When a faucet problem cannot wait
A steady drip can be scheduled. These cannot.
- A supply line or valve is spraying.. Closing the stop valve usually ends it. If the valve itself is leaking or will not turn, the main shutoff is the next move.
- A tub or shower valve will not shut off.. Hot water running through a wall is scalding risk and a ceiling problem for whoever lives below.
- Water is running behind or under a vanity.. Even a slow stream rots the cabinet floor and can reach the room underneath.
- A hose bib has split.. Outdoor spigots and the pipe behind them can crack when water freezes inside, and a split valve pushes water into the wall once the weather warms.
Anything outside this list we are happy to schedule for the first available slot. A same-day appointment is often possible when the day allows.
Find the faucet type, then the fix
Single-handle cartridge
The most common modern type. A worn cartridge or its seals causes drips and loose handles. Replacement is quick when the exact part is available.
Two-handle compression
The washer and seat wear down. These are simple to rebuild and often worth saving in older sinks.
Ceramic disc
Smooth quarter-turn handles. They fail rarely, but sediment can scratch the discs and cause drips.
Ball and kitchen pull-down
More small parts, more seals. Spray head hoses can crack where they connect to the faucet body.
Tub and shower valve
Behind the wall. A leaking handle or no temperature control often traces to the cartridge inside, which we can reach from the handle side.
Outdoor hose bib
Freeze damage and worn washers. We check for a leaking stem and a broken inner valve.
Bring us the brand if you know it. If you do not, we will identify the cartridge before ordering a part, because the wrong match wastes your time and ours.
The shutoff valve under your sink might be the real problem
In North Chicago about 32 percent of housing was built before 1960, and almost 19 percent before 1940. Under the sinks of those homes you often find valves that have not been closed in decades. Turn one and it can start leaking at the stem or refuse to seal, so a ten-minute faucet repair becomes a valve replacement.
We test the stop valves before we shut them for the repair. If a valve is stiff or green with corrosion, we tell you first. Replacing it gives you a working shutoff for the next emergency. That is also why we do not ask you to close old valves yourself if you have never tried them: forcing a corroded stem can cause the leak you were trying to avoid.
If several fixtures have worn valves and the supply pipes look tired, the larger question is repiping, which we explain on its own page.
Hard water guesses and what the city actually publishes
City water, no hardness figure
The city draws its tap water from Lake Michigan and treats it at its own plant, yet the reports we reviewed list sodium and fluoride but no hardness figure. So we do not blame mineral buildup on your aerator until we have looked at it.
What we can do is check the parts: crusty aerators, scaled cartridges and stained spouts tell us what your water is doing at your tap. If scale keeps returning, our water softener and filtration page covers what treatment might help, and a test is where that starts.
Low flow from a single faucet is almost always a clogged aerator or a partly closed stop valve. Low pressure everywhere points elsewhere, and we would look at the water service line or main valve.
Repair the faucet or replace it
| Condition | Our advice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Drip from the spout, newer faucet | Repair | A cartridge or washer is cheap and fast |
| Corroded body or cracked base | Replace | Parts cannot fix a failed casting |
| Discontinued model, no parts | Replace | Waiting for parts wastes time |
| Loose spout or wobble | Repair or replace | Depends on the mounting hardware |
| Leak inside the wall at a tub valve | Open and repair | The repair is inside the wall, so it is more involved |
If you already bought the new faucet, we will install it and check the supply lines at the same time. We can also add new fixtures under our plumbing installation service.
What a faucet repair costs
What changes the price
Replacing a washer is a small job, and opening a wall for a tub valve is not. Either way the number comes first.
Faucet will not shut off? Call now.
Call (847) 281-8626Faucet questions people call about
A spraying supply line at 2 a.m. gets a live person, because we staff the phones 24/7. Close the valve under the sink while you wait. If it will not close, tell us, and we will guide you to the main shutoff.
More than people think. The drip rate varies, but a steady one adds up over weeks, and a leak under the sink hides that cost. Either way, a fix is quick.
Usually not, but it can mean the diverter is worn. If the handle leaks or the wall is wet, we treat it as urgent because water may be getting into the wall.
Distance from the water heater is one cause. A partly closed or failing valve is another. We can look at both on a visit, and if it is the heater, our water heater repair page applies.
Yes, with the owner's or manager's approval. We can leave a short written note about the part and the cause so the owner has it for records. We also take rental calls in Gurnee.
We recommend it when they are old braided lines or show rust at the fittings. It adds little time, and it removes a common source of leaks under sinks.
Water spraying from a faucet or valve?
Shut the valve under the sink and call. We are open 24/7 and often reach you the same day.
Call (847) 281-8626