CouponsThe Complete Guide to Faucet Repair & Replacement
A dripping faucet is one of those problems that’s easy to tune out — a soft, steady tap you stop hearing after a day or two. Then it shows up on your water bill, or you open the cabinet under the sink and find the shelf swollen and stained. Faucets are simple machines, but the small parts inside them wear out, and knowing which part is failing tells you almost everything about how to fix it.
This guide covers the four faucet types found in most homes, the parts inside them, the leaks and pressure problems that come up most, and how to decide between a quick repair and a full replacement. King’s licensed plumbers have handled Chicago and Northwest Indiana faucets since 1968. When you’d rather hand it off, our bathroom and kitchen plumbing teams offer 24/7 service and a free VIP inspection.
Gallons of water a year a faucet dripping about once per second can waste — usually from a worn part that’s inexpensive to replace.
Source: Industry estimates
The Four Faucet Types Every Homeowner Should Know
Nearly every faucet in a home falls into one of four categories. The type determines how it fails, how it’s repaired, and which parts you’ll need. For a closer comparison of the older and newer mechanisms, our post on modern vs. older faucets: ceramic disks and seals is a useful companion read.
Compression
The oldest design, common in older homes. Two handles that you tighten to shut off water, using a rubber washer pressed against a seat. Cheap and easy to repair, but the washers wear out and leak the most often.
Ball
A single handle over a rounded cap, common in kitchens. A slotted ball controls flow and temperature. More internal parts means more places to wear — leaks often trace to O-rings or springs.
Cartridge
One or two handles that move smoothly up and side to side. A movable cartridge regulates the water. Durable and easy to service, though the cartridge itself is usually brand-specific.
Ceramic Disc
A single lever over a wide cylindrical body. Two ceramic discs slide against each other to control flow. The most durable and lowest-maintenance type, though quality models cost more up front.
Internal parts are almost always brand-specific — a cartridge for one manufacturer won’t fit another, and a ball-valve kit won’t help a compression faucet. If you’re unsure, bring the old part to a plumbing supply counter, or have a plumber identify it, to avoid a wasted trip.
Anatomy of a Faucet: The Parts That Matter
Whatever the type, a faucet is a small team of parts working together. When one fails, the symptom usually points straight to it.
Handle
Translates your hand movement into mechanical action inside the faucet body. A loose or wobbly handle often just needs a tightened set screw.
Cartridge / Valve Stem
The heart of the faucet that starts and stops the water. A worn cartridge is a leading cause of drips and stiff handles.
O-rings & Washers
Small rubber seals that prevent leaks around the stem and connections. A leak at the base of the handle usually means a failed O-ring.
Valve Seat
The surface the washer presses against in compression faucets. Corrosion here causes drips that a new washer alone won’t fix.
Aerator
The screen at the spout tip that mixes air into the stream. Clogs here are the top cause of low pressure at a single faucet.
Supply Lines & Shut-Off Valves
Bring water to the faucet and let you turn it off for repairs. A drip at a fitting or a seeping shut-off valve can quietly damage the cabinet below.
Those shut-off valves under the sink deserve special attention — they’re your first line of defense in a leak, and a corroded one can fail right when you need it. Our guide to kitchen and bathroom valves explains how to spot a failing valve before it becomes an emergency.
Common Faucet Problems and What Causes Them
A dripping spout
The classic faucet complaint. In compression faucets, blame a worn washer or damaged valve seat; in newer faucets, a worn cartridge or O-ring. It’s almost always an inexpensive part — but left alone, that drip wastes water and gets worse. Our post on when to repair or replace a dripping faucet digs into the decision in detail.
A leak at the base of the handle
If water seeps out around the handle when the faucet is on, an O-ring or seal inside has usually failed. This is different from a spout drip and points to a different part.
Low water pressure at one faucet
When only one faucet runs weak, the aerator is the usual suspect. Mineral buildup — a fact of life with Chicago-area hard water — clogs the little screen and chokes the flow. Cleaning or replacing the aerator often fixes it in minutes. If pressure is low throughout the house, that’s a bigger issue worth a plumber’s diagnosis.
Spitting or sputtering
An irregular, sputtering stream usually means air in the line or, again, a partially clogged aerator. It can also signal internal damage worth inspecting.
An under-sink leak
A damp cabinet floor is a small problem that becomes a big one fast. Supply lines seep at fittings, braided hoses fail near their crimps, and shut-off valves drip at the stem. Because a slow leak can rot the cabinet and harbor mold, treat it as urgent. If you can’t find the source, our leak detection and repair team can pinpoint it.
To find an under-sink leak, dry everything, then wrap a dry paper towel around one connection at a time and wait. The first towel to show moisture points you to the source.
Faucet Repair vs. Replacement: How to Decide
Most faucet leaks are repairs, not replacements — a worn washer, O-ring, or cartridge is inexpensive and quick to swap. But there’s a point where a new faucet is the smarter money.
Repair usually makes sense when…
The faucet body is solid and only an internal part has failed — a washer, O-ring, or cartridge — and the fix costs far less than a new fixture. Most single drips fall here.
Replacement usually makes sense when…
The faucet is corroded or cracked, leaks from several points at once, uses parts that are no longer made, or has needed repeated repairs. It’s also the natural moment to upgrade the finish or switch to a durable ceramic-disc model.
Consider the water
Chicago-area hard water shortens faucet life by attacking seals and clogging aerators. If mineral damage keeps coming back, a new faucet — and possibly water filtration — solves the cause, not just the symptom.
