Living with a leaky faucet is one of the easiest ways to waste money. Faucets leak for many reasons and people put off fixing them for just as many reasons. Although we won’t argue that you’re busy, if you want to keep more money in your pocket and protect your plumbing then you have to get that leaky tap fixed now!

Keep reading to learn more about the primary problems that cause leaky faucets. Then, call My Sunnyvale Plumber Hero to schedule a service call.

Bad Washer

All faucets have a valve seat that is activated every time the faucet is turned on. With repeated usage, the washer in this area will eventually begin to wear down. When we get calls for a leaky faucet, this is one of the first things we look for since it’s the most common problem.  Replacing a washer is very easy and doesn’t take any time at all.

Old Inlet and Outlet Seals

Seals play an important part in how well a faucet functions. These small parts are usually the first to show signs of wear and tear because it’s the perfect spot for sediment to build up. One way to prevent seals from breaking prematurely is to clean the sediment from the faucet.  Our trusty plumbers can help you do this, or you can do it yourself if you’re handy.

A Loose Nut

When it comes to fast repairs, this one wins hands down. A loose nut will cause water to drip from the tap at a decent rate. All you need in your toolbox is a wrench or pair of pliers to tighten this nut.

Bad O-Ring

The handle to your faucet is held in place by a disc and a screw. The disk is called the O-ring. Repeated usage will loosen the disc after a while. What comes next is leakage around the handle. If this sounds like what you’re experiencing, replacing the O-ring should fix the problem.

Amateur Installation

Repairing and replacing faucet parts may seem like an easy job for anyone to do. If you’re handy and have a little plumbing knowledge, then go for it! Unfortunately, not everyone has these skills and the result is a faucet that doesn’t work quite right. If you’re having problems with drips and you recently installed a new faucet, you may want to call a plumber to double-check the work.

Corrosion

Sediment, which we talked about earlier, is an enemy to your plumbing system. It can corrode valve seats, aerators, and other parts of a faucet. A small amount of sediment is to be expected. However, if you’re constantly replacing parts to your faucet due to corrosion, you may want to consider having your water’s hardness level tested. Excessively hard water is not only damaging to faucets but other parts of your plumbing system.

Broken Pipes

This is the least common reason for a faucet leak, but it does happen every now and again. Pipes that are severed can affect the water pressure and the first sign may be a leaky faucet.

Call for Emergency Plumbing Services

A leaky faucet may not seem like your typical plumbing emergency. Yet, the longer you wait to take care of this problem, the more likely it is that you’ll end up with other problems. Give one of our licensed and bonded plumbers in Sunnyvale near you a call today to get the ball rolling on leaky faucet repair and replacement.