How to Fix a Leaky Faucet (Any Type) Without Calling a Plumber

A dripping faucet is irritating at 2 a.m., but the real cost is quieter. Use the calculator below to see what your drip is worth over a year, then identify your faucet type in about a minute. Once you know the type, the repair is usually one small part.

What is your drip costing?

The US Geological Survey's Water Science School publishes a drip calculator that assumes about 4,000 drips per gallon. Count the drips for one minute, then enter your number below along with your combined water and sewer rate (check your bill; it is often listed per 1,000 gallons, or per CCF, which is 748 gallons).

Even if the yearly number looks modest, a leaking hot tap also wastes the energy used to heat that water, and steady drips leave mineral stains that are hard to remove from sinks.

Step 1: Identify your faucet type

There are four common designs. You can usually tell which you have from the handles:

• Compression: two separate handles (hot and cold) that you twist several turns, getting tighter as they close. Common in older homes and utility sinks. These leak because the rubber washer wears out.
• Cartridge: one or two handles that move smoothly with no tightening at the end. A single lever that lifts up and down and swings left to right is often a cartridge.
• Ball: a single handle over a dome-shaped cap. Common on older kitchen faucets.
• Ceramic disc: a single lever over a wide cylindrical body. Very durable; leaks usually come from worn seals rather than the discs.

Step 2: Prepare

• Shut off the water under the sink (both valves, turn clockwise)
• Open the faucet to drain pressure
• Put the drain plug in or lay a cloth in the sink so small parts cannot fall in
• Lay out a towel and place parts in order as you remove them
• Take a phone photo at each step

Tools you will usually need: adjustable wrench, Phillips and flat screwdrivers, a hex (Allen) key set, and plumber's grease. Wrap wrench jaws in tape to avoid scratching chrome.

Fix a compression faucet

1. Pry off the decorative cap on the handle, remove the screw, and pull off the handle.
2. Use a wrench to unscrew the packing nut, then unscrew the stem.
3. At the bottom of the stem is a rubber washer held by a brass screw. Replace the washer with an exact match (take the old one to the store).
4. Look into the faucet body at the seat the washer presses against. If it is pitted, a seat wrench can remove and replace it; a rough seat will chew up new washers quickly.
5. Apply a thin film of plumber's grease to threads and the new washer, reassemble and turn the water on slowly.

If water leaks from around the handle rather than the spout, replace the O-ring or packing on the stem as well.

Fix a cartridge faucet

1. Remove the handle (often a small hex screw under the front of the lever or under a cap).
2. Remove the retaining clip or nut holding the cartridge. Note which way the cartridge faces; many must be reinstalled in the same orientation or hot and cold will be reversed.
3. Pull the cartridge straight up. Pliers help, and some stubborn cartridges need a cheap cartridge puller.
4. Take it to the store for an exact match, or order by model number.
5. Grease the O-rings lightly, install, replace the clip and handle, and test.

Fix a ball faucet

Ball faucets have several small parts: the ball, two rubber seats with springs, and O-rings on the body. Buy a ball faucet repair kit for your brand; it includes the seats, springs and often a cam tool.

1. Remove the handle, unscrew the cap and lift out the cam and ball.
2. Use a screwdriver to lift out the old seats and springs from inside the body.
3. Push new springs and seats into place, reinstall the ball (the slot fits over a small pin), then the cam and cap.
4. Tighten the adjusting ring just enough to stop leaks without making the handle stiff.

Fix a ceramic disc faucet

1. Remove the handle and escutcheon cap to expose the disc cylinder.
2. Unscrew the mounting screws and lift out the cylinder.
3. Replace the rubber seals on the underside (clean mineral deposits with white vinegar while you are there).
4. Reassemble and turn the water on very slowly; a sudden pressure surge can crack ceramic discs.

Still dripping after the repair?

• Wrong part: even small size differences matter. Compare old and new side by side.
• Damaged valve seat (compression faucets): replace or resurface it.
• Debris: turn the water on with the cartridge out (holding a cup over the opening) for a second to flush grit.
• Loose parts: snug the packing nut or adjusting ring slightly.

When to replace the whole faucet

If the faucet is very old, parts are no longer available, the body is corroded, or you have repaired it repeatedly, a new faucet may be the better value. That is also a straightforward DIY job if the shut-off valves under the sink work well.

Leaks from the base or under the sink

Not every leak is a drip from the spout. Water pooling around the base of a single-handle faucet usually means worn O-rings on the spout or body, which come in the same repair kit as the cartridge or seats. Water dripping inside the cabinet is often a loose supply line connection: tighten the compression nut a quarter turn with a wrench while holding the valve steady, or replace an old braided line, which is cheap and prevents a surprise flood. A wet cabinet floor with no visible drip may be the drain trap instead; run water and feel the slip nuts.