How to Fix a Leaky Faucet: Every Faucet Type, Step by Step

A leaky faucet is one of the most fixable plumbing problems in a US home, but the fix depends on which of four faucet types you have — and most homeowners don't know what type they own. The good news: identifying the type takes 30 seconds, and each type has a well-known failure mode and a $5–$25 repair part. Total repair time once you've identified the type is usually 20–40 minutes.

Below: how to identify your faucet type without disassembly, the typical failure modes for each, tools and parts needed, the repair procedure for each type, and the rare cases where it's something else.

Why faucets leak

Every faucet's job is to make a watertight seal that opens precisely when you turn the handle and closes precisely when you turn it back. Inside each faucet, one or two moving parts press a sealing surface against an opening to make that seal. When those parts wear, the seal degrades and water seeps past — either as a steady drip from the spout (most common) or as a leak from the handle base (less common but possible).

The specific worn part depends on faucet type:

• Compression faucets: the rubber washer wears out. ($2 fix.)
• Ball faucets: the springs and seats wear out, or the O-rings on the ball wear. ($5–$10 fix.)
• Cartridge faucets: the cartridge O-rings or the cartridge itself wears out. ($15–$30 fix.)
• Ceramic disk faucets: the disk cartridge wears out (rare — these are the longest-lasting type). ($25–$50 fix.)

Identify your faucet type in 30 seconds

The fastest way to identify your faucet without disassembly:

Compression faucet

Two separate handles (one hot, one cold). When you turn the handle, you can feel resistance gradually increase until it stops. This is the oldest type, common in pre-1980 homes and in budget bathroom installations. The handles unscrew from the stem.

Ball faucet

Single lever handle on a domed base. The handle tilts forward/back for temperature and side-to-side for flow. Common in kitchen faucets from Delta and Peerless. The dome under the handle gives it away.

Cartridge faucet

Single lever handle on a vertical base, or two handles that turn only 90 degrees from off to fully open (vs. compression handles that turn multiple times). Common in modern Moen, Pfister, and many bathroom faucets. The handle pulls straight off after removing a set screw.

Ceramic disk faucet

Single lever handle on a wide cylindrical base. The handle moves smoothly with no perceptible engagement points. Most modern premium kitchen faucets (Kohler, Grohe, Hansgrohe) use this technology. The base is wider than cartridge or ball faucets.

Tools and parts you'll need

• Phillips and flathead screwdrivers
• Allen wrench set (1/8" is most common for handle set screws)
• Adjustable wrench or channel-lock pliers
• Penetrating oil (for stuck parts)
• Plumber's grease (silicone-based; never petroleum)
• Towels and a small bowl for parts

For specific repairs, you'll also need:

• Compression: Replacement washer assortment ($3–$5 at any hardware store)
• Ball: Manufacturer's repair kit (Delta RP4993, RP3614; about $10)
• Cartridge: Brand-and-model-specific replacement cartridge ($15–$30)
• Ceramic disk: Manufacturer's replacement disk cartridge ($25–$50)

Universal prep steps (all faucet types)

1. Shut off the water at the shutoff valves under the sink. Both hot and cold. If your sink doesn't have local shutoffs (common in older homes), shut off the water at the main.
2. Open the faucet to relieve any pressure in the lines and let residual water drain.
3. Cover the drain with a rag or stopper. The number-one most common DIY mistake is dropping a small screw down the drain mid-repair.
4. Lay out a clean towel beside the sink as a working surface so you can lay out parts in the order you remove them — makes reassembly significantly faster.

Fix a compression faucet

Compression faucets are the oldest design and easiest to repair. They leak when the rubber washer at the bottom of the stem wears out.

1. Pry off the decorative cap on top of the handle (usually marked "H" or "C"). Use a flathead screwdriver gently — the cap pops off.
2. Remove the handle screw underneath. Lift the handle straight off the stem.
3. Unscrew the packing nut below the handle with an adjustable wrench. Turn counter-clockwise.
4. Unscrew the stem from the faucet body by hand or with the wrench. The stem looks like a metal rod with threads.
5. At the bottom of the stem you'll see a brass screw holding a small rubber washer. This is the part that's worn. Remove the screw and the worn washer.
6. Install a new washer of the same diameter and thickness. A washer assortment kit gives you several sizes; match the original. Replace the brass screw to hold it in place.
7. Inspect the seat that the washer presses against (you'll see a small brass ring deeper in the faucet body). If it's pitted or damaged, the washer can't seal. Replace the seat with a seat wrench ($5) — the seat unscrews and a new one threads in.
8. Reassemble in reverse order. Don't overtighten the packing nut — snug plus 1/8 turn is enough.
9. Turn the water back on and test.

If both handles leak, repeat on the other side. The two stems are mirror images but the procedure is identical.

Fix a ball faucet

Ball faucets have more internal parts than other types, but the manufacturer (usually Delta or Peerless) sells a complete repair kit that includes everything that wears.

