Faucet and sink repair · Conway, SC
Faucet Repair in Conway, SC: Drips, Shower Valves, Sinks and Hose Bibs
A dripping faucet wastes water a drop at a time and a leaking sink drain ruins a cabinet a little faster. Most fixture leaks are small worn parts, but a few are signs of something bigger. This page helps you tell which.
Why a faucet drips, and what actually fixes it
A drip almost always starts inside the faucet, not in the pipe. The part that seals the water is worn, and the repair depends on the faucet's design.
Compression faucets with two handles
These use a rubber washer that presses against a seat. When the washer hardens or the seat pits, water seeps past it. Replacing the washer and, if needed, the seat stops the drip.
Cartridge and ball faucets
Single-handle faucets seal with a cartridge or a ball assembly with small rubber seats and springs. A drip from the spout or a handle that leaks at its base means the cartridge or seals have worn out. Swapping the cartridge is usually a short job when the right part is on the truck, which depends on the brand, so a photo or the model name helps when you call.
Ceramic disc faucets
Disc faucets last longest but can fail if sediment scores the discs. They are repaired by replacing the disc cylinder or the whole cartridge.
If a faucet is old, corroded or has no parts available, replacement costs little more than repeated repairs. We will say which side of that line yours is on.
Leaks under the sink
Open the cabinet and look before you call. Water on the cabinet floor can come from four places: the supply lines and their shut-off valves, the faucet's own connections, the drain trap or the disposal. A supply line that sweats or drips at a nut is repaired by tightening or replacing the connector. A trap that drips at a slip nut is a quick fix. A leak that appears only when the sink drains points at the drain side, and a leak that appears only when the faucet runs points at the supply side.
Put a dry paper towel at each joint and run the water to find it. If the cabinet floor is swollen or stained, tell the plumber, because soaked particleboard may need replacing and a long-term leak may have spread further than it looks. A kitchen sink with a disposal has an extra set of joints, covered on the garbage disposal repair page.
Shower valves, tub spouts and wet-wall leaks
A shower that drips after it is turned off, a handle that is hard to turn or hot and cold water that blend unpredictably points at the shower valve cartridge. Replacing it is usually done through the wall opening behind the handle. A tub spout that drips has a failed diverter or a worn washer. A tub spout that leaks around the wall where it enters is a different problem: the connection behind the wall has loosened, and water is running into the wall cavity instead of out of the spout.
Treat any water stain on the wall or ceiling next to a shower as active until proven otherwise. These repairs differ from a remodel, which is covered on the bathroom plumbing page. If the leak is behind a wall and you cannot see it, the leak detection page explains how it is traced.
Not sure whether to repair or replace the faucet? Call (833) 571-0120 with the brand and a photo of the underside.
Outdoor faucets and hose bibs
An outdoor spigot that drips from the handle needs a new packing or washer. One that leaks from the wall, or that sprays water behind the faucet when a hose is attached, has a failed stem or a split pipe behind the siding. Water running into the wall under a spigot can feed rot and mold without ever showing outside.
Conway has an average of about 39 days a year at or below freezing, so freeze damage to outdoor faucets happens only occasionally. When a cold night is forecast, disconnect hoses and cover or drain the spigot. A bib that was frozen and now leaks inside the house when it is turned on has probably split, and the water should be shut off to it until it is repaired.
Installing a new faucet or sink
A new faucet is an ordinary job when the supply lines are sound and the shut-off valves work. Old stop valves that are stuck, corroded or leaking are replaced while the faucet is out, because they will not be easier to reach again. A new sink changes more: cutting or enlarging the countertop opening, rerouting the drain and, with an undermount sink, working with the countertop installer. Bring or send the faucet model if you have bought one, because holes in the sink and faucet must match.
In houses with older galvanized supply, a new faucet can reveal poor flow from a pipe that is partly closed with rust, which is a different problem than the faucet.
When the faucet is a symptom
Low pressure at one faucet is often a clogged aerator or cartridge. Low pressure at every fixture points at a pressure regulator, a partly closed main or a leak in the line. A water bill that jumped while the faucet drip is small suggests something larger. Check the meter using the steps on the leak location. If hot water at a single faucet is lukewarm while the rest of the house is fine, the faucet is at fault. If it is lukewarm everywhere, the water heater is, and the water heater repair page explains how to tell.
Before the visit: clear the cabinet and note the faucet brand
Clear the cabinet under the sink, shut off the stop valve to the leaking fixture if you can, and have the faucet's brand or a photo of its underside ready. Tell us when the leak started and whether it changes with use. The plumber diagnoses the failed part, explains the repair or replacement and does the work in the same visit when parts are on hand. If a part has to be ordered, you will know how long it will take before anyone leaves.
South Carolina requires a license for residential plumbing work over $500, and you can check any plumber at verify.llronline.com before work starts. We take calls across Conway and nearby places such as Red Hill plumbing, Homewood plumbers and Aquila Estates plumbing. See the full list of areas we serve. If the toilet is the problem, go to toilet repair.
Faucet or sink leaking? Call and describe it
Tell us which fixture, where the water shows up and the faucet brand if you know it. We will say what the repair involves.