Lexington, SC · Faucets, sinks and valves
Dripping tap, loose handle or a leak under the vanity? Faucet and sink repair in Lexington, SC
A dripping faucet wastes water all day and a leak under a sink damages the cabinet quietly. Most faucet problems come down to a worn part inside the fixture, a loose connection under it or a supply line that has aged.
Call us and tell us which fixture and what it does. One of our plumbers can say whether it needs a new cartridge, a new supply line or a new faucet.
Dripping and loose faucets: repair or replace
A drip from the spout usually means a worn cartridge, washer or seat inside the faucet. Water around the base of the handle points to a worn seal. A faucet that is loose on the sink has a mounting nut that needs tightening, or a sink that has shifted.
- Repair when a part is available and the faucet is in good shape.
- Replace when the finish is worn, parts are no longer made or repairs recur.
- Replace when the faucet is old and the cost of parts nears the cost of a new one.
- Ask the plumber which parts they use and if they carry a warranty.
A faucet leak that you can see is often the simpler kind to fix. A leak that runs inside the sink base or behind the wall is the one that does damage, so a drip from the spout should not be ignored for long. Faucets with one lever, two handles or a pull-down sprayer each use different parts, and a plumber needs the brand and model, or a photo, to bring the right cartridge.
Shut off the water at the stop valve under the sink before any work. If the valve will not turn or will not seal, say so, because a failed stop valve is a repair of its own.
Leaks under the sink
A wet cabinet floor under the sink has several possible sources. The supply lines to the faucet, the stop valves, the drain trap and the sink seal all leak in different ways. Dry everything with a towel, then run the water and watch for the first drip.
| Where it drips | Likely cause | Usual fix |
|---|---|---|
| From a supply line | A worn braided line or loose nut | Replace the line. |
| From a stop valve | A worn packing or seat | Tighten or replace the valve. |
| From the trap | A loose slip nut or worn washer | Reseat or replace the trap parts. |
| From the rim of the sink | A failed seal | Reseal the sink. |
A slow leak that has run for a while often leaves a swollen or stained cabinet floor. Tell the plumber what you see so the repair covers the cause and not only the drip. A drain that backs up rather than leaks belongs on our sink drain clearing page.
Shower valves and bathtub leaks
A shower that drips after it is off, or that will not hold a steady temperature, usually has a worn cartridge in the valve. A tub spout that leaks from the wall or a stain on the ceiling below points to a leak behind the wall.
Valve work often means opening the wall or reaching it from behind. Ask the plumber whether there is an access panel, and what the patching will involve. For larger changes to the room, see our bathroom plumbing work page.
A shower valve leak is easy to confuse with a leak from the tile, the grout or the door. Run the shower with the water pointed away from the wall, then with the tub spout only, and see which one produces the stain. Tell the plumber what you saw, since a bathtub leak at the overflow differs from a shower valve leak behind the wall.
- Note whether the drip stops when the shower is off.
- Mark the edge of any ceiling stain below with a pencil and the date.
- Keep the shower off until the source is known.
Outdoor faucets and hose bibs
An outdoor faucet that drips, or one that leaks inside the wall when the hose is on, needs attention. The most damaging case is a hose bib that froze and split. It may look fine until the water is turned on, and then it leaks inside the wall.
The National Weather Service puts the average last spring freeze for Columbia at March 16. Disconnect hoses before a freeze, and check outdoor faucets for leaks when spring arrives. A freeze-proof hose bib has a longer stem that puts the shutoff inside the heated wall.
- Disconnect and drain hoses before a freeze.
- Check for water inside the house wall after the first warm days.
- Ask about a freeze-proof replacement if the old bib has split.
- Watch the meter for a leak you cannot see.
Installing a new sink or faucet
A new faucet is a swap for a plumber when the mounting holes, the supply lines and the stop valves all cooperate. A new sink is bigger: the cutout, the mounting and the drain all have to fit.
If a disposal is part of the sink, see disposal repair and installation. When you pick fixtures, check the number of holes in the sink and the finish of the faucet before you buy, because a mismatch costs a second trip.
Sink installation often reveals older parts hidden under the old fixture. Stop valves that no longer turn, supply lines that are crusted and a trap that has rotted are common, and replacing them while the sink is open costs less than a second visit. Ask the plumber to check them before closing the cabinet and to tell you what they found.
For what moves a quote, fixture cost factors lists the items, and faucet questions answered covers what happens on the call.
Permits and the plumber you hire
Lexington County exempts ordinary repairs from permits and requires them for installing or replacing plumbing systems. A faucet swap is a repair in most readings, but ask. Check the license holder on the state license lookup before the work begins.
Ask for a written description of the work that names the fixtures, the parts and any warranty. For a sink or a vanity swap, ask if the electrical outlet or the cabinet will be touched, since that is a different trade. A short written scope prevents most disagreements about what was included.
Faucet or sink leaking?
Call us and tell us which fixture and where the water shows up. One of our plumbers can tell you the likely fix.
Call (833) 571-0120