A dripping faucet is more than a minor annoyance—it wastes water, raises bills, and can signal bigger plumbing issues if left unchecked. The good news is that most drips come from a handful of fixable causes.
Below, A1 Best Plumbing explains why faucets drip, how to spot the root cause, and what our Long Beach Plumbers recommend so you can stop the drip for good.
Quick Answer: The Most Common Reasons Faucets Drip
- Worn rubber parts (washers, O-rings, seals) that no longer seat tightly
- Damaged cartridges or ceramic discs inside single-handle or mixer faucets
- Mineral scale and debris preventing the valve from closing completely
- High or fluctuating water pressure pushing water past closed valves
- Corroded valve seats and aging components from long-term wear
- Improper installation or overtightening that scores or cracks internal parts
When in doubt, our Long Beach Plumbers recommend diagnosing with a few simple checks before reaching for tools or replacement parts.
How Different Faucet Types Fail
Knowing your faucet type makes troubleshooting faster. Here’s what typically goes wrong:
- Compression faucets (two handles, older style): These rely on a rubber washer that presses onto a valve seat. Worn washers or pitted valve seats cause persistent drips. Our Long Beach Plumbers recommend replacing washers and inspecting the seat; a cheap seat wrench can resurface minor pitting.
- Cartridge faucets (single or two-handle, smooth operation): The cartridge’s internal seals degrade over time or get blocked by debris. If the drip changes with handle position, the cartridge is likely the culprit. Our Long Beach Plumbers recommend using OEM cartridges—off-brand parts often fit poorly and leak sooner.
- Ball faucets (older single-handle kitchen models): Multiple springs and rubber seats can wear out. A rebuild kit with seats, springs, and cam seals typically solves the drip.
- Ceramic disc faucets (modern premium models): Extremely durable, but mineral grit can scratch or chip discs, and edge gaskets can flatten. If movement feels gritty or stiff, our Long Beach Plumbers recommend cleaning the valve body and replacing the seal kit rather than forcing the handle.
Long Beach Factors That Make Drips More Likely
Local conditions matter. In coastal communities, our Long Beach Plumbers recommend watching for:
- Mineral hardness and chloramines: Long Beach water treatment can degrade older rubber parts and contribute to scale that holds valves open by a hairline. Upgrading to chloramine-resistant seals extends service life.
- Salt air and humidity: Coastal air encourages corrosion on metal valve seats and exterior hose bibbs. Interior faucet leaks may trace back to pitted seats or stems.
- Older building stock: Original galvanized lines and outdated shutoff valves shed rust and debris, which can lodge in faucet cartridges.
- Pressure swings: Multi-story buildings and neighborhoods near main replacements sometimes experience pressure spikes. Anything above 80 PSI is a leak risk. Our Long Beach Plumbers recommend testing pressure annually and installing or calibrating a pressure-reducing valve (PRV) when needed.
The Hidden Causes You Might Overlook
- High water pressure (or thermal expansion): Excess pressure can push water past closed faucet seals, especially on the hot side when a water heater expands. If drips worsen at night, pressure may be creeping up when demand is low.
- Clogged aerator: Sediment trapped at the spout can cause odd flow and residual dripping. Our Long Beach Plumbers recommend cleaning aerators first—often the simplest fix.
- Loose packing or handle stems: Water seeping from the handle area, not the spout, points to O-ring or packing issues.
- Improper installation/overtightening: Cranking down compression faucets can scar the seat; over-tightening ceramic cartridges can crack housings.
- Valve seat corrosion: Even with a new washer, a pitted seat won’t seal. Reseat or replace.
DIY Diagnosis: What Our Long Beach Plumbers Recommend
Try this quick, step-by-step process before you buy parts:
- Identify the faucet type. Single-handle (cartridge, ball, or disc) or two-handle (compression or cartridge)?
- Determine hot vs. cold. Turn off the hot angle stop under the sink. If the drip stops, the hot side is at fault; if not, try the cold. This isolates the problem without guesswork.
- Check the aerator. Unscrew it, rinse debris, soak in vinegar for 30 minutes, and reinstall.
- Inspect handles and stems. If water beads around the handle, the O-ring or packing needs attention.
- Listen and look for pressure issues. Banging pipes, bursts of forceful flow, or nighttime dripping point to high pressure. Our Long Beach Plumbers recommend a simple hose-bib gauge to check PSI; 50–70 PSI is ideal.
- Disassemble carefully. Shut off water at the stops, plug the drain, and take photos as you go. Remove the cartridge or stem and examine washers, springs, and seats for wear or grooves.
- Clean the valve body. Flush out grit, wipe seating surfaces, and apply a light coat of plumber’s grease to O-rings (not to ceramic faces).
If the faucet still drips after new internals, you may have seat damage, a flawed body, or an upstream pressure problem.
Fixes That Last (Not Just for a Week)
- Use OEM components. Our Long Beach Plumbers recommend manufacturer parts for correct sizing and durability, especially on ceramic disc and specialty designer faucets.
- Replace washers and O-rings in sets. Mixing old and new parts can cause uneven wear and renewed drips.
- Reseat or replace the valve seat. A $10 tool can rescue older compression faucets; if severely pitted, replace the seat.
- Stabilize pressure. Install or adjust a PRV and add a thermal expansion tank if you have a closed water system and a tank-style heater.
- Filter and condition. A simple sediment filter or softening solution reduces scale that damages cartridges.
- Service the water heater. Annual flushes remove grit that ends up in faucet valves—our Long Beach Plumbers recommend this for homes on mineral-rich water.
Prevention: What Our Long Beach Plumbers Recommend Year-Round
- Clean aerators quarterly and replace if corroded.
- Exercise shutoff valves so they work smoothly during repairs.
- Replace supply lines every 5–7 years with braided stainless, especially in coastal air.
- Keep PSI below 70 and install water hammer arrestors if you hear banging.
- Choose quality from the start. A well-made faucet with readily available parts is easier and cheaper to maintain over its lifespan.
When to Call A1 Best Plumbing
Contact the pros if you notice any of these:
- Dripping continues after replacing washers/cartridges
- PSI above 80 or frequent pressure fluctuations
- Corroded or stuck shutoff valves under the sink
- Repeated clogs from debris or discolored water
- Drips tied to the hot side that coincide with water heater use
Our licensed team will test pressure, inspect the faucet internals, check seats and stops, and ensure your system is protected against future leaks. For stubborn issues, our Long Beach Plumbers recommend a holistic assessment—faucets often reveal larger system problems you’ll want to fix once, not repeatedly.
Conclusion
Most dripping faucets come down to worn seals, damaged cartridges, mineral buildup, or high pressure. Start with simple steps—clean the aerator, isolate hot vs. cold, and replace the obvious wear parts. If the drip persists or you spot signs of pressure or corrosion, call A1 Best Plumbing.
Our Long Beach Plumbers recommend addressing the cause, not just the symptom, so your faucet stays quiet, efficient, and drip-free.Need fast help in Long Beach? A1 Best Plumbing is ready to diagnose and repair your dripping faucet today—saving water, money, and peace of mind.