Telltale Signs You Need a New Plumbing Faucet

There are several plumbing fixtures we use virtually every day in our homes, and a good example is the various faucets found throughout your space. Faucets may wear down after many years of use, however, and being able to recognize the signs that you might need a new one in a given area of the home is a valuable trait for a homeowner.

At My Buddy the Plumber, we’re happy to help with a huge range of plumbing services, from drain cleaning and sewer line maintenance to numerous themes involving basic repairs or replacements to your primary components. What are the most common and telltale signs that it’s time for a new faucet in one or more locations within your home? Here’s a general primer.

Simple Age

In many cases, there won’t actually be specific visual cues that it’s time to replace a faucet in your home. Rather, you’ll know you’re getting close to replacement time simply based on the age of the fixture in question, and if your faucet is more than a decade old, there’s a good chance it’s worn down to an extent that replacement makes sense.

You see, when faucets get up above 10 years of age — especially faucets you use regularly in the most common areas of the home, such as the kitchen sink — they’re likely to develop common problems. These include leaking, stuck handles and spouts, low water pressure and poor temperature regulation, all of which can indicate that you need to call in a professional for replacement or repairs soon.

Visible Mineral Deposits

If you’ve begun to notice visible mineral deposits on your faucet, or even all over the areas around it, you might have hard water. While there are ways to manage this issue — more frequent cleaning of bathroom surfaces is a big solution — it’s also an indicator that you might need a new faucet soon.

This water is very high in minerals like iron, calcium and magnesium, which erode the metal used to make fixtures over time. Eventually, this can lead to diminished functionality with your faucet — or, worse, leaks appearing underneath the surface of the fixture. If you notice mineral deposits at all around your faucets, now is a great time for replacement.

Now, you can also help stave off this issue by regularly cleaning your faucets, but this is a bandage that will need to be replaced within several years at most. It’s time for replacement when you notice the warning signs detailed here, and good news — My Buddy the Plumber can help!

Major Leaks Despite Repair Attempts

In some cases, a leaky faucet can be repaired using relatively simple methods, such as replacing the gasket inside the fixture or adjusting how it’s oriented in its area of installation. However, there are some cases where no amount of repair works — even over an extended period of time — and this is a telltale sign that major replacement is necessary.

If you’ve repaired your faucet countless times but still can’t stop it from leaking, this is the biggest sign yet that you probably need a new one. This can be due to faulty installation or components, but either way, replacement will be required for continued functionality and peace of mind at home.

Now, if your faucet appears to be sinking in its base — even when it’s brand new — this also isn’t a problem that can be fixed with DIY repairs. Replacement is the only way to address a sinking faucet, and replacement is needed as soon as you notice it.

Major Rust Issues

In other situations, you may notice major rust issues with your faucet, even if you keep it clean regularly. If this is the case, you might need a new one very soon.

Rust occurs over time when water mixes with minerals in the air or other water sources. This can be exacerbated by hard water, as noted above, but age also contributes to rust formation palpably.

The biggest issue with rust in the faucet area: If you’re seeing it in visible spots, it’s likely built up in even greater quantities underneath the surface of your fixture. This can lead to leaks and major functional problems with your faucet, so replacement is truly necessary as soon as you notice significant rust formation.

Faucet Not Functioning Properly

There are also a few reasons a faucet might begin to malfunction, including low water flow or issues with temperature regulation. If you notice that your faucet is regulating the amount of water coming out at a slower rate, this could be because its aerator has become clogged up over time. Debris, minerals and other elements can build up in here, leading to reduced functionality — so cleaning it out regularly will help stave off this issue.

In other cases, a faulty cartridge can lead to reduced functionality of a faucet. This is a major component that regulates the volume and temperature of water coming out of your fixture, so issues here indicate immediate replacement is necessary for continued functionality at home.

Now, if you notice issues with how hot or cold your faucet’s water is, this can be due to a faulty valve inside. When these become worn out or fail for other reasons, replacement is the only way to address the problem and ensure that you’re receiving the proper amounts of both hot and cold water at home.

For more on the telltale signs it might be time for a new faucet, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the pros at My Buddy the Plumber today.