Dripping faucets can be nerve-wracking--and costly. Lucky for you there's a special meeting of the Fix-It Club being called on faucets right now.

How Does It Work?

Below the cartridge in a cartridge faucet are two O-rings that seal the water from entering the faucet when it isn't supposed to (dripping).

A faucet is a plumbing fixture for drawing water from a pipe. Household faucets use simple valves that control the flow of water. There are several types of valves--compression (sometimes called stem-and-seat), disk, ball, and cartridge are the most common. Outdoor faucets typically are compression or a long-stem compression design called a freezeless sillcock. Faucets also use different configurations of levers and handles to open and close the valves. That's why they look different.

Faucets are fed from below by hot- and cold-water supply lines. Shutoff valves in the lines can be turned off while you're working on a faucet.

To repair a faucet, you first need to know what kind of valve is inside. Start by identifying the brand and, if possible, the model. You can then take this information (or the removed faucet) to a plumbing supply store or home center for repair parts or kits. If you've kept the owner's manual for the faucet from the last time it was replaced, you'll have brand, model, and even parts information you need.

What Can Go Wrong?

Many new faucets are nearly maintenance free. The most common complaint about faucets is that that they drip or leak. Repair kits are available for most home faucets and they are relatively easy to install.

Fix-It Tip

Don't know what kind of valve a faucet has? Guess! If the faucet has two handles that rise when you turn the water on, it's probably a compression valve. If the handles lowers when you turn the water on, it's probably a reverse-compression faucet. If it has only one lever for both hot and cold water, chances are it's a cartridge type.