The valve that will not close
The call plumbers hear most often about fixtures is not a drip. It is a shutoff valve under a sink or behind a toilet that has seized open, or that spins freely on its stem and no longer stops anything. Without a working valve, every other repair on that fixture needs the entire house turned off.
Old multi-turn valves and quarter-turn ball valves fail differently. Multi-turn valves wear their rubber washer or crust over with minerals, while a ball valve usually fails when it has sat unused so long that the handle snaps or the ball scores. We replace the valve itself and, if the line is stiff or corroded, the supply line with it.
If a valve drips at the stem when you turn it, do not keep tightening the packing nut. Over-tightening splits the old washer and can turn a drip into a spray.
Supply line burst: what to do while you wait
A burst braided line under a sink can move a lot of water quickly. Work through these steps.
- Close the valve under the fixture. If it will not turn, go straight to the main shutoff where the water line enters the house.
- Open the lowest faucet in the house to drain pressure from the pipes and slow the flow.
- Turn off power to anything wet or near the spray. Do not touch outlets or appliances while standing in water.
- Move stored items out of the cabinet and put a bucket or towels under the leak.
- Photograph the damage for your records before you start mopping, then call (317) 740-1302.
Which fixture, which repair
Fixtures fail in predictable ways. This table is what a plumber is working from when you describe the problem.
| What you see | What is wrong | Repair |
|---|---|---|
| Drip from the spout | Worn cartridge or seat | Replace cartridge or washer |
| Water at the handle base | O-ring or packing failure | New seals or cartridge |
| Shower runs after shutoff | Worn shower cartridge | Replace cartridge |
| Tub spout dribbles when showering | Diverter worn out | New diverter or spout |
| Weak flow from one faucet | Clogged aerator or cartridge | Clean or replace |
| Hot and cold mix wrongly | Pressure-balance valve fault | Replace valve |
Fixture by fixture
Each kind of fixture has its own weak points.
Sink faucets
Single-handle faucets use a cartridge, and the cartridge is what wears. Two-handle faucets use stem assemblies with washers or ceramic discs.
A replacement fixture only makes sense when the body is corroded, the finish is failing, or parts are no longer made. Otherwise a cartridge swap restores it.
Shower valves and showerheads
A shower valve sits inside the wall, so a failing cartridge or valve body is a plumbing repair, not a handle swap. Temperature swings, a handle that is hard to turn, and drips from the head after shutoff all point to the cartridge.
A showerhead that sprays sideways or runs weak is usually a mineral-clogged head, which is a cleaning or replacement job.
Tub spouts and drains
A tub spout leaks at the wall when the connection loosens or the pipe nipple behind it corrodes. A spout that lets water out while the shower is on has a worn diverter.
A tub that drains slowly is usually hair and soap built up in the trap and stopper mechanism, cleared with a snake or by removing the stopper.
Hose bibs and outdoor faucets
A hose bib that drips behind the handle needs a new stem washer. One that leaks inside the wall when the hose is attached may have frozen and cracked.
Disconnecting hoses in autumn and closing the interior shutoff before a hard freeze prevents the split.
Slow tub and shower drains
A shower that fills the pan before it empties is common and it is rarely a faucet problem. Hair wraps around the stopper or the drain strainer, then catches soap scum further down the trap until the line narrows.
We pull the stopper and clear what we can reach, then run a small drain machine through the trap. If several fixtures slow together, the clog is farther down, and the answer is on our drain cleaning page.
Supply line spraying or a valve that spins and does nothing? Call (317) 740-1302 now.
☎ Call (317) 740-1302Cartridges are the part that wears
Nearly every modern single-handle faucet and shower valve is built around a replaceable cartridge. When it wears, water finds a path around its seals, and the symptom is a drip, a leak at the handle, or a shower that will not turn fully off.
The right cartridge depends on brand and model, so we identify the fixture before ordering. Guessing a part from a photo is how people end up with two returned cartridges and a faucet still dripping.
