Faucet Installation & Repair

A common issue we see a lot is leaky faucets. You can see faucets leaking either from the handles, near the base of the sink, underneath the cabinet, or at the spout. In these instances, mineral deposits, corrosion and worn O-rings may be to blame due to high water pressure and/or hard water. Your water supply should be at an operating pressure of no more than 65 pounds, preferably 50 psi and water hardness should be at 0 – 3 GPG (grains per gallon) on a hard water test strip. In any case, you can go in and shut off the water supply located underneath the sink when you are experiencing a leak. Once the water is shut off you can inspect the faucet handles by loosening the handles so that you can examine the inner parts and valve stem to make sure it is free of debris. Upon removal, you should be able to take apart the inner cartridge where the seals should be. If the seals are worn, you can try replacing them yourself, but if after installing replacements and something still isn’t working correctly, you should call your trusted Reliant plumber to schedule an appointment today.

Watch this video to learn how to check your own water pressure:

The video below will help you check the hardness of your water. Hard water test kit required! This can be purchased online or at a hardware store.

If your faucet is dripping profusely from the spout, this may go back to either loose faucet handles that need to be tightened, or the need for a seal replacement. Checking your faucet leak by turning off the water supply and examining the inner components for corrosion, buildup, and potential seal replacement is often the best course of action. If you try removing the buildup and replacing the seals on your own and still experience a drip, it’s a good time to reach out to a professional to see if there is another underlying problem. Most issues with leaky faucets are due to hard water and/or high water pressure which can be remedied with installing a new pressure reducing valve (PRV) and/or a quality water softening system.

For a faucet that is loose, there’s an amazingly simple solution! You’ll want to shut off the water supply underneath the sink so that there’s no chance of flooding. Clear a space within the cabinet so that you can get in to tighten it. Grab a flashlight and a companion to hold the sink while you find the nut that holds the fixture in place. Using a wrench, you can tighten it enough so that it is held up above and no longer loose.

Depending on the number of faucet handles that are loose, you may need to replace one or both. You’ll need a few tools to remove the old handle(s) from the valve system. You’ll want to decide if you want to go with the same style or upgrade to something new. If you are thinking about a faucet upgrade, give us a call and we can send a reliable plumber to help you decide on some styles that would work with your home’s aesthetic and current plumbing system. It is NOT recommended to purchase a faucet or handles from big commercial retail home improvement stores. We advocate purchasing your new faucet and/or faucet handles from a plumbing suuply store like Moore Supply Co or Ferguson Plumbing Supply. In this case you truly get what you pay for as the construction is much more durable and better made. For instance, if you buy a faucet from both types of stores with the same model number and compare them, the plumbing supply house part can weigh up to 18 ounces or more in some cases, that’s a lot of weight in such a small part. Top brands we recommend are Moen and Delta due to readily available replacement parts and warranties.

If you’re having a hard time getting your faucet to turn off, the cause is likely either from hard water problems or an issue with the faucet cartridge. Similar to a faucet handle replacement, you can loosen and remove stuck handle(s) and valve stem to check for deposits and remove these with a cleaning brush and vinegar. If there is still some roughness, plumber’s grease can also be applied to give the area some slip. If there is still too much grit and you’re unable to get your faucet to fully shut off, you may need to give us a call so we can help with more extensive buildup removal.