Potomac, MD · Montgomery County
Dripping Faucet or Leaking Shower Valve? Faucet and Sink Repair in Potomac, MD
A drip, a weak stream or a damp cabinet each point to a different part. This page helps you trace the leak, choose between repair and replacement, and protect outdoor faucets before a freeze.
Where is the water coming from? Trace it before you replace anything
A leak at a sink or faucet has a short list of possible sources, and finding the right one avoids replacing parts that were fine. Dry the area with a towel, then run water and watch where the first drop appears.
| Where the water appears | Usual cause | Typical fix |
|---|---|---|
| Drips from the spout when the faucet is off | Worn cartridge, washer or seat | Replace the cartridge or seat |
| Leaks around the base of the handle | Worn O-ring or loose packing | Replace the O-rings or packing |
| Water pools in the cabinet below | Supply line, shutoff valve or drain connection | Tighten or replace the failing part |
| Weak or sputtering stream | Scale in the aerator or cartridge | Clean or replace the aerator |
| Water under the sink only when running | Drain trap or sink basket leak | Reseat the trap or replace the basket seal |
The shutoff valves under the sink let you stop the water without losing the whole house. If they will not turn, or leak when you touch them, that is a repair of its own. Never force a stuck valve, because a broken one makes the problem larger.
Hard water: why aerators and cartridges wear first
WSSC filters Potomac River water that averages about 120 to 130 mg/L hardness, roughly 7 grains per gallon. Scale collects at the places where water is forced through narrow openings: the aerator, the cartridge and the spray head. That is why a weak stream is so often an aerator problem.
Unscrew the aerator, soak it in white vinegar and rinse. If scale has clogged or damaged it, replacing it is inexpensive. A cartridge that is stiff, noisy or leaking at the handle is usually worn by the same scale, and replacing it is a modest repair on a faucet of reasonable quality.
Repair the faucet or replace it?
Most faucets can be repaired. The question is whether they should be. A good faucet with a worn cartridge is worth fixing. An old, corroded model whose parts are no longer sold is not, and a repair that costs more than a modest replacement is not either.
- Is the faucet a brand that still sells replacement cartridges?
- Are the fittings corroded, or is the finish failing?
- Does the sink need replacing too, or does a new faucet fit the existing holes?
- Do the shutoff valves and supply lines need replacing at the same time?
- Is the plumber installing a fixture you supply, and who is responsible for it?
Sink replacement is a larger job than a faucet swap. It involves the drain, the supply lines and sometimes the countertop. WSSC lets homeowners do limited plumbing work under Section 106.9 of its code, but requires most plumbing projects to be done by a WSSC-licensed plumber. If you are moving supply or drain lines, confirm with WSSC Permit Services at 301-206-4003.
Fixture leaking?
Close the shutoff under the sink and call. A plumber serving your area takes it from there.
Shower valves and tub spouts: leaks that hide in the wall
A dripping shower head or tub spout after the water is off usually means a worn cartridge in the shower valve behind the wall. That is a repair done through the access at the trim plate, and it rarely needs the wall opened. The signs of a bigger problem are different.
- Stained or soft drywall on the other side of the shower wall.
- Water at a ceiling below the bathroom.
- A tub spout that leaks at the wall where it meets the tile.
- A shower valve that will not shut off even with a new cartridge.
Those signs point to a leak behind the wall, in a supply line or a tub drain connection. Stop using the shower and ask the plumber to locate the leak before any wall is opened. If the damage has spread, see finding a leak behind the tile. If the water has soaked the wall, drying out the bathroom applies afterward.
Outdoor hose faucets and the first hard freeze
An outdoor hose faucet is the fixture most likely to be damaged by cold. Water left in the faucet body freezes, expands and splits the pipe behind it, often where you cannot see until spring. The leak shows up inside the wall when the faucet is turned on again.
Montgomery County builds to a 30-inch frost line and a 13 degree Fahrenheit winter design temperature, so a hard freeze is part of normal winters. Before it arrives, disconnect hoses, close the indoor shutoff valve to the faucet if there is one, and open the outdoor faucet to drain what remains. A frost-proof faucet still needs the hose removed so it can drain.
If you find a leak inside the wall after turning an outdoor faucet on, close the valve and call. A split pipe behind a wall is a frozen pipe repair problem, not a washer.
Questions to ask after a fixture repair, and parts to keep
A fixture repair is small, and the questions are short. Ask what failed, what was replaced and whether the shutoff valves and supply lines are in good shape. Ask for any removed part you want to keep as evidence, and save the receipt or invoice for the new fixture.
The fixture repair cost ranges explain what moves a price on a faucet, a sink or a shower valve.
Drip, spray and under-sink questions
Is it worth repairing a dripping faucet or replacing it?
A drip from the spout is usually a worn cartridge, washer or seat, which is a small repair on a good faucet. If the faucet is old, corroded or no longer has parts available, replacing it often makes more sense. A plumber can tell you which applies.
Why is the water pressure at my faucet weak?
Hard water scale clogging the aerator is the most common cause, and cleaning or replacing the aerator takes minutes. If only one fixture is weak, look there first. If every fixture is weak, the cause is elsewhere in the system.
How do I keep an outdoor hose faucet from freezing?
Disconnect the hose before the first hard freeze, and close the indoor shutoff valve to the faucet if there is one, opening the outdoor faucet to drain it. A frost-proof faucet still needs the hose removed so it can drain.
Fixture leaking now?
Close the shutoff under the sink or at the main, then call. A plumber serving your area takes it from there.