How to Fix a Leaky Faucet (Simple DIY Repair Guide)

That sound is back. Drip. Drip. Drip. It’s not loud enough to keep you awake, but you know it’s there. Every time you walk past the bathroom or kitchen, you hear it. And every time you hear it, you know you’re wasting water.

A dripping faucet isn’t an emergency, but it’s costing you money every single day. Even a slow drip adds up to thousands of gallons per year. And the longer you wait, the worse it gets and the more parts wear out.

The good news is that most dripping faucets are simple to fix. You don’t need a plumber. You need about 30 minutes, a few basic tools, and replacement parts that cost less than $20. Here’s how to stop the drip for good.

Quick Answer

A faucet drips when worn or damaged internal parts fail to create a watertight seal. The most common culprits are worn washers, failed O-rings, corroded valve seats, or damaged cartridges. Most leaky faucets can be fixed by identifying your faucet type, turning off the water supply, removing the handle, and replacing the worn part. The repair typically takes 30-60 minutes and costs $5-20 in parts.

Why Is My Faucet Dripping?

A faucet drips because water is getting past a seal that’s supposed to be watertight. Understanding which part has failed makes the fix straightforward.

Worn Washer (Most Common)

The washer is a small rubber or composition disc that sits at the end of the valve stem. When you turn the faucet off, the washer presses against the valve seat to stop water flow. Over time, friction wears it down, it hardens, or it develops cracks. When the washer can’t seal properly anymore, water drips through.

This is the number one cause of dripping faucets, especially in compression-style faucets with two handles. If your faucet drips from the spout when it’s turned off, the washer is the first thing to check.

Failed O-Ring

An O-ring is a small rubber ring that creates a seal around the faucet stem or cartridge. It prevents water from leaking around the handle. O-rings wear out from repeated use and exposure to water. When they fail, you’ll see water leaking from the base of the handle rather than from the spout.

O-ring failure is common in cartridge-style faucets. If you see water pooling around the faucet base or dripping down the handle, the O-ring needs replacement.

Corroded Valve Seat

The valve seat is the connection between the faucet body and the spout. Water flows through this area constantly, and mineral deposits build up over time. When the valve seat corrodes or develops mineral buildup, it can’t form a proper seal with the washer, causing drips from the spout.

This is more common in areas with hard water. If you’ve replaced the washer but the faucet still drips, the valve seat is likely corroded.

Damaged Cartridge

Single-handle faucets and some dual-handle faucets use cartridges to control water flow and temperature. The cartridge has internal seals and moving parts that wear out over time. When a cartridge fails, the faucet drips even when turned completely off.

Cartridge failure shows up as dripping from the spout or difficulty controlling water temperature. Cartridges can’t be repaired – they need to be replaced entirely.

Water Pressure Issues

High water pressure can put excessive stress on faucet seals and cause premature wear. If your faucet only drips at certain times of day (typically when water usage is low and pressure is high), water pressure may be the underlying cause. You’ll still need to replace worn parts, but you may also need to address the pressure issue to prevent future problems.

What Type of Faucet Do I Have?

Before you can fix a leaky faucet, you need to know what kind you’re dealing with. The repair process differs for each type.

Compression Faucet

Two separate handles (one hot, one cold). When you turn the handle, it raises or lowers a stem that compresses a washer against the valve seat. These are the oldest and simplest design, common in bathrooms. If your handles require multiple full rotations to turn the water on or off, you have a compression faucet.

Cartridge Faucet

Can be single-handle or dual-handle. Uses a hollow cartridge with internal seals that moves up and down or side to side to control flow and temperature. The handle moves smoothly with little resistance. When you lift the handle or move it side to side, you’re moving the cartridge.

Ball Faucet

Single handle only, most common in Delta brand faucets. Uses a rotating ball with chambers and springs to control water flow. The handle has a wide range of motion – you can move it in any direction. These have more parts than other types and can be trickier to repair.

Ceramic Disc Faucet

Single handle, usually found on newer, high-end faucets. Uses two ceramic discs that slide over each other to control flow. The handle moves very smoothly and requires minimal effort to operate. These are the most durable type but also the most expensive to replace.

How to tell which you have: Look at the handles. Two handles that turn multiple times = compression. Two handles that move a quarter turn = cartridge. Single handle that pivots from a ball = ball type. Single handle that moves very smoothly with minimal effort = ceramic disc.

Tools and Parts You’ll Need

Most faucet repairs require the same basic tools. Gather everything before you start so you’re not running to the hardware store mid-repair.

Basic tools:

• Adjustable wrench or basin wrench
• Screwdrivers (flathead and Phillips)
• Pliers (regular and needle-nose)
• Flashlight
• Towels or rags
• Bucket or container

Common replacement parts:

• Washers (buy an assortment pack)
• O-rings (bring the old one to match the size)
• Replacement cartridge (need exact model match)
• Valve seat (if corroded)
• Plumber’s grease (helps seals seat properly)

Where to buy parts: Any hardware store or home improvement center carries common faucet parts. Bring the old part with you to ensure you get an exact match. If you have a brand-name faucet (Moen, Delta, Kohler), you can often get free replacement parts under warranty by contacting the manufacturer.

