Key Takeaway
Repair a faucet when it is fairly new, good quality, and the problem is a single worn part: a drip from the spout, a leak at the handle or a stiff handle usually means a new cartridge, washer or O-ring. Replace it when the body is cracked or corroded, it leaks from the base or under the sink, parts are no longer available, it has needed repeated repairs, or you want a different style or a more efficient model. Do not leave a drip: EPA WaterSense says a faucet dripping once per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons a year. SKS Plumbing repairs and replaces kitchen and bathroom faucets across Hillsboro and nearby towns, open 7 days a week. Call (503) 319-9348.
Repair a leaky faucet when it is fairly new, good quality and the problem is one worn part, usually a cartridge, washer or O-ring. Replace it when the body is cracked or corroded, it leaks from the base or under the sink, parts are hard to find, or it keeps dripping after repairs.
Here is how to tell which one you are dealing with, in a kitchen or a bathroom, and what each job involves.
Why a Drip Is Worth Fixing Now
A slow drip is easy to ignore. It adds up anyway. EPA's WaterSense program puts a number on it: "A leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year." It also notes that "old and worn faucet washers and gaskets frequently cause leaks in faucets." (EPA WaterSense, Fix a Leak Week)
A drip on the hot side also heats water that goes straight down the drain. And a leak at the base or under the sink can soak the cabinet floor for weeks before anyone opens the door, which is how a small faucet problem turns into a leak under the kitchen sink.
Signs a Repair Will Fix It
These usually come down to one worn part inside a faucet that is otherwise sound:
- A drip from the spout when the handle is off. On a cartridge faucet, the cartridge or its seals are worn. On an older two-handle compression faucet, it is the washer or the seat.
- Water around the handle when the faucet is on. A worn O-ring or packing.
- A stiff, grinding or loose handle. A worn cartridge, or a loose set screw.
- Low flow from one faucet only. Often just a clogged aerator, which is a five-minute clean.
- Hot and cold mixed up or hard to adjust. A worn cartridge or a failed balancing part in a single-handle faucet.
If the faucet is a known brand and less than about ten years old, parts are usually available and the repair costs a fraction of a new faucet.
Signs It Is Time to Replace
- Cracks or corrosion on the body. A cracked body or heavy corrosion at the base cannot be repaired.
- Leaking from the base or below the counter. If water is coming from the faucet body or its connections under the sink, and new supply lines do not stop it, the faucet itself has failed.
- It keeps dripping after repairs. A worn valve seat or a body that no longer seals means repairs will not hold.
- No parts available. Off-brand and older builder-grade faucets often have no replacement cartridge.
- Finish peeling or pitted. Once the finish breaks down, the metal underneath corrodes.
- You are not happy with how it works. A low spout that will not clear your pots, no pull-down sprayer, or a two-handle faucet you want to swap for a single lever are good reasons on their own.
Many homes around Hillsboro, Beaverton and Tigard built in the 1990s and 2000s still have their original builder-grade faucets. Those are now at the age where finishes wear and parts get harder to find.
Kitchen vs Bathroom Faucets
Kitchen faucets work harder: more use, more hot water, and a sprayer hose that can crack or leak under the sink. A pull-down sprayer that leaks at the hose or the spray head can often be fixed with a new hose. A leaking body usually means a new faucet.
Bathroom faucets get less use and often last longer, but the pop-up drain under the basin is a common source of leaks that look like faucet leaks. Check where the water is actually coming from before deciding. If you are also thinking about the toilet, our toilet repair or replace guide covers that decision.
What a Faucet Repair Involves
We shut off the water under the sink, take the handle off and pull the cartridge or stem. We match the part by brand and model, replace the worn cartridge, washer, seat or O-rings, reassemble and test it hot and cold. We also clean the aerator and check the supply lines and shut-off valves while we are there. If the valves are old and will not close fully, it is worth replacing them during the same visit.
What a Faucet Replacement Involves
We shut off the supply valves, disconnect the old supply lines and mounting hardware, remove the old faucet and clean the sink deck. The new faucet goes in with fresh braided supply lines and proper sealing, then we test every connection for leaks and check flow on both sides. A standard replacement usually takes 1 to 2 hours.
If you are choosing a new faucet, a WaterSense labeled model uses less water every time it runs. Our post on WaterSense faucets and showerheads explains what the label means.
Repair or Replace: A Quick Way to Decide
Repair when:
- the faucet is a good brand and under about ten years old
- the problem is a drip at the spout or a leak at the handle
- you like the faucet and parts are available
Replace when:
- the body is cracked, corroded or leaking at the base
- it has already been repaired and the leak came back
- parts are not available
- you want a different style, a pull-down sprayer or a more efficient model
If you are not sure, a plumber can usually tell within a few minutes of taking the handle off, and give you the price of both options before doing anything.
Book a Faucet Repair or Replacement
SKS Plumbing repairs and replaces faucets as part of our kitchen plumbing service and fixture installation service, in Hillsboro, Beaverton, Tigard and the rest of Washington County. Bathroom faucets are covered by our bathroom plumbing service.
We are open seven days a week. Call (503) 319-9348, or book a visit for a free estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Often, yes. If the faucet is a good brand, less than about ten years old and the problem is a drip from the spout or a leak at the handle, a new cartridge, washer or O-ring usually fixes it for far less than a new faucet. It stops being worth it when the body is cracked or corroded, parts are hard to find, or it keeps coming back.
On compression faucets the valve seat can be worn or pitted, so a new washer still cannot seal against it. On cartridge faucets the cartridge itself or its seals may be the problem. Either way, a repeat drip after a repair is a sign the faucet is near the end of its life.
A standard kitchen or bathroom faucet replacement usually takes 1 to 2 hours, including new supply lines and testing. It can take longer if the shut-off valves under the sink are seized and need replacing first.
If they are old, stiff or corroded, yes. Older multi-turn valves often fail to close fully or start leaking once they are disturbed. Swapping them while the faucet is off is quick, and it means you can shut the water off reliably next time.
More than most people expect. EPA WaterSense says a faucet that drips at one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year. A WaterSense labeled replacement also uses less water every time you turn it on.
