Faucet and sink repair in Watsonville, CA
Faucet and Sink Repair in Watsonville: Shower Valves, Tubs and Hose Bibs Too
A faucet that drips all night, a cabinet floor that stays wet, or a tub spout that runs after the handle is off. Each one has a specific cause, and finding it is the first step.
Where is the water actually showing up?
A leaking fixture can hide its source. Water that appears under the sink may be running down from the faucet above, and a wet cabinet floor may come from the trap, a supply line or the sink itself. Dry everything with a towel, then run the water and watch each joint in turn.
Look at four places: the base of the handle, the base of the spout, the connections under the sink and the drain trap. Water at the handle or spout means the faucet itself. Water at the supply lines or shutoff valves means the connections. Water at the trap means the drain side.
Once you know which, close the small valve on the supply line under the sink if the leak is on the supply side. That stops the water without shutting off the house.
What this check cannot tell you: whether the part that is leaking is worn or the whole fixture is at the end of its life. A plumber decides that by looking at the faucet and the valves behind it.
A dripping spout: cartridge, washer or a new faucet?
A drip from the spout when the faucet is off means a worn internal part. Single-handle faucets usually use a cartridge. Older two-handle faucets use a washer and seat. Both are repairable, if the faucet is a model the plumber can get parts for.
Repair makes sense for a faucet in good shape with one worn part. Replacement makes more sense when the faucet is pitted or corroded, the finish is failing, or parts for it are hard to find. A plumber who tells you which applies to your faucet is giving you a real answer.
Say the brand if it is stamped on the faucet. If you do not know it, a photo of the faucet and the shutoff valves beneath it helps.
Under the sink: supply line, shutoff valve or trap
Most under-sink leaks come from a short list of parts, and each one has a clear fix.
- A braided supply line that drips at the nut or sweats along its length: replace the line.
- A shutoff valve that weeps at the stem or will not close: replace the valve.
- A slip nut on the trap that has loosened: tighten it or replace the washer.
- A cracked trap or tailpiece: replace the section.
- A leak at the sink itself, around the drain flange or the faucet base: reseal or replace the part.
A shutoff valve that will not close is worth fixing before it fails at a bad time. It is the valve you will want working when something else leaks.
Not sure which part is leaking? Tell us where the water appears and we will tell you what to bring and what to expect.
Call (833) 840-2034Shower valves and bathtub leaks
Fixture leaks in a bath are harder to read, because the working parts are inside the wall. A shower head that drips between uses, a tub spout that runs after the handle is off, or a handle that is stiff or loose usually points to the shower valve cartridge.
The more serious signs are outside the fixture: a stain on the ceiling below, a soft spot on the wall near the tub, or tile that has started to lift. Those suggest water is escaping behind the wall. Stop using that shower and call, because the damage grows each time it runs.
Ask the plumber how they will reach the valve. Some are accessible from the front, others from behind through an access panel, and some require opening a wall. Ask what the repair to that wall involves before the work starts.
Outdoor faucets and hose bibs
A hose bib that drips at the handle needs new packing or a new stem. A bib that sprays at the vacuum breaker cap, the small fitting at the top, needs a new breaker. A bib that is leaking inside the wall, where you cannot see it, shows up as a damp wall or a stain below.
If a hose bib will not shut off or is leaking into the wall, find the small shutoff valve inside the house, often in a garage or crawlspace, and close it. A hose left attached while the bib drips can hide the leak, so remove it when you check.
Weak flow at one faucet
If one faucet runs weak and the rest of the house is fine, the cause is usually local. The small screen at the tip of the spout, called the aerator, collects mineral grit and clogs. Unscrew it, rinse it and put it back. If the flow does not return, the faucet cartridge or the supply line may be restricted.
Check whether hot and cold are both weak or only one. Weak hot water at one faucet suggests that faucet. Weak hot water at every faucet points at the water heater or the main hot line, and weak pressure everywhere points at the supply to the house. The City Water Division at (831) 768-3133 can say whether anything on the street side is affecting pressure.
Installing a new faucet or sink
Buying a fixture before checking the sink can lead to a return trip. Count the holes in the sink or counter, because a faucet with a different spread will not fit. Check the supply lines and shutoff valves too, since old valves are a poor foundation for new work.
A sink replacement is a bigger job than a faucet swap. It involves the countertop cutout, the drain, the supply connections and, in a kitchen, any disposal or dishwasher that ties in. Ask the plumber to confirm those connections before they start.
If a disposal is part of the sink you are replacing, the page about disposal repair under the same sink covers what that unit needs.
When a fixture is hiding a bigger problem
A faucet is sometimes the symptom, not the cause. Low pressure at every fixture, rusty water or leaks that keep appearing in different places suggest the pipes, not the fixtures. A water bill that keeps rising while the faucets look dry suggests a concealed leak, covered on the page about tracing a concealed leak.
This page covers fixture-level work only. Whole-house pipe replacement and leaks under a slab have their own pages, and a good plumber will tell you if what they see belongs on one of them.
Faucet or sink leaking right now?
Call and tell us where the water shows up. We will tell you what the visit should involve.