Faucet Repair in Hyattsville, MD

Symptoms worth a call

• A spout that drips even with the handle cranked shut
• Water leaking from beneath a handle when the faucet runs
• Handles that spin loosely or need real force
• Thin, uneven flow at one fixture
• Green or white crust on valves and connections under the sink
• A soft or stained cabinet floor

Older homes, older fixtures

Hyattsville's National Register historic district holds Victorians from the late 1880s alongside interwar Sears kit houses and Arts and Crafts bungalows. Plenty of those homes have been updated over the years, but it is still common to find a two-handle faucet with rubber washers, a clawfoot tub filler, or a laundry sink faucet that has not been serviced in decades. Compression faucets like these are usually repairable: new washers, a dressed or replaced seat and fresh packing will stop most drips.

What complicates the job in an older house is often behind the faucet. Shutoff valves may be missing, frozen or leaking at the stem, and some homes still have older steel supply pipe. A plumber may recommend replacing the stops and supply lines while the faucet is apart so there is a dependable way to shut off water next time.

WSSC Water supplies Hyattsville, using free chlorine as the disinfectant and ultraviolet treatment at its filtration plants. WSSC says it has removed all known lead pipes from its distribution system and publishes a service line inventory map, and it is identifying service line materials on private property too. A faucet from many decades ago may contain leaded brass, so replacing a very old fixture is reasonable. Plumbing permits in the county come from WSSC Water Permit Services, and the City of Hyattsville does not issue its own.

What changes the cost

• Repairable or not. A washer and seat job differs a lot from installing a new faucet.
• Finding parts. Stems for vintage faucets may need to be matched or ordered.
• Valves. Missing or seized stops often need to be added or replaced.
• Old pipe. Corroded steel nipples can break when disturbed and need replacing.
• Fixture type. Tub fillers and wall-mounted faucets take more time than a deck-mounted sink faucet.

When you are connected

This line is a referral service that connects you with an independent plumber in Hyattsville; it is not a plumbing company. Tell the plumber the home's approximate age, the faucet style and where water shows up. A photo of the valves under the sink is especially useful in older homes.