Why You Should Never Ignore a Leaky Faucet and How to Fix It

A slow drip from the tap is easy to tune out. After a few days you stop hearing it, and after a few weeks you stop seeing the stain it leaves in the basin. That's exactly why leaky faucets get ignored, and why they cost more than people expect. This guide explains why a dripping tap deserves attention, what causes it, how to fix the common types yourself, and when it's time to call a plumber in Abu Dhabi.

Why You Should Never Ignore a Leaky Faucet

A drip looks small, but it adds up. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense programme, a faucet that drips once a second can waste more than 3,000 gallons a year, which is roughly 11,000 litres. The same page says household leaks overall can waste more than 9,300 gallons a year, and that worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets and other leaking valves are among the most common sources. You pay for all of that water, and you can't use any of it.

Water isn't the only cost. A faucet that leaks at the base or the handle can soak the cabinet beneath it, swell the wood and lift the laminate. Constant moisture is also where mould and smells begin, and a leak you can see at the tap may be paired with one you can't see behind the wall. Fixing a washer early costs very little, while replacing a ruined vanity unit or a stained wall doesn't.

Where the Water Is Leaking From Tells You the Cause

The Most Common Causes of a Dripping Faucet

• Worn washer: in compression faucets, the rubber washer wears out from repeated pressing against the valve seat
• Worn O-ring: a small ring around the stem or cartridge dries, cracks or loosens, and water seeps out around the handle
• Damaged cartridge: in single-lever mixers, the cartridge wears or cracks and no longer seals
• Corroded valve seat: the part the washer presses against pits or corrodes, so even a new washer won't seal
• Loose parts: packing nuts, retaining nuts or fittings that have worked loose over time
• High water pressure: excess pressure can stress seals and make fixtures drip sooner
• Mineral buildup: scale around aerators, seats or cartridges can stop parts from sealing properly

Know Your Faucet Type Before You Start

The repair depends on the design, so identify yours first. Compression faucets have separate hot and cold handles that you turn several times, and they use rubber washers. Cartridge faucets can have one or two handles and use a replaceable cartridge. Ceramic disc faucets use two ceramic discs inside a cylinder, and they usually need a new cartridge when they leak. Ball faucets have a single handle on a rounded cap, and they use several rubber seals and springs. Single-lever mixers common in Abu Dhabi kitchens and bathrooms are usually cartridge or ceramic disc types, and a replacement cartridge must match the make and model.

Tools and Parts You May Need

• Adjustable spanner and a set of screwdrivers
• Allen keys, since many modern handles use a small grub screw
• Replacement washers, O-rings or the correct cartridge
• Plumber's grease and plumber's tape
• A towel or cloth to protect the finish, and a bowl for small parts
• A torch, to see inside the faucet body

If you can't identify the make or model, take the old cartridge or washer to a plumbing supplier so they can match it. Using the wrong size is a common reason a repair fails.

How to Fix a Leaky Faucet Step by Step

Fixing the Handle or Base Leak

If water seeps around the handle or the base, the O-rings are the usual culprit. Remove the spout or handle as the design allows, slide off the old O-rings and fit new ones of the same size, with a thin film of plumber's grease. If the leak is from a loose retaining nut, tightening it a little may stop it. Don't overtighten, since that can crack the body or damage the seal. A leak that continues after replacing O-rings may mean a cracked body, and a plumber can advise whether to repair or replace the tap.

Check Underneath Before Blaming the Tap

Many "leaky faucets" are leaks from supply hoses, connectors or waste pipes under the sink. Dry the area, put a dry tissue under the connections and run the water for a minute. If the tissue gets wet at a joint or hose, the tap itself may be fine. Replacing a worn flexible hose or tightening a connection is a simple job, but if the pipework itself is corroded or you can't find the source, our leak detection service can trace it without opening up walls unnecessarily.

Is There a Hidden Leak Elsewhere in the Home?

A dripping tap is easy to see. Leaks in toilets, pipes and valves often aren't. The EPA's WaterSense guidance suggests a simple meter check: read your water meter, wait two hours without using any water, then read it again, and if the reading has changed you probably have a leak. For toilets, it suggests adding a few drops of food colouring to the tank, and if colour appears in the bowl after 10 minutes, the flapper is leaking. If you find a leak but can't see where it's coming from, that's a job for a plumber.

When to Call a Plumber

• The leak continues after you've replaced the washer, O-ring or cartridge
• The faucet body is corroded, cracked or the valve seat is badly pitted
• You can't shut off the water supply to the tap
• There's water under the sink, damp on the cabinet or a smell of mould
• You see staining on the wall or ceiling near the tap, or on a floor below
• Water pressure seems unusually high, or several taps are dripping
• You'd rather not take the faucet apart, or it's a premium or concealed mixer

For repair or replacement of taps, mixers and pipework, our Plumbing Repair team can diagnose the cause and fix it, with a fixed price quoted after inspection.

Repair or Replace the Faucet?

Repair makes sense when the faucet is in good condition and the leak comes from a worn washer, O-ring or cartridge. Replacement is the better choice when the body is cracked or corroded, the finish is badly worn, parts are no longer available, or you've repaired it more than once.

If you're replacing a tap as part of a bigger update, such as a new sink, our kitchen plumbing team can fit it and check the supply and waste connections at the same time.

For bathroom work, see our bathroom renovation page.

Outdoor Taps, Garden Hoses and Shared Buildings

Outdoor taps in villa gardens and on roofs get sun, dust and irrigation use, so seals wear faster, and a drip outdoors often goes unnoticed for weeks. Check garden taps and hose connectors regularly, and replace perished washers. In apartments, a leak can reach neighbours below you, so report it quickly and ask building management whether there are rules about plumbing work. If you rent, tell your landlord, since responsibility for repairs usually depends on the tenancy contract.

Low Pressure After a Faucet Repair

If the water seems weak after you fit a new part, check that the aerator at the tip of the spout is clean, since scale or debris collected during the work can block it. Make sure the isolation valve is fully open, too. If the pressure remains poor, the cause may be elsewhere in the system, and our guide to low water pressure in an Abu Dhabi apartment explains the likely causes.

How to Prevent Faucet Leaks

A little care makes faucets last longer. Close taps firmly but gently, since forcing them shut wears washers and seats. Clean aerators every few months to remove scale, and wipe fixtures dry to limit mineral deposits. Fix a drip at the first sign, because a small leak wears the seat faster, and have a plumber check the water pressure if several fittings fail close together. A yearly look at under-sink pipework and taps in kitchens and bathrooms catches most small problems early. For a wider check of your plumbing, see our Plumbing Works page.

If a dripping tap, a damp cabinet or a wet wall has you worried, message or call ALHUD Technical LLC. We'll find the cause, fix it properly and quote a fixed price before work begins.

Frequently Asked Questions