Hard water and fixtures in Avon
Citizens Water reports system-wide hardness averaging about 19 grains per gallon, and it varies by treatment plant, so ask Citizens for the figure at your address. Water at that level leaves white scale on aerators, spout screens and cartridge seals.
If a faucet needs a cartridge every few years, or showerheads clog quickly, mineral scale is the likely cause. Our water softener installation page covers when treating the water makes more sense than replacing parts again.
Repair, replace the fixture, or replace the valve
The cheapest repair is not always the right one. Use these rules.
| Condition | Better route | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Fixture is sound, one part worn | Repair | Cartridge or washer restores it |
| Body pitted, finish flaking | Replace fixture | Seals cannot hold on bad metal |
| Parts discontinued | Replace fixture | No source for the right cartridge |
| Valve behind the wall is failing | Replace valve | Handle trim is not the problem |
| Shutoff valve seized or drips | Replace shutoff | Restores local control of water |
What affects the price of a faucet or valve repair
You get a clear price before work starts. These factors decide it.
Part or whole fixture
A cartridge or washer is a small repair. A new fixture adds the product itself and removal of the old one.
Where the valve sits
A shower valve inside a wall may need access through tile or from the back side, which adds labor.
Condition of the shutoffs
If the shutoff valve under the fixture will not close, it is replaced first so the work can proceed.
Supply line and connections
Corroded or stiff lines are renewed at the same visit, which adds parts.
Time of the call
After-hours work for an active leak is priced differently from a planned weekday repair.
Homeowners policies typically respond to sudden and accidental water damage, such as a burst supply line, and typically exclude wear, gradual drips and the failed part itself, so ask your carrier how a claim would be treated.
Call (317) 740-1302 for the real number on your fixture.
Pipe-level problems behind a fixture
Sometimes a leak at a faucet is the visible end of something larger. If water appears at the wall behind a tub spout, or the supply pipe itself is split or pinholed, the repair belongs on burst pipe repair, not a fixture swap.
A low-flow or hissing faucet can also signal a pressure problem in the house, and our plumbing installation page covers pressure testing and regulator work.
Codes, licensing and 811
Plumbing work in Indiana follows the state plumbing code (675 IAC 16), and the Indiana Plumbing Commission licenses plumbing contractors and journeyman plumbers. You can check any plumber through the license lookup at mylicense.in.gov before work starts, and you should call 811 before any digging.
Codes and standards decide what is allowed on a given job, so ask which ones apply to yours.
Faucet, valve and shower questions
Yes. The line at (317) 740-1302 is answered 24/7, and same-day appointments are available when the schedule allows. A burst supply line or a valve that will not close is treated as active water, so say that first.
Shut off the main water valve while you wait if you cannot close the fixture valve.
No. A stuck valve that breaks while you force it leaves a fixture with no water control. Try turning it gently both ways, and if it will not move, close the main and call.
Valves that haven't moved in years often leak the moment they are used, which is why we replace them rather than cycle them.
Yes. A faucet dripping once a second wastes thousands of gallons across a year, and the worn seat usually gets worse.
The fix is normally a cartridge or washer, and it is a small job compared with replacing a damaged valve seat later.
We can find it, which is the first step. A shower valve or pipe inside a wall may be reached from the back side or by opening a small section of tile.
We explain what access is needed before work starts so there are no surprises.
Kitchen, bathroom, tub and shower fixtures, plus laundry and outdoor faucets. We do not repair every brand's proprietary parts, and sometimes the honest answer is that the fixture should be replaced.
It can. Citizens Water reports system-wide hardness averaging about 19 grains per gallon and it varies by plant, so ask Citizens for the figure at your address.
Scale on aerators and cartridges is the typical result, and a vinegar soak on removable parts helps between repairs.
Yes. We serve Avon and nearby towns, including Danville to the west along US 36. Call (317) 740-1302 with your address.