Faucet gushing or valve broken: what to do first
Four moves cut the damage while you wait for a plumber.
- 1
Try the sink shutoffs
Look under the sink for two small oval or round valves, one for hot and one for cold. Turn them clockwise, gently, until they stop.
- 2
Use the main if they fail
Old shutoffs often seize or drip when moved. If the water keeps flowing, close the main house valve, usually near the meter or where the line enters the home.
- 3
Open a faucet lower down
Opening a tub or yard spigot relieves pressure and drains the line you just shut off. It also tells you the main is truly closed.
- 4
Dry and document
Mop standing water and take photos before the repair. Pictures help if you later file an insurance claim.
Faucet and valve problems we repair
Dripping spout
The usual cause is a worn cartridge, washer or valve seat. A drip of one drop per second adds up to thousands of gallons over a year.
Loose or snapped handle
A stripped set screw or cracked stem leaves you unable to turn the water off. We replace the stem or the whole faucet.
Leak under the sink
Look for wet cabinet floors, swollen wood and a musty smell. The source can be a supply line, a shutoff, or the faucet body itself.
Low flow at one tap
Mineral buildup in the aerator or a failing cartridge restricts flow. If every tap is weak, the cause is somewhere else in the house.
Shower valve and showerhead
A shower that will not stay at one temperature or keeps dripping after you turn it off usually has a worn cartridge. A showerhead that sprays sideways often just needs descaling or replacement.
Bathtub faucet
Tub spouts that dribble when the shower is running have a failed diverter. It is a small part with an annoying effect.
What you can try and when to call
A few faucet jobs are fair game for a patient homeowner. Others turn small leaks into flooded cabinets.
Reasonable to try yourself
- Unscrewing and rinsing a clogged aerator
- Tightening a loose handle set screw
- Replacing a flexible supply line when the valve below it shuts off fully
- Wiping and drying under the sink to find the leak
Call a licensed plumber
- A shutoff valve that will not close or leaks at the stem
- A cracked faucet body or corroded connection
- Water coming from inside the wall behind a shower valve
- Any leak you cannot find, or low pressure through the whole house
Forcing a seized valve is how a drip becomes a spray, so stop when it resists.
Faucet or valve won't shut off?
Spray or drip that will not stop? Ring (561) 448-8545 for faucet help.
Broken or leaking supply valves
The small valves under sinks and behind toilets are the most overlooked parts of a home. They are often turned once, if ever, and many are old multi-turn types with rubber washers that crumble when finally used. When one fails, the sink can no longer be isolated, and a simple faucet swap becomes a whole-house shutoff.
We replace failed shutoffs with quarter-turn ball valves, which close fully with a short twist and rarely seize. Changing them alongside a new faucet is cheap insurance against a middle-of-the-night call later. A leaking valve under a vanity is a good candidate for a visit during your next toilet repair or bathroom project too.
Rental turnover and the valves nobody has touched
Seasonal and rental homes can sit unused for months, so shutoffs and faucets may stick. A fixture that nobody has moved in months is where seats stick and cartridges dry out.
If you are about to host guests or hand a house to a renter, open and close every shutoff once, and run each faucet for a minute. Finding a weeping valve before the first guest saves a lot of towels.
Repair or replace the faucet
| Condition | Better move | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Drip from the spout, newer faucet | Repair | A cartridge or seat kit is a small part and the finish is intact. |
| Corroded body or pitted finish | Replace | Corrosion spreads, and parts for older models are hard to find. |
| Handle snapped or stem stripped | Replace in many cases | Matching a discontinued stem often costs more than a new faucet. |
| Leak at the base of a wall-mount tub faucet | Repair, inspect the wall | Water behind tile may need leak detection before closing it up. |
What drives faucet repair cost
A drip and a failed valve inside a wall are very different jobs, so we do not publish numbers. Your technician gives a real figure after looking at it.
Sudden water damage from a failed fitting may be covered by homeowners insurance, while a slow drip over months generally is not. Check your policy.
Before we arrive
Clear under the sink
Take out cleaners and bins so the technician can reach the valves and supply lines.
Know where the main valve is
Show us the house shutoff. A stuck fixture valve is exactly when we need it.
Keep the old faucet
If you bought a replacement, have the box and parts ready. If not, a photo of the brand mark helps.
Same-day and after-hours faucet help
A faucet or valve that will not shut off cannot wait for morning. Same-day appointments are available when the schedule allows, and the dispatcher can tell you what to shut off while the plumber is on the way.
If the leak is bigger than a faucet, such as a pipe splitting in a wall, our burst pipe repair team takes it from there. We also serve homes in Royal Palm Beach a short drive away.
Questions homeowners ask
Yes. The line is open 24 hours a day, every day, with same-day appointments when available. The price is given before work starts.
Tightening only compresses a worn washer or cartridge. The drip returns until the part is replaced.
Yes, and it is a good idea. Quarter-turn valves cost little when added to a faucet job.
Close the main valve if the wall is wet. Otherwise the cartridge can often be replaced from the front. A wet wall needs a technician to check for hidden damage.
Permit rules vary by job, so ask the Village of Wellington Building Division whether yours needs one.
Yes. Bring the box so the technician can check that the fittings match your sink or tub.
Usually the aerator or cartridge. If every fixture is weak, the issue is elsewhere in the home, and we can look at that on the same visit.
Still have a question? Call (561) 448-8545