How to Stop a Leaking Faucet from Keeping You up at Night

You are just drifting off to sleep and then you hear a sound that wakes you back up: Drip, drip, drip. The faucet on one of the sinks in your home is dripping water and making enough noise to keep you awake. While you might close the bathroom or bedroom door, or wrap a towel over the dripping faucet, this solution is not the right way to fix a leaking faucet.

What Causes a Faucet to Drip?

There can be all sorts of reasons for a dripping faucet, based upon the style and model. One of the more common causes is because the washers used in the mechanisms to turn the faucet on and off wear out and are not sealing correctly. Another cause for a leaky faucet is the washer in the sink outlet cover has worn out.

Finding the Source of the Leak

There are several things you can do to try to pinpoint where the leak is coming from before calling a plumber. You could unscrew the outlet cover and replace the rubber washer to see if this resolves the problem. Another option is to start by shutting off the hot water first, wait and see if the dripping stops, and if not, turn the hot water back on, and then shut off the cold water.

If the drip persists, shut off both hot and cold water lines. Now, if the leak stops, it often indicates the mechanisms inside the faucet are worn out and need to be replaced. This can also be a sign you need to replace the entire sink faucet if it is older, as fixing the mechanisms that turn the water on and off may not fully resolve or stop the faucet from dripping.

What If I Hear Dripping and Water Are Not Leaking Out of the Faucet?

Sometimes, the cause of leaks occurs underneath the sink and faucet. You will want to open the cabinet doors and see if the water is pooling or any items stored here are wet. For this type of leak, it could be the result of a faulty connection to the faucet. You can try tightening the water lines to the underside of the faucet to see if this stops the leak.

For more complicated leaks, like where water is dripping out of the faucet and under the sink, then you will want to call a professional plumber. There could be multiple causes and each one will need to be addressed to fully resolve leaks and dripping faucets. For instance, both the faucet and the water lines under the sink could all need to be replaced.

Ignoring a dripping faucet will not make the problem go away and it can worsen, causing your water bills to increase significantly. Plus, fixing the drip will help you get a good night’s rest. For dripping faucets, water leaks, and other plumbing problems, contact the Houston plumbing experts at Met Plumbing & Air Conditioning by calling 281-599-3336 today!