The constant echoing of droplets bouncing off a sink basin. Sleepless nights that once were caused by the ticking of a clock, now replaced by an overly increased water bill due to a pesky faucet leak. Insanity comes in all forms, but it shouldn’t have to come from a subtle faucet drip and TODAY we are going to help explain some possible solutions to fix these faucet problems.
Sediment Build Up On A Cartridge 
New Cartridge Inside A Bath Faucet
From three handle shower faucets to lavatory and kitchen faucets, there are thousands of cartridges and issues that can occur at any given time. With years of experience under my belt, a common issue I always have on a daily basis is in fact a faucet drip. Below are the steps that you, a plumber or a customer, can check to help diagnose and understand these issues.
- Checking Water Softener System
Hard water is the leading cause of any type of valve leak that you can have. Whenever I receive a call regarding a dripping valve, I immediately ask if there is any form of softener in the house. As a professional on site, we always test the quality of the water with a pH, Chlorine, and Hardness test strip. On average in Florida, typical numbers displayed for a water quality check are: pH: 6-7, Chlorine: 1-5, and Total hardness: 1-5 (these numbers are based on city or county water in the Hillsborough and Pinellas County areas). For plumbing systems on a well, the total hardness usually increases due to metals in the water. For valves like a Moen posi temp and Delta single handle unit , these issues occur in the form of stiffening when turning the handle to a slight drip. In more severe cases, the valve will not shut off when on or will break from the stem. With hard water effecting these valves, upon removal of the cartridge, 9 times out of 10 times there is sediment build up inside the valve that can damage internal balancing units and seats or washer as well. - Faulty O-ring Due to Installation
Although this isn’t seen as often, another cause is faulty installation causing bad O-rings. The O-rings, most times, slide into a metal or brass housing so not having grease can cause friction and over time tear the O-rings. On tub spouts that are slip fit 1/2′ there are O-rings that need to be greased upon application as the same applies to Moen and Delta cartridges. - Faulty Products
With most name brand faucets you can run into the issue of an internal leak. This occurs whenever the O-rings or metal innards of the faucet go defective which can cause leaks into the counter tops/walls. For every name brand faucet, there are ways of contacting the manufacturer to check on warranties to see if the limited lifetime warranty covers the leak which results in replacement.
Having Issues In Your Home or Work?
- Buy test strips to check your water quality
- Shut off the water and call a plumber
- Contact customer support for your name brand faucets to check warranties
- Contact Flow Pros and our friendly technicians will be glad to help diagnose and solve any problem you’re having