What makes a faucet drip
Inside every faucet is a seal that presses against a seat to block water. Over the years that seal wears, the seat pits, or mineral deposits roughen the surface. Water then slips past even when the handle is off.
A drip from the spout means the seal inside is failing. A drip around the handle base means an O-ring or packing is worn. A leak under the sink points to the supply lines or a connection, not the faucet's moving parts.
Which type of faucet do you have?
Identify the faucet by its handles and how it moves. That tells you which part to buy.
| Faucet type | How to spot it | Part that usually fails |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Two handles that tighten down as you turn | Rubber washer and brass seat |
| Cartridge | One or two handles that move smoothly | Cartridge or its O-rings |
| Ball | One handle over a rounded cap, common on kitchens | Springs, seats and the ball |
| Ceramic disc | One lever, a wide cylindrical body | Neoprene seals under the disc |
If you cannot tell what you have, the brand and model are often stamped on the base or under the sink. Take the old part to a hardware store so the clerk can match it.
How to repair a dripping faucet
The sequence is the same for most types. Only the part changes.
- 1
Shut off the water
Close the two valves under the sink, then open the faucet to drain it. Plug the drain so small screws cannot fall in.
- 2
Remove the handle
Pop off the cap, undo the screw and lift the handle. Penetrating oil helps if it sticks.
- 3
Pull the stem or cartridge
Unscrew the retaining nut with an adjustable wrench and lift out the working part.
- 4
Replace the worn pieces
Swap washers, O-rings or the whole cartridge. Coat new rubber with plumber's grease.
- 5
Reassemble and test
Put everything back in order, open the shutoffs slowly and check for drips.
Keep every old part until the new one works. If the faucet is pitted around the seat, the repair may not hold and replacement is the better path.
Faucet spraying or will not shut off?
Our line is answered 24/7. Licensed and insured plumbers, clear price before work starts.
A drip on a metered Midvale line
Every water connection in Midvale is metered, and the city reads the meters monthly with radio-read devices. Monthly scans flag continuous flow, so a drip that never stops contributes to a pattern the city is set up to notice, along with the usage you pay for.
The EPA says a faucet dripping once per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons a year. That is an estimate, not a measurement, and the real volume depends on how large the drops are and how fast they fall. Even a slower drip runs all day and night.
If you suspect more than a faucet, check your meter. Turn off every fixture, then watch the leak indicator or the dial. If it keeps moving, you have a leak somewhere, and a leak detection visit can find it. Midvale Public Utilities at 801-567-7239 handles leak and pressure questions Monday to Thursday.
Drips that are not from the spout
Water in the wrong place is not always the faucet.
Under the sink
Check the supply lines and shutoff valves with a dry paper towel. A damp towel after 10 minutes means a connection is weeping.
Around the handle
An O-ring or packing nut is worn. This is a quick fix on most faucets and usually does not need a new faucet.
From the base
A loose mounting nut or a cracked body lets water seep below the deck. If the body is cracked, replacement is the only fix.
From the shower or tub spout
A tub or shower drip often comes from the valve behind the wall. That is a bigger job and needs opening the wall.
Repair the faucet or replace it
A faucet that is old, pitted or discontinued sometimes costs more to patch than to swap.
Repair makes sense when
- The faucet body is sound with no corrosion
- Parts are easy to find at a hardware store
- The faucet is fairly new
- The drip started recently
Replace makes sense when
- The body is corroded or cracked
- Parts are discontinued or hard to match
- The finish is peeling
- You have repaired the same drip twice
Hard water, scale and slow drips
Mineral scale is a common reason a new washer fails early. Water supplied by the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District averaged 182.4 mg/L total hardness in 2025, which the USGS counts as very hard. That is the east side of Midvale. West-side homes are on city wells, so ask the utility for its water quality report.
Scale builds on the seat and roughens it, so a fresh rubber washer sits on a bad surface and leaks again. If you have crusty white deposits, soak the aerator and parts in vinegar for an hour, then scrub with an old toothbrush. A seat that is deeply pitted may need a reseating tool or a new faucet.
When to call a pro
A drip is rarely urgent, but some faucet problems are. Call a licensed plumber when you see any of these.
- Water will not shut off even with the handle closed
- The shutoff valves under the sink are stuck or leak when turned
- Water is coming through the ceiling or wall below the fixture
- You have replaced the part and it still drips
Where we fit in
We repair and replace faucets across Midvale, from kitchen sinks to tub spouts. If a repair needs a new shutoff valve or opens a wall, we say so before work starts and give a clear price. See our list of service areas or our Sandy page if you live just south.
Where this guidance comes from
The waste estimate comes from the EPA WaterSense Fix a Leak Week guidelines, and repairs follow the faucet maker's instructions.
Dripping faucet questions from Midvale homeowners
The seal inside the faucet is worn or the seat is pitted, so water slips past when the handle is closed. Replacing the washer, cartridge or O-rings usually stops it.
The EPA says one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons a year. That is an estimate, and actual waste depends on drop size and speed. Either way, a drip runs around the clock.
It adds a little each month. Midvale meters every connection, so the water is billed whether you use it or not. The city also scans meter data for continuous flow.
No, a faucet drip is inside your home. Call the city for a leak on the street side of the meter or a pressure problem, at 801-567-7239 Monday to Thursday, or Public Works at 801-567-7235 for a water emergency.
Yes. Use the two small shutoff valves under the sink. If they are stuck or will not close fully, stop and call a plumber rather than forcing them.
If the body is sound and parts are available, repair is cheap and quick. If the faucet is corroded or discontinued, replacement is usually the better value.