2026-04-15 · By the Plumbing Experts team
Repair or Replace: What to Do About a Dripping Faucet
A dripping faucet is one of the most common plumbing complaints, and it is also one of the easiest to underestimate. A faucet dripping once per second wastes over 3,000 gallons a year, a real cost that adds up quietly on the water bill long before anyone thinks to address the drip itself.
The good news is that most drips have a simple, inexpensive fix. The harder question is knowing when repair stops making sense and replacement becomes the smarter move.
Outdoor spigots deserve a specific mention here, since a dripping or non-shutting-off exterior spigot carries an added risk beyond wasted water: it is one of the more common causes of a frozen and burst line during a Cary hard freeze, since water sitting in a spigot that will not fully drain has nowhere to go when temperatures drop.
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Call (984) 237-6514What's usually behind the drip
In the large majority of cases, a dripping faucet comes down to a worn cartridge, O-ring, or washer inside the fixture, parts that wear out from years of normal use turning the handle and sealing against water pressure. These are inexpensive parts, and for most standard faucets, replacing them is a same-visit repair.
When mineral buildup is the real culprit
Cary's municipal water runs moderately hard by most independent testing, which means a faucet approaching ten years or older can develop mineral buildup inside the valve mechanism itself, not just around the visible spout. In these cases, a cartridge replacement sometimes only partially resolves the drip, since the buildup has affected more of the internal mechanism than a single part swap addresses.
When replacement makes more sense than another repair
A faucet with a cracked body, a spout that no longer swivels properly, or one that has already had a cartridge replaced without fully resolving the drip is usually past the point where another repair attempt is the most cost-effective choice. Age matters too: a faucet original to a home built in the 1980s or 90s has likely exceeded its practical service life even if it can still be nursed along.
How to identify your faucet type before calling
Compression faucets, common in older homes, use separate hot and cold handles with rubber washers, and typically need those washers replaced periodically as they wear. Cartridge, ball, and ceramic disc faucets, more common in newer construction, each use a different internal mechanism, and the correct replacement part depends entirely on identifying which type you have.
If you are not sure which type your faucet is, a photo of the fixture, ideally with the brand name visible if it is printed anywhere on the faucet body, helps a plumber bring the right parts on the first visit rather than needing a return trip.
Why the same fix sometimes doesn't last on an older faucet
If a faucet has already had a cartridge or washer replaced once and starts dripping again within a relatively short time, that often points to a worn valve seat, the surface the washer or cartridge seals against, rather than the replaceable part itself. A worn seat sometimes requires a different, more involved repair or points more clearly toward full replacement.
Repair vs. replace guide
| Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| First-time drip, faucet under 10 years old | Repair (cartridge or O-ring) |
| Recurring drip after a prior repair | Consider replacement |
| Visible cracks or a loose spout | Replacement |
| Faucet over 15-20 years old | Replacement usually makes more sense |
Questions people ask about faucet repair & installation
Is it really worth fixing a faucet that only drips occasionally?
Yes. Even an occasional drip adds up over a full year, and a drip that starts occasional tends to worsen over time as the internal parts continue wearing. Addressing it early is almost always cheaper than waiting.
Can I use a universal replacement cartridge, or does it need to match the exact brand?
Cartridges are generally brand and model specific, and using the wrong one can cause leaks or poor function even if it appears to fit. Bringing the faucet's brand and model information, or having a plumber identify it, avoids a repeat trip for the wrong part.
Why does my faucet drip more in the morning than any other time of day?
Pressure fluctuations overnight, when most of the house's water use stops, can sometimes make a marginal drip more noticeable in the quiet morning hours, though the underlying cause, a worn cartridge or washer, is the same regardless of when it is most noticeable.
Is a dripping outdoor spigot as important to fix as an indoor faucet?
It is arguably more time-sensitive in Cary specifically, given the freeze risk a non-sealing spigot creates heading into winter, beyond the simple water waste that applies to any dripping fixture.
If I already replaced the cartridge once and it's dripping again, does that mean I need a whole new faucet?
Not necessarily, but it is worth having a plumber check the valve seat specifically, since a worn seat can cause a new cartridge to fail prematurely. If the seat itself is damaged, replacement often does become the more practical option at that point.
Does the brand or price point of a faucet affect how often it needs repair?
Generally, yes. Higher-quality faucets tend to use more durable internal components and often have better parts availability for repairs years down the line, while budget builder-grade faucets, common throughout Cary's subdivisions, may need attention somewhat sooner.
Can a dripping faucet actually damage my sink or countertop over time?
Persistent dripping can stain porcelain or stone sink basins over months or years, and water pooling around a faucet base can occasionally seep into countertop seams, particularly on natural stone, which is one more reason addressing even a minor drip sooner rather than later tends to pay off.
Is there a way to prevent faucet drips from becoming a recurring problem across my whole house?
Since Cary's subdivision-built homes often have faucets installed within the same construction window, replacing an aging faucet elsewhere in the house at the same time as a repair, rather than waiting for each one to fail individually, can reduce the number of separate service calls over the following few years.
How quickly can a plumber typically respond to fix a dripping faucet?
Since a dripping faucet is rarely a true emergency, most plumbers schedule this kind of repair within their normal appointment availability, often within a day or two, rather than treating it as an urgent same-hour dispatch.