That steady drip is more than annoying — it wastes water and signals a worn part that won't fix itself. Here's what causes a dripping faucet and how it's repaired.
Written bySteven Lockhart·Reviewed byMiguel Lopez, Owner & Licensed Plumber (CSLB #974600)·Last reviewedJune 2026 · 4 min read
Quick Answer
A dripping faucet fix targets the worn part causing the leak — most often a washer, O-ring, or cartridge inside the faucet that no longer seals. The drip wastes water steadily and tends to worsen, and high water pressure can accelerate the wear. Replacing the worn internal part usually solves it; a corroded or old faucet may be better replaced. This is part of our complete guide to faucet repair in West Los Angeles.
Knowing how to stop a dripping faucet starts with the cause. Inside every faucet, parts that seal the water flow — a rubber washer in older compression faucets, O-rings, or a cartridge in modern single-handle faucets — wear out over time and stop sealing, so water seeps through and drips. Mineral buildup from hard water and high pressure speed that wear. Replacing the worn part restores the seal. The EPA notes household leaks like dripping faucets add up to significant wasted water. This guide is part of our complete resource on faucet repair in West Los Angeles.
A dripping faucet is a faucet that leaks because an internal sealing part — a washer, O-ring, or cartridge — has worn out, letting water seep through even when the faucet is off.
When a faucet drips constantly, the cause is a worn internal part — and searching “leaky faucet repair near me” gets you a fix. The table maps the symptom to the likely part.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Drip from the spout | Worn washer / cartridge | Replace the part |
| Leak at the base | Worn O-ring | Replace O-ring |
| Drip worsens over time | Continued wear / scale | Replace part; check pressure |
| Old, corroded faucet | Beyond worthwhile repair | Consider replacement |
Faucet leak repair in Los Angeles often comes with a hard-water angle: the area’s mineral-rich water accelerates wear on washers, O-rings, and cartridges and can leave scale that makes a faucet stiff or drippy. We identify your faucet type (compression, cartridge, ball, or ceramic-disc), replace the worn parts, and clear any scale — and if the faucet is old, corroded, or a cheap unit that will just fail again, we’ll tell you honestly that a replacement is the better value. Either way, we stop the drip and the water waste.
A homeowner has a bathroom faucet that drips constantly and has gotten worse over months.
New Pro identifies a cartridge faucet with a worn cartridge (and some scale), and replaces the cartridge.
The drip stops, the faucet feels smooth again, and the steady water waste ends — a small part instead of a new faucet.
The Bottom Line
A dripping faucet is a worn internal part wasting water, and it only gets worse — usually a cheap washer, O-ring, or cartridge fixes it. We diagnose the faucet type, replace what’s worn, and tell you when a new faucet is the smarter spend. Call any time. More on our faucet repair page.
Because an internal sealing part — a washer, O-ring, or cartridge — has worn out and no longer seals, so water seeps through even when the faucet is off. Hard-water scale and high pressure speed that wear. Replacing the worn part usually stops the drip.
Sometimes — replacing a washer or cartridge is a common DIY repair if you can identify the faucet type and part. If the faucet is seized with scale, you can’t find the right part, or the leak persists, we can handle it and check for related issues.
Yes — the EPA notes household leaks like dripping faucets add up to significant wasted water over time. A steady drip also tends to worsen, so fixing it promptly saves water and prevents a bigger leak.
Because the worn part keeps degrading and scale continues to build, so the seal only gets worse. High water pressure accelerates it. Replacing the part — and addressing high pressure if present — stops the progression.
A drip on a sound faucet is usually a cheap part — repair it. Replacement makes sense for an old, corroded, or low-quality faucet that will keep failing. We give you the honest comparison.
It contributes — LA’s hard water accelerates wear on internal parts and leaves scale that makes faucets stiff or drippy. Replacing the worn parts and, for whole-home protection, softening the water both help.
Written by the New Pro Plumbing content team and reviewed for technical accuracy by Miguel Lopez, owner and California-licensed plumber (CSLB #974600). Pipe lifespans are presented as typical ranges, not guarantees, and any pricing is confirmed in writing before work begins.
What's new: June 2026 — first publication.
We fix drips fast and tell you honestly when a new faucet beats another repair — flat-rate. Call any time.
