What causes a faucet to drip from the spout?

A worn internal part, almost always. In a cartridge faucet it is the cartridge or its O-rings; in a compression faucet it is the rubber seat washer at the bottom of the stem, sometimes with a pitted valve seat; in a ball faucet it is the springs, seats or the ball itself. All are cheap parts — usually $5 to $15 — and rubber components degrade with age, hard water and chlorine. A drip from the spout means water is getting past whatever is supposed to seal it off when the handle is closed.

How do I know what type of faucet I have?

Count the handles and feel the action. A single handle that moves up-down and side-to-side is a cartridge or ball type — a ball faucet has a domed cap under the handle, a cartridge is straight-sided. Two separate handles that you screw down firmly to stop the water are compression faucets, the oldest design. A single handle that turns smoothly like a switch is usually a ceramic-disc cartridge. Bringing the old part or the faucet's brand and model to the store is the surest way to get the right replacement.

Why does my faucet still drip after I replaced the cartridge?

Usually the valve seat or the O-rings, not the cartridge. If the brass seat the cartridge presses against is pitted or scaled, a new cartridge will not seal against it — clean it with a cloth or, on a compression faucet, dress or replace the seat with a seat wrench. Also check that you seated the new cartridge fully and oriented it correctly; many are keyed and will drip or reverse hot and cold if installed a half-turn off. Old O-rings elsewhere in the body can also weep.

Do I need to turn off the water to fix a leaky faucet?

Yes, always — this is the one step you never skip. Close the two shutoff valves under the sink (or the main if there are none), then open the faucet to relieve pressure and confirm the water is off before you take anything apart. Skipping it turns a dry 30-minute repair into a soaked cabinet and a scramble, because the moment you pull the cartridge, full house pressure has nothing holding it back. Also close the drain stopper so you cannot lose a small screw down it.

Is it worth fixing a leaky faucet or should I replace it?

Fix it first — a drip is a rubber part, and the repair is far cheaper than a new faucet. Replace the faucet instead when the body is cracked or corroded, when replacement cartridges for an old or off-brand model are no longer available, or when it is a cheap builder-grade unit that keeps failing. A single dripping cartridge in a good-quality faucet is not a reason to replace; a faucet that leaks from multiple points and fights you on parts availability is.

How to Fix a Leaky Faucet: Cartridge, Ball & Compression

Written & researched by Priya Anand DIY & Tools Editor

Updated August 2026

Over-the-shoulder view of a person's hands tightening a fitting under a kitchen sink with a wrench, in soft overcast light

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Fixing a dripping faucet is a beginner repair — 30 to 45 minutes, usually under $15 in parts, no permit and no plumber. A drip means a worn internal part: a cartridge and O-rings on modern single-handle faucets, or a rubber seat washer on old two-handle compression faucets. Identify your type, shut off the water, pull the guts, replace the worn parts and reassemble. It only becomes a bigger job if the valve seat itself is pitted or replacement parts for an old model are gone — then a new faucet may be the smarter call.

We never buy, test or physically handle the products we rank; recommendations come from aggregated owner reviews and expert consensus, described in how we rank. More at the DIY plumbing hub.

How to Stop a Leaky Faucet — Cartridge Replacement for Beginners

Step 1: Identify your faucet type

The repair depends entirely on the mechanism inside:

Cartridge — a single handle (or two) with a smooth lift/turn action and a straight cylindrical cartridge inside. Most common today.
Ceramic disc — a single handle over a wide cylinder; very durable, rarely drips, but the seals or the cartridge can wear.
Ball — a single handle over a rounded cap, common on older kitchen faucets. Leaks from worn springs and rubber seats.
Compression — two handles you tighten firmly to shut off. The oldest type; the culprit is the rubber seat washer.

Over-the-shoulder view of a person's hands tightening a fitting under a kitchen sink with a wrench, in soft early-morning light

Tools and materials

The correct repair kit or cartridge for your faucet's brand — take the old part to the store to match it exactly.
Allen wrenches (for the handle setscrew), a Phillips screwdriver, adjustable pliers, and a cartridge-puller if the cartridge is stuck.
Plumber's grease for O-rings, white vinegar for descaling, a rag, and a small container for parts.
Basic hand tools — see best plumbing tools.

Step 2: Shut off the water and remove the handle

Close both shutoff valves under the sink, open the faucet to drain it, and close the drain stopper so a dropped screw cannot escape. Pry off the decorative cap on the handle to expose the setscrew, back it out with the right Allen key or screwdriver, and lift the handle off. Under it you will find a retaining nut or clip.

Low-angle view of a person's hands tightening a fitting under a kitchen sink with a wrench, in soft overcast light

Step 3: Replace the worn parts

For a cartridge faucet, remove the retaining clip or nut with pliers, then pull the cartridge straight up (a cartridge puller helps if it is scaled in). Note its orientation — many are keyed, and installing one a half-turn off reverses hot and cold or causes a drip. Slide the new cartridge in the same way, lubricating its O-rings with plumber's grease. For a compression faucet, unscrew the stem, remove the brass screw at the bottom holding the seat washer, and replace the washer (and the O-ring on the stem); if the drip persists, the brass valve seat is pitted — dress or replace it with a seat wrench. For a ball faucet, replace the springs, rubber seats, cam and ball from the brand's repair kit.

Step 4: Reassemble and test

Reinstall the retaining nut or clip, seat the handle, and tighten the setscrew. Open the shutoff valves slowly — a sudden surge can dislodge a fresh O-ring. Run both hot and cold, check that the drip is gone, and confirm hot and cold are on the correct sides. Feel under the sink for any weeping at the base. If it still drips from the spout, the valve seat or an O-ring is the remaining suspect.

Wide environmental view of a person's hands tightening a fitting under a kitchen sink with a wrench, in soft overcast light

Common mistakes

Not shutting off the water first. The one step that soaks the cabinet if skipped.
Buying a generic cartridge instead of matching the exact brand and model.
Installing a keyed cartridge misaligned, reversing hot and cold or leaving a drip.
Ignoring a pitted valve seat on a compression faucet and blaming the new washer.
Turning the water back on fast and blowing out the new seal.

When to call a plumber

This is squarely DIY, but call a plumber if a shutoff valve will not close or is corroded, if the faucet body itself is cracked, or if you have replaced every internal part and it still leaks — a sign the valve seat or body is beyond repair and the faucet should be replaced. There is no permit involved in a faucet repair. If parts are no longer made for your model, a full faucet replacement is often the better value.

Related: how to replace a kitchen faucet, how to replace a bathroom faucet, and what psi home water pressure should be — high pressure shortens the life of every washer and O-ring in the house.

How to Fix a Leaky Faucet