A faucet or valve that will not shut off, first things first
Before anything else, find the closest shutoff and turn it clockwise. Which one depends on where the water is coming from.
Spray from the faucet body
Close the two angle stops under the sink. They are the small oval or round handles on the supply lines, and a quarter turn is often enough.
Stops that will not turn
If an angle stop spins freely or is frozen with mineral deposits, go to the main water valve, usually where the line enters the house. Do not force a seized stop.
Shower or tub valve running
There is rarely a stop behind the wall. Shut off the main valve and open a lower faucet to drain pressure while you wait.
Water on the ceiling below
Close the main, then call. A person answers 24/7, and a leaking wall valve is not a wait-until-morning problem.
Cartridge, washer or ball: what is inside your faucet
Almost every faucet drips for a reason that can be named. Compression faucets use a rubber washer that hardens and splits, while single-handle faucets rely on a cartridge or a ceramic disc that wears or clogs with grit.
That difference decides the repair. A washer takes minutes to swap, a cartridge takes a matching part, and a worn ball-type faucet may need the seats and springs replaced as well.
Which faucet type, which repair
| Faucet type | How it fails | Typical fix |
|---|---|---|
| Two-handle compression | Drips from the spout when closed, handle needs force | New washers and seats, new stem if the threads are worn |
| Single-handle cartridge | Drips, stiff handle, water temperature drifts | Replace the cartridge and O-rings |
| Ceramic disc | Slow drip, leaks around the base of the handle | Replace the disc cylinder and seals |
| Ball-type kitchen faucet | Leaks from under the handle and the spout swivel | Rebuild kit with ball, springs and seats |
| Pull-down kitchen faucet | Sprayer will not retract, weak flow | Clean the aerator, check the hose and weight, replace the hose if cracked |
| Tub and shower valve | Drip from the tub spout, handle will not stop flow | New cartridge or valve trim, wall opened only when the valve body failed |
Matching a replacement cartridge to an older faucet takes time when there is no brand name on it. We bring the common sizes and tell you if a part must be ordered.
Water running and the stop valve will not close?
Tell us where the water is coming from and which valve you have tried. We will find the earliest opening and confirm it by phone.
Leak under the sink: tracing it before we replace anything
A wet cabinet floor does not always mean the faucet. Water follows the lowest path, and the actual source can sit a foot away from the puddle.
- 1
Dry everything
Wipe the supply lines, the faucet shanks and the drain trap with a paper towel. A dry towel is the best leak detector in the house.
- 2
Run the water and watch
Turn on the cold, then the hot, with a flashlight and a fresh towel under each connection. Note which line drips and when.
- 3
Fill the sink and release
A leak that shows only when the basin drains comes from the trap, the strainer or the drain tailpiece. That is a drain fitting, not the faucet.
- 4
Check the spout base
Water under the faucet deck that appears only when the handle is on usually means a failed O-ring or a loose mounting nut.
Repair or replace: a quick rule
If the fixture is under ten years old and the leak is at a seal, a repair usually makes sense. If the finish is pitted, the body is corroded or parts are no longer sold, a new faucet costs less than repeated visits. We say which side of that line yours falls on before starting.
Before we arrive for a faucet or valve call
A few minutes of preparation saves time at the door.
- Clear the cabinet under the sink so the supply lines and stops are visible
- Note the faucet brand or model if it is stamped on the base
- Find the main water valve and make sure it turns
- Put a bucket under any drip and photograph the leak for your records
- Leave a replacement faucet unopened if you already bought one, so we can check the fit
Showers, tubs and the drain that goes with them
A showerhead that sprays sideways is usually mineral buildup in the nozzles. Soaking it in white vinegar for an hour often brings it back. A shower valve that drips for days is another story, because the cartridge behind the wall is worn and the hot side may be passing through unseen.
Tubs add a drain to the picture. If water pools around your ankles while the faucet runs fine, the cause is hair and soap in the trap, and our drain cleaning service clears it. If the tub faucet drips and the drain is slow at the same time, we deal with both in one visit.
Reading the water that reaches your faucets in Etna
Tap water for many township homes is supplied by the Licking Regional Water District, which pumps groundwater at its York Road plant and nano-filters it to strip out calcium and magnesium. No hardness figure is published, so we do not guess. If a spout flow thins or white crust keeps returning on an aerator, test your tap instead of assuming the faucet is bad.
In 2025 the district's lead and copper sampling stayed below the action levels, and it reports no lead service lines. That says nothing about one particular house, so if your plumbing is original and you want a closer look at old fittings, we can talk it through. Homes on a private well can differ from the public supply, and the county health department regulates wells. Neighbors in Pataskala draw from the same district.
Frequently asked questions
Nights and weekends are covered, because a person answers the line at every hour. If water is flowing and you cannot stop it, close the main water valve, open the lowest faucet to relieve pressure and keep people off any wet floor near outlets. After that we book the earliest visit and say what to expect.
Dry every connection with a paper towel, run the water and watch where a bead first forms. A drip at the nut means a loose or worn supply line, water around the base of the faucet points to the faucet itself, and water that appears only when the sink drains comes from the trap.
Repair makes sense for a newer faucet with a worn seal or cartridge. Replace it when the body is corroded, the finish is flaking or replacement parts are hard to find. We will give you both options when it is close, and you choose.
Close the main water valve and keep the shower faucet open to relieve pressure. A stuck shower valve is usually a failed cartridge, and the repair is simple if the trim comes off cleanly. If a wall needs to be opened, we explain where and why first.
A single weak faucet usually has a clogged aerator or a failing cartridge. If every hot tap is weak, look at the water heater instead. For a heater problem, see water heater repair.
Swapping a faucet for the same or a similar one in the same location is excluded from the county permit requirement. Moving a sink, adding a fixture or running new lines is not, and those jobs involve inspections. Plumbers working in the county must be registered. We tell you what applies before we start, so you do not need to call the health department first.