What Causes My Faucet To Drip?
Not only can a dripping faucet keep you up at night, but it can slowly drain your bank account through your utility bill. A dripping faucet is the sign of wear and corrosion and should be fixed immediately. Mechanically, your faucet is comprised of valves to regulate the flow of water, gaskets or washers to connect two separate parts, and rubber O-rings that utilize compression to seal the mechanical parts. If your faucet is leaking, one of these parts is either corroded, defective, or worn away. It’s important to understand that there is always water pressure in your faucet and when you operate the handles you’re only regulating the flow based on the positioning of the valves.
When the handle is removed you’ll observe a valve that is designed to regulate the flow of water via positioning. The valve will have channels or openings that are positioned so that when you close the handle, it will hold the water from flowing through the faucet, and when you open the handle it will expose a channel that will allow water to flow freely. If these valves have somehow shifted so that when you close the handle a small portion of the channel is exposed to the water pressure, you will observe dripping.
If the valves are functioning correctly, the O-rings that work as a compression-gasket to seat the valves should be inspected. The O-rings are circular pieces of rubber. If these have lost their ability to seal, they will allow water to pool in the system and ultimately drip out of your spout.
Finally, if the previous mechanical pieces are functioning properly and not worn, malfunctioning washers or gaskets could be the culprit. Washers and gaskets are generally made of plastic or metal and they’re designed with a small opening to fit closely over a threaded mechanical part.
Now that you understand what can cause your faucet to drip, you can feel confident calling a licensed plumber to inspect your faucet and fix the leak.
Is your Allentown home in need of a faucet repair? Call Schuler Service today at (610) 437-7103 for immediate solutions!
