That steady drip-drip-drip from your kitchen sink is more than an annoyance. It is water and money slipping down the drain every hour it runs.
A faucet leaking one drip per second wastes more than 3,000 gallons a year, roughly the water for 180 showers, and fixing easy household leaks like this can trim about 10 percent off your water bill (1).
You usually do not need a plumber. This guide walks you through identifying your faucet type, finding the leak, and stopping it yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Identify the faucet type first: compression, ball, cartridge, and ceramic disk faucets each take different repair parts.
- Shut off the water and plug the drain: close the supply valves under the sink before you loosen any part.
- Most drips are worn seals: a worn washer, o-ring, or corroded valve seat is the usual cause.
- Clean before you replace: soaking mineral buildup off internal parts in white vinegar often stops the leak.
How Do You Know if Your Kitchen Faucet Is Leaking?
A kitchen faucet leak shows up in one of two places, the spout or the base, so check both before you buy any parts. Here is how to pin down the source.
1. Leaking From the Spout
This is the obvious one. A drip keeps falling after you turn the handle off, or you have to crank the handle extra tight to stop the flow.
Spout leaks often start slow. To catch a minor one, dry the sink completely and set a paper towel or cup under the spout. Leave it a few hours. If the paper is wet or the cup has water in it, you have a spout leak.
Once you have confirmed the drip, count how many drips fall in one minute before you shop for parts. USGS measures a typical faucet drip at about a quarter of a milliliter, which works out to 15,140 drips per gallon, and its drip calculator turns your one-minute count into gallons per year (2).
2. Leaking From the Base
Base leaks are sneakier, because water naturally splashes there while you wash dishes. They usually show up while the water is running, pooling on the sink deck.
To confirm it, dry the area around the faucet base thoroughly, turn the water on, and watch closely. If water seeps out from under the handle or the bottom gasket, the base is leaking.
What Type of Kitchen Faucet Do You Have?
Most kitchen faucets are one of four types: compression, ball, cartridge, or ceramic disk. Work out which one you have before you grab a wrench, because each takes different repair parts:
- Compression faucets: the classic two-handle design, one handle for hot and one for cold. They use rubber washers to seal off the water.
- Ball faucets: a single handle that pivots over a rounded cap. Inside, a ball joint controls temperature and flow.
- Cartridge faucets: single or double-handled. A plastic or brass cartridge moves up and down to control flow.
- Ceramic disk faucets: modern single-handle faucets. Two smooth ceramic disks inside a cylinder control the water.
Why Is My Faucet Leaking?
A kitchen faucet leaks for one of four reasons: a worn o-ring, a corroded valve seat, a worn washer, or a loose adjusting ring or packing nut. Here is what each one looks like:
Worn O-Rings
The o-ring is a small rubber disc on the stem screw that holds the handle in place and forms a seal. Over time it loosens or wears out, and water starts leaking near the handle body.
Corroded Valve Seat
In compression faucets, the valve seat connects the faucet to the spout. Water sediment and hard-water minerals build up here, corroding the seat and causing leaks around the spout.
Worn Washers
This is classic wear and tear. Every time you turn the handle, the washer presses against the valve seat, and friction slowly grinds the rubber down. Once it is worn or the wrong size, water trickles past it.
Loose Parts
Sometimes the adjusting ring or packing nut simply vibrates loose over years of use. Tightening these internal parts can stop a leak with no new parts at all.
Top Tip
How to Fix a Leaky Kitchen Faucet
Warning
Set up a clear workspace on the counter so you can lay parts out in order, which makes reassembly far easier. Keep white vinegar handy too, since cleaning mineral deposits off the internal parts often fixes the problem on its own.
How to Fix a Compression Faucet
These leak the most often, but they are the easiest to fix.
Tools Needed
- Flathead screwdriver
- Phillips screwdriver
- Adjustable wrench
- Replacement washers/o-rings
Step 1: Remove the Handle Cap
Pry off the decorative cap, usually marked “H” or “C,” with a flathead screwdriver.
Step 2: Remove the Handle
Unscrew the handle screw with your Phillips screwdriver and pull the handle off.
Step 3: Remove the Stem
Use your wrench to loosen the nut holding the stem assembly. Pull the stem out to reveal the o-ring and seat washer.
