Faucets throughout the home make it easy for you to get the water you need at the right temperature, whenever and wherever you need it! Common faucet problems can really put a wrench in those plans, causing problems from inconvenience to water waste. The professional plumbers of Estes Services explain solutions that will help you solve common faucet problems when they occur in your home.
1. Dripping Faucet
The echoing sound of a drip from a leaking faucet isn’t the only annoyance this leak causes – at just one drip each second, a single faucet leak could cause more than 3,000 gallons of water waste over the course of a year! Not only is this bad for the environment, but it’ll also force you to waste money as your utility costs will climb from water consumption you didn’t even benefit from.
Most often, a leaky faucet is the result of a damaged washer inside the fixture. Faucets often have silicone washers, and, unfortunately, this material degrades over time. For a handy homeowner, changing out a faucet washer in a single- or double-handle fixture is a straightforward DIY plumbing project.
If you have a leaky spout on a cartridge faucet, the fixture’s seats and springs are probably due for replacement. Leaks around the faucet handle are commonly due to degraded O-rings that need to be swapped out. While cartridge faucets can be trickier to reassemble, homeowners can usually DIY this job with success – just be sure to keep components in order as they are removed so you know which way they should be reinstalled.
2. No Water from the Faucet
If you turn on the tap and don’t see any water flowing out of the faucet, buildup inside the fixture is likely causing a blockage. Mineral deposits in faucets are common when a home uses hard water and has older bathroom and kitchen faucet fixtures, but even new fixtures have the potential to collect dirt and debris from flowing water.
Before you plunge into a plumbing DIY fix, first look for a simple yet often overlooked issue that could also lead you to see no water from an open faucet – a closed shutoff valve. The shutoff valve for the faucet is usually positioned on the wall underneath the sink. Make sure the valve is fully open and hasn’t been closed by accident.
To fix the lack of water coming from your faucet, you’ll need to take the fixture apart and clean all its valves and chambers. Again, be sure to reinstall all of the parts in the correct order so the faucet will work properly once you’re finished with the job. If you don’t want to take risks with your faucet fixtures, feel free to call your plumber to make this repair for you.
3. Low Water Pressure
If you only see a trickle or have a weak stream of water coming out of a faucet, buildup can also be to blame for this common faucet problem. Minerals and dirt that collect on the faucet’s sprayer diverter or aerator can restrict waterflow over time, causing pressure to drop lower and lower before the faucet becomes entirely blocked.
Removing the sprayer diverter and aerator and cleaning them can eliminate the buildup causing your low water pressure problems. You may soak the aerator in a vinegar solution before cleaning it to help loosen sediment buildup.
It is always possible that a low water pressure problem at a faucet is due to faults in other areas of the plumbing system. A broken pipe or a malfunctioning water pressure tank used in a well water system could be the reason behind your faucet troubles. If cleaning the above components doesn’t restore full water pressure, have your plumber check these areas and other potential problem spots in your home plumbing system.
4. Faucet Noise
If your faucet makes noise when you use it, a loose washer could be to blame. You may notice screaming, whistling, or chattering when you turn on the tap. Luckily, this can be corrected by tightening the washer or replacing it altogether in many cases.
These noises could also be coming from a pipe problem if a loose washer isn’t found. You’ll need to call your plumber to investigate the source of the noise and correct the problem.
Contact Estes Services for Faucet Help in Atlanta, GA
Estes Services makes common faucet problems and solutions a piece of cake! If you don’t feel up to performing plumbing repairs yourself or suspect a more serious issue is present, call our licensed Atlanta plumbers for repair today.
