No one wants to deal with a leaky faucet. If you’re noticing any problems, there are a number of potential causes.
Drip, drip, drip, there are few sounds quite like a drippy faucet. It can be the most annoying sound, shattering the calm of your afternoon. Or it could be a startling sound, rousing you from your sweet, leak-free dreams. Or maybe the sound wasn’t ever an issue at all. Maybe you turned the faucet off and realized that it still was dripping. But what is causing it to drip and should you really care? In short, yes, even if you don’t recognize it as a huge problem. This is because a leaky faucet can add up to a huge expense. On average, leaks in the home waste enough water to fill a swimming pool every year. This could translate to a savings of up to 10% on your water bill. And if that’s not reason enough, the most common causes of faucet leaks are actually pretty cheap and easy to fix.
Problematic O Ring
An O ring is a small disk that sits in pipes at connections and prevents water from leaking out. The most common place in your faucet for there to be a problem with your O ring is where the stem connects to the handle of your faucet. O rings can become loose or damaged over time, and when they do, you will see leakage from near the handle. O rings are fairly cheap and easy to replace, and once you do your leak will be solved instantly.
Corroded Valve
Where the faucet connects to the spout is called the valve seat. The valve seat can corrode over time due to the minerals and other sediment found in the water. If this is the cause of your faucet leak, you’ll see the water coming out around this connection. Thankfully it is both easy to prevent and fairly easy to fix. You should be cleaning your valve seat regularly, or having your plumber do it whenever they visit. The valve seat can also be replaced as needed to correct leaks.
Worn Out Washer
Washers sit against the valve seat, and every time you run the water the washer moves against it leading to wear and tear due to friction. Over time, washers will wear out, and when they do you’ll see drips, typically around the spout. Worn washers are actually the most common cause of a drippy faucet. Thankfully, this is another easy fix: if you replace the washer, your faucet will stop dripping.
Call Mahon Plumbing Today
If you still have more questions regarding your garbage disposal or you are ready to install a new one, we here at Mahon Plumbing are here to help. We have been serving the wider Baltimore area since 1994, so we have the experience to back up our fantastic service! Call us at our Baltimore location at 410-766-8566 or our Pasadena location at 410-636-7944. Be sure to keep up with us on social media by following us on Facebook or Twitter.