Wittmann Faucet, Toilet, Sink and Shower Repair

FAUCETS

Faucet repair: a drip is a part, not a mystery

A dripping faucet wastes water and wears on the nerves. Most drips come from a worn cartridge, washer or seal. Hard water adds mineral scale, which roughens parts and speeds wear. A plumber matches the part to the faucet brand and model, so note the brand if you can find it.

Repair or replace? A faucet that is worn out at the body, pitted or leaking from the base is usually better replaced. A faucet with a bad cartridge and a sound body is a repair. Ask the plumber for the cost of both.

• A steady drip from the spout when closed.
• Water pooling at the base of the faucet.
• Low flow from a clogged aerator.
• A handle that is stiff or loose.
• A white crust of scale around the spout.

SHOWERS

Shower valve, head and wall leaks

A shower can leak in three places: the head, the valve behind the handle and the pipe inside the wall. A dripping head is a washer or a seal. A valve that will not shut off completely needs a new cartridge. Water stains on the other side of the shower wall suggest a leak in the wall.

Do not ignore a wall stain. Water inside a wall can soften drywall and feed mold. Shut off the shower and call. If the stain is spreading, the tracing a wall leak explains how a hidden leak is traced.

TUBS

Bathtub and tub drain problems

Tub problems are usually at the drain, the overflow or the faucet and diverter. A tub that drains slowly often has hair in the drain. A tub that leaks below, into a ceiling or a room underneath, may have a failed drain seal. That is a plumber's job because the fix often means access from below.

Jetted tubs add a pump, air controls and extra plumbing. If a jetted tub runs rough or leaks near the motor, stop using it. The plumber opens the access panel and checks the pump, the lines and the connections. Note when the problem started, whether the jets ran before it began and whether a breaker tripped, since those details narrow the search.

KITCHEN

Kitchen sink: leaks underneath, sprayers and drains

Open the cabinet under the sink when you see water on the floor. Look for drips at the supply lines, the shutoff valves and the drain trap. A tight connection can weep when a washer is worn. A cracked trap needs replacement.

A kitchen sprayer that leaks or weakens is a hose or a diverter problem. A garbage disposal sits on the same drain, and if it is humming or jammed, see garbage disposal repair.

Under-sink shutoff valves, called angle stops, should turn smoothly. If one is stuck or crusted with scale, do not force it. Forcing can snap the stem and flood the cabinet. A plumber can replace the valve and add a new supply line in one visit.

TOILETS

Toilet repair: running, weak flush and base leaks

Toilet faults fall into three groups. A running toilet leaks inside the tank. A weak or slow flush is a clog, a vent issue or scale in the rim holes. A leak at the base means a failed wax ring or a loose bolt. Each group has a different fix.

A toilet that clogs often may point to a drain problem past the fixture. See drain cleaning if more than one fixture is slow.

SINKS

Bathroom sink and vanity: slow drains and leaks

Bathroom sinks slow down when hair and soap build up in the trap or the stopper. They leak at the supply lines, the drain nut and the faucet base. Check under the vanity for dampness and for stains on the cabinet floor.

A vanity that has been wet for a while may be swollen or soft. Press on the cabinet floor with a screwdriver. If it gives, tell the plumber. The vanity may need replacement along with the plumbing. Stoppers that no longer seal and faucets that spit or run weak are usually small parts, and a plumber can swap them during the same visit that fixes the drain.

INSTALLS

Installing and replacing a toilet, sink or faucet

A new fixture should match the old rough-in. For a toilet, that means the distance from the wall to the drain. For a sink, it means the number of faucet holes. A mismatch causes extra work, so measure before you buy.

Specialty installs, such as a tub-to-shower conversion, a wet bar, a laundry room or moving a toilet, change the pipes behind the wall. Dishwashers, washers and ice makers need supply and drain hookups. A bidet needs a supply line and a vacuum breaker or air gap, depending on the model.

Outdoor faucets, called hose bibs, drip and split. Replace a leaking hose bib before it floods a wall. For main supply pipe work, see pipe repair and repiping. What a job costs depends on the fixture and the work behind the wall. The cost page covers how quotes are built.