It’s just a leaky faucet, right? It may be a nuisance, but it can’t cost that much, can it? Well, you’d be surprised.
According the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a single leaking faucet can cause a homeowner to waste as much as 10,000 gallons of water a year, enough to fill a swimming pool. Fixing the leaky faucet can reduce your water bill by 10% or more.
The Common Causes of Leaking Faucets
Most leaks result from relatively minor problems and are easily remedied. Here are the most frequent causes of leaks:
- The washers in the fixture may be defective or worn out—The washer gets a lot of wear and tear. Every time you use the faucet, the washer rubs against the valve seat. Over time, the washer will lose its integrity and no longer form a seal to keep water from dripping. In addition, in more complicated fixtures, a washer can be improperly installed, causing a leak.
- The valve seat may need to be replaced—The valve seat connects the faucet with the spout compression device and can easily get corroded by mineral deposits in your water.
- The O-ring may be bad—The O-ring is a small piece of the faucet located in the handle of the faucet. If you’ve replaced the washer and the valve seat and the faucet is still leaking, try replacing the O-ring.
- The faucet seals may be worn out—Sediment can build up around the seals and compromise their integrity.
- The problem may be in the pipes—If you’ve replaced all the little parts, you may need to look at the pipes. You may not have the intake lines screwed on tight enough or there could be a split or crack in a pipe or water line. If you can’t visibly determine the source of the leak, it’s probably time to call a plumber.
Contact Public Service Plumbers
To learn how we can help you, call (214) 753-4633 or contact us by e-mail and we’ll schedule an appointment.
At Public Service Plumbers, we answer our phones 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We can send our service personnel to your home or business anytime, day or night. All of our plumbers are factory-trained and factory-certified.
Public Service Plumbers
5610 Dyer Street
Dallas, Texas 75206
(214) 753-4633
We offer plumbing installation and repair services to individuals and businesses throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including Highland Park, University Park, Preston Hollow, Lakewood, Lake Highlands, Richardson, Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Coppell, Garland, Mesquite, Addison, Kessler Park, Farmers Branch, Grapevine, Southlake, Flower Mound and Lewisville.
