Faucet & Sink Repair in Columbia, SC
Most drips come from a worn washer, O-ring or cartridge that costs a few dollars, and most under-sink puddles come from a loose nut or a tired supply hose.
- Drips and leaks
- Under-sink repairs
- Faucet replacement
Match the faucet to the fix
The internal design of the faucet decides the repair.
| Faucet type | How to tell | Common fix |
|---|---|---|
| Compression (two handles) | Handles turn several times | Replace washers and seats |
| Cartridge | Single lever or two handles that turn a quarter | Replace the cartridge |
| Ball | Single handle over a rounded cap | Replace seats, springs and O-rings |
| Ceramic disc | Single handle with smooth motion | Replace the disc cartridge |
Leaks under the sink: find the source first
Dry the area, put a paper towel on the cabinet floor, and check these in order.
- The supply lines. Braided hoses and their nuts can loosen or burst.
- The shutoff valves. Old valves drip at the stem and often fail when turned.
- The P-trap. Slip nuts loosen and seals crack.
- The sink drain and basket. Putty and gaskets dry out.
- The faucet base. Water running down the underside points to a failed cartridge or O-ring.
Leak under the sink?
Close the small valves under the sink and call.
Low flow at the tap
The aerator at the tip of the spout catches debris. After plumbing work or a main disturbance, sediment can clog it. Unscrew it, rinse it and reinstall it before assuming a bigger problem.
If every faucet has weak flow, the cause is elsewhere. A failing pressure regulator or a corroded supply line is more likely, and repiping or water line repair may be the real answer.
Old shutoffs and old pipe in older houses
Homes in Forest Acres and the older blocks of West Columbia often have original shutoff valves and galvanized stubs. A valve that has not moved in thirty years can fail when turned. A good technician replaces it during the faucet job, so you are not left with a leak at the wall.
Replacing a faucet: what to know
Measure the sink holes, one, two or three, before shopping. A faucet that uses fewer holes than the sink needs a deck plate. Choose solid-brass bodies where you can, and avoid plastic internals.
Columbia Water is soft, so mineral buildup on spouts is mild for city customers. Rubber parts are the ones to watch, which is why chloramine-resistant seals are worth asking for.
Choosing a replacement faucet
Federal rules cap most faucets at 2.2 gallons per minute, and WaterSense bathroom faucets use 1.5. A lower flow saves water and usually does not feel weaker. Look for a solid brass body and a ceramic-disc or cartridge valve, which hold up better than plastic parts. The International Plumbing Code (IPC) calls for shutoff valves on most fixture supplies, so ask for new stops if yours are old.
Check the finish too. Brushed and matte finishes hide spots, while polished chrome shows every mark. Match the finish across the room if you can.
Hot side or cold side: reading the drip
A drip from the spout that stops when you close the hot valve points to the hot-side seat or cartridge. A leak at the handle usually means a worn O-ring or packing. A faucet that drips only when the handle is in one position is often a worn cartridge. Describing the pattern when you call helps a technician bring the right part.
Kitchen faucet features that are worth paying for
A pull-down sprayer saves more time than any other feature in a kitchen, because it rinses a sink corner or fills a tall pot without moving it. A spout that swings reaches both bowls of a double sink. Touch controls sound modern, but they rely on batteries and sensors that fail before the valve does.
Skip designs with long, thin cartridges that are hard to find. Before you buy, check that the maker still sells the cartridge, because a faucet you cannot repair becomes a faucet you replace.
Old valves in older Columbia neighborhoods
Older homes in Forest Acres and the Five Points area of Richland County can still have original shutoff valves, and a seized valve is what turns a quick cartridge swap into a longer job. Columbia Water is soft, so mineral buildup is mild, and Lexington County wells are the exception worth testing.
Faucet and sink calls from Elmwood Park to Lake Carolina
Pedestal sinks, cast iron tubs and old compression faucets are part of the charm in Elmwood Park's early 1900s houses, and they have their own repair parts. A drip there may need a stem and seat set instead of a cartridge.
Newer homes around Lake Carolina and Blythewood usually have single-handle cartridge faucets, where a cartridge or a supply line is the usual repair.
What changes the price of faucet and sink work
A cartridge is cheap. A rotted cabinet and a corroded valve are not.
A sudden supply line burst may be covered by insurance. A slow drip generally is not.
Want your real number? Call (844) 981-1691 and mention repair or replacement and shutoff valve condition.
Jobs that often follow a sink repair
A sink that backs up belongs to drain cleaning. A kitchen sink that smells or jams may be a garbage disposal problem.
Faucet and sink questions
Close the valves under the sink and replace the worn washer, cartridge or O-ring inside the faucet.
The aerator is usually clogged. Unscrew and rinse it.
If the body is solid brass and the part costs little, yes. A corroded or plastic body is better replaced.
Yes, and we usually recommend it on older sinks.