When in doubt, ask first
King’s plumbers will give you a straight repair-or-replace recommendation rather than pushing the bigger job — starting with a free VIP inspection and up-front pricing.
Repair a sound faucet with one worn part; replace a faucet that’s fighting you on several fronts at once. Repeated repairs on the same fixture are usually a sign it’s reached the end of its service life.
Choosing a New Faucet
If you’re replacing rather than repairing, a few decisions shape the project.
Hole configuration
Sinks are drilled for single-hole, centerset, or widespread faucets. The new faucet has to match your sink’s layout — a common reason a “simple” swap gets complicated.
Handle style
Single-handle faucets control flow and temperature together and are easy to use; two-handle designs give separate hot and cold control and a more traditional look.
Finish & durability
Beyond looks, finishes vary in how they resist water spots and wear. Ceramic-disc internals offer the longest, lowest-maintenance service life.
Water efficiency
Low-flow aerators and WaterSense-labeled faucets cut water use without a noticeable drop in performance — easy savings on the utility bill.
Kitchen vs. bathroom considerations
Kitchen faucets work harder and often add features like pull-down sprayers and higher spouts for filling pots, so durability and reach matter most. King repairs and installs kitchen faucets of any type, along with sinks and garbage disposals. Bathroom faucets prioritize fit with the vanity and finish coordination; our bathroom faucet guide covers types and replacement in depth.
What a professional installation includes
- Confirm the new faucet matches your sink’s hole configuration and supply lines
- Shut off the water and remove the old faucet
- Set the new faucet with proper seals and mounting hardware
- Connect the supply lines and check the shut-off valves underneath
- Install and seat the aerator, then flush the lines
- Test hot and cold flow and check every connection for leaks
Why Chicago and Northwest Indiana Homeowners Choose King
King has been the name local homeowners trust for plumbing since 1968. Our faucet work is done by licensed plumbers, backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and quoted with up-front pricing — no surprises. Every visit starts with a free VIP plumbing inspection, and we offer 24/7 service across Chicago and Northwest Indiana, with financing available for larger projects.
Because we’re a full-service plumbing team, the plumber who fixes your faucet can also clear a slow drain, track down a hidden leak, or handle the rest of your fixture list in one visit. Check our current plumbing repair offers before you book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my faucet keep dripping even when it's turned off?
A faucet that drips from the spout after it's shut off almost always has a worn internal part. In compression faucets the culprit is usually a hardened rubber washer or a damaged valve seat; in cartridge, ball, and ceramic-disc faucets it's typically a worn cartridge, O-ring, or seal. Because these parts wear gradually, the drip tends to get worse over time. Replacing the failed part restores a watertight shut-off, and King can repair any leak from any faucet type.
How do I know what type of faucet I have?
Start with the handles. A faucet with two separate handles that you tighten firmly to stop the water is usually a compression faucet, the oldest design. A single handle that moves over a rounded cap is typically a ball faucet. A single or double handle that lifts and rotates smoothly is usually a cartridge faucet, and a single lever over a wide cylindrical body often houses two ceramic discs. Identifying the type matters because internal parts are frequently brand-specific and not interchangeable between designs.
Should I repair or replace a leaky faucet?
Repair usually makes sense when the faucet body is sound and only an internal part, such as a washer, O-ring, or cartridge, has worn out. Replacement becomes the better choice when the faucet is corroded, cracked, or very old, when parts are no longer available, when it leaks from multiple points, or when you want to upgrade the finish or style. A faucet that needs repeated repairs is often signaling that it's reached the end of its service life. King can inspect the faucet and give you an honest repair-or-replace recommendation.
Why is the water pressure low at just one faucet?
When low pressure affects only one faucet, the cause is usually a clogged aerator, the small screen at the tip of the spout that mixes air into the stream. Mineral deposits and debris build up on that screen over time and restrict the flow. Unscrewing the aerator, soaking it in white vinegar, and reinstalling it restores flow in most cases. If cleaning the aerator doesn't help, the issue may be a clogged cartridge or a supply-line problem worth having a plumber check.
How long do faucets typically last?
A quality faucet can last many years, but its lifespan depends heavily on the internal mechanism and your water. Ceramic-disc faucets are the most durable and low-maintenance, while compression faucets with rubber washers wear faster and need more frequent repairs. Hard water, which is common across the Chicago area, shortens faucet life by depositing minerals that damage seals and clog aerators. When a faucet needs increasingly frequent repairs, replacement is usually the more economical long-term choice.
Can King install a faucet I bought myself?
Yes. King's plumbers install new faucets and fixtures whether you're upgrading a single faucet or replacing several during a remodel. It's a good idea to confirm that the new faucet matches your sink's hole configuration and your existing supply connections before installation. A professional install ensures the connections are leak-free and the shut-off valves underneath are working, which protects against hidden leaks down the road. Call King to schedule your faucet installation and free VIP inspection.
Is a dripping faucet really worth fixing?
Yes. A steady drip wastes a surprising amount of water over a month, which adds up on your utility bill, and the constant moisture can stain the sink, corrode fixtures, and damage the cabinet below. A drip also tends to worsen as the failing part deteriorates further. Because most drips are caused by an inexpensive worn part, fixing one early is usually a small job that prevents a larger, more costly problem later.
How much does faucet repair or replacement cost in Chicago?
There's no single flat price because it depends on the faucet type, the parts needed, and whether you're repairing or replacing the fixture. Rather than estimate blind, King provides up-front, easy-to-understand pricing after a free VIP plumbing inspection, so you know the cost before any work begins. Financing is available for larger projects. Call King to schedule your free inspection and get an accurate estimate for your home.
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