Don’t Ignore a Leaky Faucet

It may be tempting to ignore a leaky faucet in your Corvallis home, but when you get your water bill you may be in for a big surprise. This is when that small drip that was only slightly annoying becomes a nightmare. So how do you fix a faucet exactly? When fixing a small leak your plumber will have to assess several things.

What Type Of Faucet Do You Have?

The first thing a professional plumber will have to determine what type of faucet you have because different faucets have different parts. Different faucets also require different repair methods, so let’s take a look at the different types of faucets:

• Compression Faucets: These faucets are built with a stem open and closes the waterway as it rises and falls.
• Cartridge Faucets: These faucets have a cylidrical catridge which houses rubber o-rings that are used to control water flow.
• Ball-Type Faucets: These faucets are very reliable because they only rely on one moving part, a rotating metal or plastic ball. The ball is used to regulate water flow, and because of the simplicity of its design these faucets are very durable.
• Ceramic Disk Faucets: These faucets open and close the flow of water with two ceramic discs, hence the name. Much like ball-faucets, a ceramic disk faucet tends to be very low maintenance.

Identifying the Problem

Now that the faucet type has been identified a plumber has to identify the specific issue. Usually a leaky faucet is just a matter of a worn seal that needs to be replaced, and the specific seal will depend on the faucet type.

There are occasions where the leak is caused by something other than a seal. Some faucets can become old, worn out, and start to develop cracks.

In cases such as these the entire faucet, or at least the part that is cracking will need to be replaced. This obviously is a slightly more complicate job than simply replacing a seal, but the team at Vanguard Plumbing will be happy to help you out. Our techs can even asses your current plumbing system and recommend a better, more efficient faucet. If you have to replace your faucet either way, it may be beneficial in the long run to upgrade instead of a simple direct replacement. Your Corvallis plumbers at Vanguard can help you make the best decision possible.

Read additional information on: Vanguard Plumbing’s Blog