1. Loosen the set screw under the handle with an Allen wrench. Lift the handle straight off.
2. Unscrew the dome cap below the handle by turning counter-clockwise. Channel-lock pliers help — wrap the cap with a cloth first to prevent scratching.
3. Lift out the cam, cam washer, and ball. These come out as an assembly. Note the orientation of the ball's slot — it has to go back in the same way.
4. Underneath the ball, you'll see two small rubber seats and springs. Use a screwdriver to lift them out. These are usually the parts that wear.
5. Drop the new seats and springs in (spring first, narrow end down; then the seat on top, smooth side up).
6. Replace the O-rings on the faucet body if they look worn (the repair kit usually includes them). Apply a thin film of plumber's grease before reinstalling.
7. Reinstall the ball, cam washer, cam, and dome cap. Hand-tighten the dome.
8. Reinstall the handle with the set screw.
9. Turn water back on and test.

Fix a cartridge faucet

Cartridge faucets are repaired by replacing the cartridge itself. The cartridge is a sealed unit containing all the moving parts — when it wears, you swap the whole thing.

1. Find the set screw under the handle (usually behind the lever or under a small decorative cap). Loosen with an Allen wrench and lift the handle off.
2. Remove the retaining clip or nut holding the cartridge in place. Some brands use a U-shaped clip you pull out with pliers; others use a threaded nut.
3. Pull the cartridge straight out. Note the orientation of the alignment tab — it has to go back in the same way (or hot and cold will be reversed).
4. Take the old cartridge to a hardware store for an exact match. Cartridge models are NOT interchangeable across brands. Moen 1225, Pfister 974-042, Kohler GP500520 — each fits one family of faucets.
5. Insert the new cartridge with the alignment tab matching the original orientation. Push it fully home.
6. Reinstall the retaining clip or nut, then the handle.
7. Turn water back on and test.

If hot and cold are reversed after the repair, you put the cartridge in 180° from correct — pull it out, rotate, and reinstall.

Fix a ceramic disk faucet

Ceramic disk faucets rarely leak — the disk technology is genuinely durable. When they do, replacement of the disk cartridge fixes it.

1. Loosen the set screw under the handle and lift the handle off.
2. Remove the escutcheon (the decorative cap covering the disk cartridge).
3. Unscrew the mounting screws holding the disk cartridge in place (usually three Phillips screws).
4. Lift out the cartridge. Take it to the hardware store for an exact-match replacement.
5. Clean the cartridge seat in the faucet body with a soft cloth and white vinegar. Mineral deposits here can prevent the new cartridge from sealing.
6. Install the new cartridge, escutcheon, and handle.
7. Turn water back on slowly the first time — open the faucet first, then crack the shutoff valve open. Cracking a ceramic disk by hitting it with full system pressure is a real risk if you turn the supply on too fast.

If the leak is at the base of the spout, not the spout itself

A leak coming from where the spout meets the faucet body (rather than dripping from the spout end) is usually a worn O-ring on the spout swivel — not a cartridge or washer problem.

1. Remove the spout by grasping firmly and pulling straight up while rotating slightly. Some spouts are secured by a set screw at the base; remove it first if so.
2. You'll see one or two black O-rings around the bottom of the spout shaft.
3. Replace them with same-size O-rings from a plumbing O-ring assortment (about $5). Apply a thin film of plumber's grease before reinstalling the spout.
4. Push the spout back down and reinstall any set screw.

When to replace the faucet entirely

Sometimes the repair is more expensive than replacement, or the underlying corrosion is too far gone to fix:

• If the faucet body itself is corroded (visible pitting on the chrome, or green oxidation around fittings), repair won't last. Replace.
• If you've already repaired this faucet within the past 2 years for a different issue, it's probably at end-of-life. Replace.
• If parts are no longer available (common with older budget faucets), you have no choice — replace.
• If the faucet is over 20 years old and you're considering an upgrade anyway, the labor of a full replacement is similar to a major repair. See our best kitchen faucets or best bathroom faucets lists for current picks.

Cost: DIY vs. plumber

DIY repair: $2 (compression washer) to $50 (ceramic disk cartridge), plus 20–40 minutes of work.

Plumber repair: $150–$350 for the same job, depending on faucet type and region.

Faucet replacement (if repair isn't worth it): $50–$300 for the faucet plus $0 if DIY or $150–$300 if a plumber installs it. Faucet installation is genuinely DIY-friendly — about 60 minutes for a competent first-timer.

Preventing the next leak

• Don't over-tighten the handle when shutting off. Over-tightening accelerates washer and cartridge wear. Stop when the water stops — don't crank further.
• Keep mineral deposits off the aerator. The screen at the spout tip gets clogged with minerals on hard water. Unscrew and clean it monthly with white vinegar.
• If you have hard water, consider a softener. Faucet cartridges and washers last 2–3× longer on softened water.
• For compression faucets, replace washers preventively every 3–4 years. They're $2 each, and doing it on a schedule prevents the slow-leak phase that wastes water unnoticed.