We at On-Deck Plumbing want to help you keep your home or business in the best possible condition, and that means dealing with even seemingly small problems, such as leaky faucets. While a leaky faucet doesn’t do much immediate damage, leaving it unaddressed could cause you to waste up to 10,000 gallons of water per year. Our team wants to help you make informed decisions about your plumbing, and to help you do that, we’ll be covering a few of the most common causes of leaky faucets.
- Faulty O-Ring. One of the most common causes for a leaky faucet is problems with the O-ring. This component is a small disc attached to the stem screw that holds the handle of your faucet in place. Over time, the O-ring can wear out or become loose, causing the faucet to drip near the handle. In this situation, having our team at On-Deck Plumbing replace the O-ring will resolve the problem.
- Weak Washer. Another common cause behind leaky faucets is old, worn-out, or weakened washers. Every time you use your faucet, water pressure forces the washer against the valve seat, and this constant friction causes the washer to wear out. When your washer becomes too worn down, water will leak out around the edge, causing your faucet to drip. Replacing the washer with a fresh one will take care of this issue.
- Improper Installation. Even if your washer is new and strong, you may still find yourself with a leaky faucet if that washer was not installed properly or is the wrong size. The best way to ensure that your faucet’s washer is sized and installed correctly is to enlist a professional plumber like those on our team here at On-Deck Plumbing. We’ll make sure your faucet is set up to give you the best, most reliable performance.