How to Fix a Leaky Faucet: Step-by-Step

The exact repair process depends on your faucet type, but the overall approach is the same.

Step 1: Turn Off the Water Supply

Look under the sink for shutoff valves – usually two small valves on the supply lines. Turn them clockwise to shut off water to the faucet. If there are no shutoff valves under the sink, you’ll need to turn off the main water supply to the house. If you’re not sure where your main shutoff is located, Where Is My Main Water Shutoff Valve? will help you find it.

After shutting off the water, turn the faucet handles to the on position to release any remaining water in the lines.

Step 2: Plug the Drain and Protect the Sink

Put a rag or stopper in the sink drain. Small screws and parts love to fall down drains. Place a towel in the sink basin to catch any parts and protect the sink from dropped tools.

Step 3: Remove the Handle

Remove any decorative caps on the handle – these usually pop off with a flathead screwdriver. Underneath, you’ll find a screw holding the handle in place. Remove this screw and lift off the handle.

For some faucets, you may need to loosen a set screw on the side of the handle instead. Once the handle is off, you’ll see the internal mechanism.

Step 4: Disassemble and Identify the Problem

For compression faucets: Use a wrench to unscrew the packing nut, then remove the valve stem. At the bottom of the stem, you’ll find the washer held in place by a brass screw. This is usually the culprit.

For cartridge faucets: Remove any retaining clip or nut holding the cartridge in place, then pull the cartridge straight up and out. Inspect the O-rings around the cartridge body.

For ball faucets: Remove the cap and collar, then lift out the cam, cam washer, and rotating ball. Below you’ll find inlet seals and springs.

For ceramic disc faucets: Remove the cap and handle, unscrew the disc cylinder, and lift it out. The ceramic discs are inside and rarely fail, but the inlet seals beneath them can wear out.

Step 5: Replace Worn Parts

Washer replacement: Remove the screw holding the old washer, take out the worn washer, and replace it with a new one that matches the size. Coat the new washer lightly with plumber’s grease.

O-ring replacement: Roll the old O-ring off the cartridge or stem, clean any debris from the groove, and roll a new O-ring into place. Apply plumber’s grease to help it seal.

Cartridge replacement: If the cartridge itself is worn, replace the entire unit. Make sure you get the exact model – bring the old cartridge to the hardware store.

Valve seat replacement: If the valve seat is corroded, use a seat wrench (an L-shaped tool) to unscrew it from inside the faucet body. Install a new seat and make sure it’s snug but not overtightened.

Step 6: Reassemble and Test

Put everything back together in reverse order. Don’t overtighten – hand-tight plus a quarter turn with a wrench is usually sufficient. Overtightening can damage new parts.

Turn the water supply back on slowly. Check for leaks around the base first, then test the faucet by turning it on and off several times. Let it run for a minute, then shut it off completely and watch for drips.

If it still drips, you may have missed a worn part, installed something incorrectly, or there’s mineral buildup preventing a good seal.

What If It Still Drips?

If you’ve replaced the obvious parts and the faucet still drips, try these troubleshooting steps.

Check your work: Disassemble and verify that new parts are installed correctly and that no old washers or O-rings were left in place by mistake.

Clean mineral deposits: Soak parts in white vinegar for 30 minutes to dissolve mineral buildup. Scrub the valve seat gently with fine-grit sandpaper to remove corrosion.

Replace the valve seat: Even with a new washer, a badly corroded valve seat won’t seal. If the seat is pitted or rough, it needs replacement.

Call a plumber: If you’ve replaced all the likely parts, cleaned everything, and the faucet still drips, there may be damage to the faucet body itself. At this point, calling a plumber or replacing the entire faucet is more cost-effective than continued troubleshooting.

Why Fixing a Dripping Faucet Matters

A single dripping faucet that drips once per second wastes more than 3,000 gallons of water per year. That’s enough water to take over 180 showers. If it’s hot water dripping, you’re also paying to heat water that goes straight down the drain.

Even a slow drip – the kind you barely notice – wastes hundreds of gallons annually. Over time, that adds up to real money on your water bill for absolutely nothing.

Beyond the waste, a dripping faucet puts constant stress on other faucet components. What starts as a worn washer can lead to a corroded valve seat, which then requires a more involved repair. Fixing it early saves you from bigger problems later.

Final Thoughts From Stud Finder Studio

A dripping faucet is one of those home repairs that’s easy to put off. It’s not dramatic. It doesn’t flood anything. It just… drips. And because it’s not urgent, it stays on the “someday” list for weeks or months.

But this is one of the simplest home repairs you can tackle. For most faucets, you’re looking at 30-60 minutes and less than $20 in parts. Once you’ve done it once, you’ll never hesitate to do it again.

The hardest part is usually just starting. But once you shut off the water and remove that first handle, the rest follows logically. The parts tell you what’s wrong. The worn washer or failed O-ring is obvious when you see it.

And when you turn the faucet off after the repair and it stays completely silent – no drip – you’ll know it was worth the effort.

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How to Stop a Running Toilet (And Why It Happens) – Another common plumbing fix

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