How to Fix a Leaking Faucet

How to Fix a Leaking Faucet

A dripping faucet isn't just annoying — a faucet dripping once per second wastes over 3,000 gallons of water per year. The good news: most faucet leaks are caused by worn internal parts that you can replace yourself in under an hour.

First: Identify Your Faucet Type

The fix depends on what kind of faucet you have:

• Two-handle faucet (separate hot and cold handles) — most common in older homes, uses stems and seats
• Single-handle faucet — uses a cartridge or ball mechanism
• Ball faucet — single handle that rotates in a ball socket
• Ceramic disc faucet — single lever over a wide cylindrical body

Where Is It Leaking From?

• Dripping from the spout — worn internal parts (cartridge, seats, springs, or O-rings)
• Leaking around the base — worn O-rings on the faucet body
• Leaking under the sink — loose supply line connections

What You Need

• Faucet stem repair kit — includes cartridge, seats, springs, and stop — covers most two-handle faucet repairs
• PTFE thread seal tape — for resealing threaded connections
• Rubber strap wrench — for removing faucet parts without scratching
• Flathead and Phillips screwdrivers
• Adjustable wrench
• Replacement O-rings (match your faucet model)

Step-by-Step: Fix a Two-Handle Faucet Leak

Step 1: Turn off the water supply.
Turn off the shut-off valves under the sink (clockwise to close). Turn on the faucet to release pressure and drain remaining water.

Step 2: Remove the handle.
Pry off the decorative cap on top of the handle, unscrew the screw underneath, and pull the handle off.

Step 3: Remove the stem assembly.
Use a wrench to unscrew the packing nut, then pull out the stem. Inspect it for wear.

Step 4: Replace worn parts.
Using your faucet stem repair kit, replace the cartridge, seat washer, and springs. These are the most common failure points.

Step 5: Wrap threads with PTFE tape.
Wrap thread seal tape clockwise around any threaded connections before reassembling.

Step 6: Reassemble and test.
Put everything back in reverse order. Turn the water supply back on slowly and check for leaks.

Fix a Single-Handle Faucet Leak

Single-handle faucets use a cartridge. The process is similar:

1. Turn off water supply valves
2. Remove the handle (usually one screw under a decorative cap)
3. Pull out the cartridge — note its orientation before removing
4. Take the old cartridge to a hardware store to match the replacement, or use a universal repair kit
5. Install the new cartridge in the same orientation
6. Reassemble and test

Fix a Leak at the Faucet Base

If water pools around the base of the faucet:

1. Turn off water supply
2. Remove the faucet from the sink
3. Replace the O-rings on the faucet body (bring the old ones to match size)
4. Reinstall with fresh thread seal tape on threaded connections

When to Call a Plumber

• The faucet body itself is cracked
• You can't identify the faucet brand or find replacement parts
• The leak is coming from inside the wall

Bottom Line

Most faucet leaks are caused by worn cartridges, seats, springs, or O-rings — all inexpensive parts you can replace yourself. Turn off the water, disassemble the handle, swap the worn parts, and reassemble. Most repairs take 30–60 minutes and cost under $20.