Faucet Repair in Durham, NC

Common faucet problems

• Spout keeps dripping when closed: on a two-handle faucet, a worn washer or seat; on a single-handle faucet, the cartridge or its seals.
• Water around the handle or base: worn O-rings or packing.
• Puddle inside the cabinet: a supply hose, shutoff valve or drain joint.
• Weak or sputtering flow: debris in the aerator or cartridge.
• Handle is stiff or won't close fully: a worn cartridge or stem.

Turn off the supply before anything else

The small valves under the sink turn clockwise to close. Many go untouched for years, and they may not seal completely or may start leaking once they are moved. If that happens, shut the main and tell the plumber, since the stops may need replacing at the same visit.

Durham water and your fixtures

Durham disinfects with chloramines and adds orthophosphate for corrosion control. Its 2024 water quality report does not list a hardness figure, so if you see crusty buildup on aerators, a home test is the way to learn what you are dealing with. A sudden drop in flow is often grit caught in the aerator; unscrew it and rinse it before assuming the faucet has failed.

Older homes and lead

The same report says homes built before 1988 may have a lead service line, and the City offers free lead testing. Lead and copper sampling in 2022 found no sites above the action levels. In an older house, replacing a decades-old faucet instead of rebuilding it is a reasonable choice, since current fixtures are made to tighter lead limits.

Why not let it drip

A slow drip wastes water every hour it runs and keeps wearing the seat or cartridge, so a small parts repair can turn into a full replacement if it is put off.

Rebuild or replace

A quality faucet with a drip is normally a parts job. Replacement makes more sense when the finish is pitted, parts are no longer made for an older or off-brand model, the body is cracked, or you simply want a different style.

What goes into the price

The faucet brand and design, how easy parts are to find, the condition of the shutoff valves and supply lines, and whether you are supplying a new faucet all affect cost.