Step 4: Inspect and Replace
Check the rubber washer at the bottom and the o-ring on the side. If either looks flat or cracked, replace it. If the brass valve seat feels rough, smooth it with a seat-dressing tool.
Step 5: Reassemble
Apply a little plumber’s grease to the new parts and reassemble the faucet in reverse order.
Quick Fixes
- Tighten the nut: before taking everything apart, try tightening the packing nut under the handle. Sometimes that alone stops the leak.
- Plumber’s putty: if your stem has no washer, use plumber’s putty to seal the base.
How to Fix a Ball Faucet
These have more parts, so buying a repair kit made for your brand is worth it.
Tools Needed
- Ball faucet repair kit (springs, washers, o-rings, cam washer)
- Allen wrench
- Adjustable pliers
- Screwdrivers
Step 1: Remove the Handle
Use the Allen wrench to loosen the set screw on the side or front of the handle, then lift the handle off.
Step 2: Remove Cap and Cam
Use pliers wrapped in tape to unscrew the top cap without scratching it. Lift out the plastic cam and cam washer.
Step 3: Remove the Ball
Lift the ball out and inspect it for scratches. If it is damaged, replace it.
Step 4: Replace Seals and Springs
Look inside the faucet body for the rubber seats and small springs. Fish them out with a screwdriver, then set the new springs and seats from your kit onto the end of a pencil to lower them cleanly into place.
Step 5: Reassemble
Put the ball back in with its groove aligned to the pin, replace the cam, screw on the cap, and reattach the handle.
Pro Tip
How to Fix a Cartridge Faucet
Tools Needed
- Allen wrench
- Screwdrivers
- Pliers
- Replacement cartridge (match the part number)
Step 1: Remove the Handle
Pry off the decorative cap if there is one, unscrew the handle, and tilt it back to lift it off.
Step 2: Remove the Retaining Clip
You will find a circular nut or a U-shaped clip holding the cartridge. Remove it with pliers or a screwdriver. Do not lose it.
Step 3: Pull the Cartridge
Grip the top of the cartridge with pliers and pull straight up. Minerals may have it stuck, so wiggle it gently as you go.
Step 4: Insert the New Cartridge
Slide the new cartridge in with its notches aligned correctly, then replace the clip and handle.
Pro Tip
How to Fix a Ceramic Disk Faucet
These are long-lasting, but the rubber seals at the bottom of the cylinder can degrade.
Tools Needed
- Allen wrench
- Adjustable wrench
Step 1: Access the Cylinder
Unscrew the handle set screw and remove the handle, then unscrew the decorative escutcheon cap by hand.
Step 2: Remove the Cylinder
Use a wrench to remove the mounting nut, then lift the cylinder out.
Step 3: Clean or Replace
Check the rubber seals on the bottom of the cylinder. Replace the cylinder if they are worn. If they look fine, the openings may be clogged, so soak the cylinder in white vinegar for an hour to clean it, then reinstall.
Fixing Leaks at the Spout Base
If water pools around the bottom of the faucet neck, an o-ring is usually to blame.
Step 1: Remove the Spout
Depending on your model, remove a retaining nut or a screw, then twist and pull the spout up.
Step 2: Replace the O-Rings
Cut the old o-rings off, coat the new ones in plumber’s grease, and slide them into the grooves. Richard Trethewey, plumbing and heating expert on This Old House, says: “We just want to reduce friction to make those O-rings last longer.”
Step 3: Reattach
Push the spout back down and tighten the connector.
How Do You Stop a Kitchen Faucet From Leaking Again?
You stop a kitchen faucet from leaking again by easing off the handle, cleaning the aerator once a year, and flushing debris out of the supply lines. Staying ahead of leaks pays off well beyond one faucet. The EPA puts the average household’s leaks at more than 9,300 gallons of water wasted every year, and nine percent of homes have leaks that waste 50 gallons or more per day.
You can put off future repairs with a few simple habits:
- Do not force it: turning the handle too hard grinds down the rubber washers. Turn it just far enough to stop the flow.
- Clean the aerator: unscrew the small mesh screen at the tip of the spout once a year and soak it in vinegar to clear debris that raises back pressure.
- Flush the lines: if pressure drops, debris may be stuck in the supply lines. Disconnect them and flush them into a bucket.
