Common Faucet Problems We Fix

A dripping faucet isn't just annoying — a single faucet dripping once per second wastes more than 3,000 gallons of water per year. That shows up on your water bill and, in municipalities that charge tiered rates, can push you into a higher billing bracket.

Most faucet failures trace back to a small handful of components: worn cartridges, degraded O-rings, corroded valve seats, or a broken ball assembly inside single-handle faucets. Identifying the exact cause quickly is what separates a $80 repair from an unnecessary full replacement.

New Core Plumbing carries the most common repair parts on every service truck so we can complete most faucet jobs in a single visit without a second trip to a supply house.

• Constant drip from spout when faucet is off
• Leak around the base or handle
• Low or inconsistent water pressure
• Faucet handle that spins freely or is hard to turn
• Hot and cold water mixing incorrectly
• Squealing or banging sounds when turning the handle

Faucet Types and Brands We Service

Faucets fall into four mechanical categories — ball, cartridge, ceramic disc, and compression — and repair method depends entirely on which type you have. Guessing wrong wastes time and can crack a ceramic disc or damage a plastic cartridge housing.

New Core Plumbing technicians are trained across all four types and work on fixtures from major brands including Moen, Delta, Kohler, Price Pfister, American Standard, Grohe, and Glacier Bay. We also service commercial-style pull-down kitchen faucets and touchless sensor faucets increasingly common in newer homes.

If a faucet is beyond economical repair — older cartridges that are discontinued or a body cracked from hard-water buildup — we'll tell you straight, quote a replacement, and can usually install a new fixture the same visit.

• Ball faucets (common in single-handle kitchen faucets)
• Cartridge faucets (Moen, Delta, most bathroom faucets)
• Ceramic disc faucets (single lever, premium lines)
• Compression faucets (older two-handle designs)
• Touchless and sensor-activated faucets
• Outdoor hose bibs and utility sink faucets

Local Faucet Repair Considerations

Water quality and local infrastructure conditions directly affect how faucets wear. In areas with hard water — high calcium and magnesium mineral content — cartridges and ceramic discs scale up and fail faster than in soft-water regions. Homes supplied by well systems face similar abrasion issues from iron and sediment. A repair that skips addressing mineral buildup at the valve seat will need to be repeated within months.

Older housing stock — common in neighborhoods with homes built before 1980 — often uses compression-style faucets with brass stems and rubber washers that are repairable but require matching vintage part dimensions. Homes in areas with galvanized steel supply lines can see faucet issues that are actually pressure or corrosion problems originating upstream of the fixture itself.

In jurisdictions that require permits for full faucet replacements tied to supply line modifications, New Core Plumbing handles the permit pull so the work is code-compliant and doesn't create issues at resale inspection. We're familiar with local inspection timelines and schedule accordingly so your water isn't off any longer than necessary.

• Hard-water and mineral buildup diagnosis before repair
• Compatibility check on older or discontinued fixture parts
• Pressure and supply line inspection when symptoms suggest upstream cause
• Permit coordination for fixture replacements where required

What to Expect When You Call

When you contact New Core Plumbing for a faucet repair, the first step is a brief description of the symptom — dripping spout, base leak, handle problem — so we can arrive with the most likely parts on the truck. We give you an honest, upfront quote before any work begins and explain exactly what's causing the problem in plain terms.

Repairs are billed transparently: you'll know the labor time estimate and part cost before we start. If we open the faucet and find a larger underlying issue — a corroded shut-off valve under the sink, for example — we'll show you and let you decide before adding any scope.

Most residential faucet repairs are complete within 45 to 90 minutes. We clean up the work area before leaving and test the fixture through a full hot-cold cycle to confirm the fix holds.

• Upfront quote before work begins — no surprise charges
• Same-day availability on most faucet calls
• Parts stocked on-truck for common brands and types
• Full test and cleanup before we leave

Common Questions