Did you know? According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, a leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second means you’re wasting around 3,000 gallons of water per year. To understand that visually, that’s around 180 showers worth of water. There are many different reasons that your kitchen or bathroom faucet may be dripping. At Norman Heating, AC & Plumbing, we can tell you why your faucet has a drip.
What Are The Main Causes Of Faucet Drips?
The first thing to check if you’ve noticed a faucet drip is your water meter to see if it’s higher than average. If you aren’t sure of the average usage, measure the current level your meter is at, and wait an hour or more of not using any water to see if the meter level has changed.
There are many possible causes for your faucet to drip, but depending on the issue, you may need to call a professional plumbing company to take a look. However, there are a few different places you should look first to determine the root of the issue.
Cartridge Impaired
If you have a faucet that has two handles for both hot and cold water, it’s likely that it’s a cartridge-style faucet. As it is used, the handles can loosen up over time, ultimately changing the water flow. You may need to get a new cartridge of the same size in order to prevent leaky faucets.
Defective O-Rings
The o-ring is part of the cartridge that is placed where the water comes out of your faucet. The o-rings can become worn out and loose over time, causing the faucet to leak. You may need to get a new o-ring to prevent this from happening again.
Water Pressure
If you’ve noticed that the faucet is dripping for only a few hours a day, your water pressure is most likely the issue. This means that you will probably need to replace the worn-out pipes and various other parts that are causing this issue.
Unsecured Parts
It may also be that your pipes are unsecured due to loose screws after long usage. You may need to screw the pipes tight again or get a new screw to tighten it up. If you find that there are holes in your pipes, you will need to contact a professional immediately.
Why is it So Important to Fix?
It is important to get the faucet fixed as soon as you can. If you decide to push the issue away, it can waste a lot of water and result in very high water bills. Worst case scenario, your pipes burst and flood your home, giving you a lot messier and more expensive of a project.
Contact The Pros
If you find that you are still dealing with a leaking faucet, despite securing and replacing new parts, you should contact a professional. Fortunately, at Norman Heating, AC and Plumbing, we offer services such as drain cleaning, plumbing repair and more! If you can’t figure out your leaky faucet on your own, contact us for a professional faucet repair.
