If your sink or tub faucet has recently started to drip, you might be having a hard time thinking about anything else. The sound of falling water plunking in the sink might be all you can hear— but if it has been going on for a while – you might have tuned it out and even stopped hearing that little plink! of dripping water.
A leaky faucet can be easy to ignore—after a while, it might just fade into the background noise of the other little noises that happen in your home. But a dripping faucet isn’t as neutral as the hum of AC or heating—in fact, you can be setting yourself up for issues down the road if you wait till you stop hearing the noise to deal with it. Here, we’ll break down the top 3 reasons why it’s important to quickly deal with a leaky faucet—and let you know how The Tub Pros can help you throughout Memphis and the greater mid-south area.
Top 3 reasons to quickly fix your leaky faucet are as follows:
- A Leaking Faucet Can Be a Sign of a Bigger Problem
When your faucet starts to drip, it can be a sign of a simple issue—or it can be an indication of a much bigger problem, and one that will only get bigger and more expensive if you wait. While often you might only need to replace the washers or gaskets in the faucet itself, a weakening of these parts isn’t the only thing that can make the faucet begin to drip.
One cause might be that your water pressure is too high—that’s often the case if the faucet only drips at certain hours, like at night, when not many appliances that use water are in heavy use. This can be adjusted easily—but if left alone, might mean that those small leaks in the faucet turn into leaks in the pipes. This is a bigger problem—and one you could avoid by having a plumber adjust your water pressure to accommodate the size of your plumbing and pipes.
Another possible cause? A cracked or weakening pipe in your water line. This can be an even bigger problem than any annoying noise—it might be a sign that water is leaking into your walls, floor, or foundation. So while that dripping faucet often seems like a minor problem, it’s better to check it out early, rather than waiting and letting the problems multiply behind the scenes.
- Your Wallet Might Take a Hit – And So Might the Environment
A small problem turning into a big one can cost you a lot in the long term—plumbing work, or work to repair damage done by your pipes, can be expensive. But that’s not the only cost associated with a leaking faucet. A long-term drip can wear out your faucet, which means you will need to replace it sooner than expected.
And all that extra water can add up quickly in your water bill. While it will depend on how you’re billed for water, and how much water is leaking, you can end up paying an extra $240 a year—and that’s at the low end. Depending on how fast your water is dripping, that price tag could skyrocket to $720 a year in extra dollars and wasted water, tagged onto your bill.
And the environmental cost can be an important consideration, too. While it depends on the faucet, you might be losing a liter of water a day. That might not seem like a lot, but keep in mind that the average American family wastes 180 gallons of water a week from leaks—that’s 900 billion gallons wasted from leaks nationwide in a year. A liter of water wasted from a leaky faucet adds up quickly. It’s an enormous burden on the environment and an unforgivable waste of natural resources.
- Dripping Causes Damage to Your Fixtures
Faucets aren’t designed to have water dripping through them constantly, and sinks and tubs—and the surrounding areas—aren’t designed for standing or constantly dripping water, either. In a metal sink, you might start to see a buildup of rust—which, in addition to being unsightly, can eat away at your sink, and even begin to clog and wear away at your pipes.
But that’s not all—you might start to see mold or mildew grow. These fungi love wet conditions, and a constant bit of water in a sink or dripping outside near the exterior of your home can be a perfect environment for mold. This can begin to pose a health hazard for your family—something that can become an even bigger problem if an underlying issue means that there’s water leaking in your wall or floor or outside in your foundation or siding. This can mean the growth of mold that you can’t see—and it will often be an expensive process to get rid of it.
Besides rust, you might see mold or mildew stains in your fixtures. And if water finds its way into tiny cracks and fissures in your sink or tub, you might also start to see cracks or chips start to form in the fixture—which can set you up for more damage and the cost of repair and replacement down the road.
Where can I find counter and sink reglazing near me?
If a leaky faucet has left you with damage to a surface—like rust spots, mildew stains, or even sink or bathtub cracks—or damage to surrounding countertop areas, we’re here to help! At The Tub Pros, our professionals can help with these issues and more, and can work on a variety of surfaces, all while using high-quality materials and equipment that keep your home and family safe.
Wondering how long does bathtub reglazing last? That’s an important consideration – when refinishing a fixture, you don’t want to have to do it again shortly after. The good news is that with proper care, sink or bathtub crack repair and reglazing will last for years – often as long as the tub or sink will.
Our pros know how to get the job done right—and our written warranty means we also give you peace of mind. When you’re looking for sink refinishing Memphis, the Greater Mid-South area of Memphis & Jackson TN, Jonesboro & Little Rock AR, and Northern Mississippi relies on The Tub Pros. Give us a call at (901) 871-8827 or use our online form to let us know about your project and the jobs you need done and we will quickly get back with you with an estimate.
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