more pressure on the dripping seal will actually cause it to break more. Our Gilbert plumbing team suggests not using the faucet again until you've had the seal replaced.

Almost all faucets that leak from the spout are compression type faucets. These turn the flow on and off by turning a handle to flatten a compression disc and cut off the water flow. These discs can wear out over time or from non use. They are relatively easy to replace by popping the tops off from the knobs and removing the screws that hold the handles in place. It is then a simple matter of removing the old cracked seal and replacing it with a new one and reassembling the handles.

Other faucet leaks, like those at the base of a kitchen or bathroom faucet, are likely due to a failure in a washerless system.  There are three different types of washerless systems, cartridge, ball and disk. These are usually best handled by professional plumbers or by purchasing an entire new faucet. Of course, the one you choose will be based on the cost of the particular model that you have.

For more information on leaky faucets or leaky faucet repair, call our Gilbert plumbing professionals. We'll help you get your leaks fixed in a hurry.