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A dripping faucet might seem minor, but a faucet that drips once per second wastes over 3,000 gallons per year. Our plumber Zach replaced a toilet and faucet hardware in a Lyman home recently where the homeowner mentioned she’d been “meaning to fix that drip for about a year.” When Zach calculated the water waste — roughly 3,000 gallons — the homeowner was stunned. At Spartanburg Water’s current rates, that drip cost her roughly $25-30 over the year, plus the slow mineral staining on the sink basin that now needed replacing too.
Here’s what’s actually causing that drip — and the repair approach depends on what type of faucet you have.
Compression Faucets (Two Handles – Hot and Cold)
These are the oldest and simplest design, still found in many Upstate SC homes built before the 1990s. Each handle compresses a rubber washer against a valve seat to stop water flow.
Most common cause of dripping: A worn-out washer. The rubber hardens and cracks over time, losing its ability to create a watertight seal. Replacing the washer is straightforward – but you also need to inspect the valve seat. If the seat is corroded or pitted, a new washer won’t seal properly against it. The seat needs to be resurfaced or replaced.
Cartridge Faucets (Single or Double Handle)
Most modern faucets use a cartridge – a self-contained unit that controls both flow and temperature. Moen, Delta, and Kohler all use cartridge designs, though the cartridges are brand-specific and not interchangeable.
Most common cause of dripping: A worn or cracked cartridge. The O-rings and seals inside the cartridge degrade over time. Replacement cartridges are available at hardware stores, but you need to match the exact model to your faucet. We carry the most common cartridges on the truck.
Pro tip: If your single-handle faucet drips from the spout, it’s the cartridge. If it drips from the base of the handle, it’s usually an O-ring.
Ball Faucets (Single Handle with a Ball Mechanism)
Common in Delta and some Peerless kitchen faucets. The handle sits on a rotating ball with spring-loaded seals and inlet ports.
Most common cause of dripping: Worn springs and seats inside the valve body, or a corroded ball. These faucets have more internal parts than cartridge faucets, which means more potential failure points. A ball faucet repair kit replaces all the wear components at once – springs, seats, cam, and packing.
Ceramic Disc Faucets
The most durable design. Two ceramic discs slide against each other to control flow. These faucets rarely drip, but when they do, it’s usually because sediment has gotten between the discs or the seals around the disc cartridge have failed.
Repair approach: Remove and clean the disc assembly. If the ceramic discs are cracked (rare but possible), the entire cartridge needs replacement.
When to Repair vs. Replace the Faucet
Repair makes sense when:
- The faucet is less than 10 years old
- Replacement parts are readily available
- The faucet body (housing) is in good condition
- The drip started recently
Replacement makes more sense when:
- The faucet is old enough that parts are discontinued
- You’ve repaired it multiple times already
- There’s visible corrosion on the body
- The faucet handles are stiff, loose, or difficult to operate
- You’re already updating the kitchen or bathroom
A quality faucet (Moen, Delta, Kohler) costs $150-$400 for the fixture and typically $100-$200 for installation. Given that a faucet you use daily for 15+ years, investing in a good one is worthwhile.
Don’t Ignore It
Beyond wasted water, a chronic drip can stain sinks, damage countertop surfaces, and – if the drip is at the base or under the sink – lead to mold growth in the cabinet. We’ve seen small drips turn into significant water damage because they were ignored for months.
YOUTUBE EMBED: One Drain – Waldrop Plumbing Air Electric TV Commercial — @YallCallWally
Call Waldrop Plumbing Air Electric at (864) 536-0887 to schedule a faucet repair or replacement.
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