A faucet or valve that will not shut off
Find the oval or round handle on the supply line under the sink and turn it clockwise. If it spins without stopping the water or the handle is crusted solid, go to the main shutoff, usually where the water line enters your basement. Cleveland Water notes that this valve is typically found where the line comes in from the street.
Once the flow stops, open the faucet to drain what is left in the line and put a bucket under any dripping joint. Photos of the leak help us bring the right cartridge, seat, or valve. If water is coming through a ceiling or wall, leave the main off and tell the dispatcher right away.
A drip, a spray, or a flood: how urgent is it?
Can wait for a daytime visit
- A slow drip from the spout that stops when you shut the handle hard
- A loose handle that still shuts the water off
- Low flow from a clogged aerator
- A weeping stop valve that a towel can catch
Call us now
- Water spraying from the base or handle
- A tub or shower valve that will not close
- Water inside a cabinet, wall, or ceiling
- A supply line that has burst or pulled loose
Not sure which column you are in?
Tell the dispatcher how fast the water moves and whether a shutoff holds. If it is in doubt, we treat it as urgent and offer the earliest slot.
What is usually behind a leaking fixture
A worn cartridge or washer
This is the classic drip at the spout. The part wears from use and mineral scale, and replacing it often restores the fixture.
Cracked or dried O-rings
Leaks around the handle or at the base of a swivel spout come from these small rings. They cost little and take little time.
Pitted valve seats
Scale eats the seat that the washer presses against. A seat that is badly pitted can keep a faucet dripping after a new washer.
A failing supply line
Braided lines age and kink. A line that sweats, bulges, or rusts at the fitting should be replaced, not tightened again.
A stuck or leaking stop valve
Old shutoffs corrode and then will not close when you need them most. Replacing one now saves a mess later.
Repair the faucet or put in a new one
| Condition | Better path | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Drip from the spout, newer faucet | Repair | Cartridges and seals are available and cheap |
| Corroded body or cracked spout | Replace | Parts will not fix a damaged casting |
| Discontinued model, no cartridge | Replace | Waiting on parts costs more than a new fixture |
| Low flow, clean lines | Clean aerator or cartridge | Mineral blockage is common and fixable |
| Constant repairs on an old faucet | Replace | A fresh fixture ends the repeat visits |
If you already own a replacement faucet, we install it. We can also suggest what to look for before you buy one.
Tubs, showers, and outdoor spigots
Bathtub and shower valves hide behind tile, so a leak there can run for weeks before a stain shows up. Water on the ceiling below or soft drywall near the tub is a reason to call the same day. If the drip persists after we replace a cartridge, we move to leak detection to find where the water is really traveling.
Outdoor hose bibs are another winter risk. Northern Ohio frost reaches roughly 3 to 3.5 feet, according to Cleveland Water, and a hose left attached can freeze the pipe behind the spigot. If a spigot sprays inside the wall after a thaw, shut the main and call, because that can quickly become burst pipe repair.
What decides the price of a fixture repair
Homeowners policies usually cover sudden, accidental water damage but not wear, neglect, or the failed part itself. A faucet that burst a supply line may qualify, a faucet that simply wore out will not. Check your policy.
Hard water and permits on Solon fixtures
Cleveland Water, which serves Solon, says its water is about 7 grains per gallon, roughly 120 mg/L as calcium carbonate. Scale builds in aerators, cartridges, and valve seats, so a faucet in Solon can lose pressure long before it leaks. Test your tap or ask your water utility if you are weighing a softener.
The city's Required Residential Permits Guide says replacing fixtures needs no permit, but new plumbing lines do. If a faucet swap turns into moving a sink, that becomes plumbing installation work, so call the Solon Building Department first.
While you wait for the plumber
- ✓Close the local valve.Turn the stop valve under the fixture clockwise. If it will not move, use the main.
- ✓Do not force old handles.Cracked stems can snap and make the leak worse.
- ✓Protect the cabinet.Empty the space below and set a towel and a bucket in place.
- ✓Note the make if you can see it.A brand name or model number on the base helps us bring parts.
Faucet and fixture questions in Solon
Yes. A fixture that sprays, will not shut off, or is sending water into a wall gets a same-day or after-hours visit, and the dispatch line is the same one daytime callers use. Tell us whether the shutoff holds so we know how fast to move.
The seal inside is worn, scaled, or pitted. Cranking harder only wears it faster. A new cartridge or seat usually ends it.
Yes. We install the fixture you provide with new supply lines if needed. If the shutoffs are stuck or the sink holes do not match, we tell you before starting.
It can be. If water stains the ceiling below or the wall feels soft, call the same day. A steady spout drip is less urgent but still wastes water.
Remove hoses before the first hard freeze and close the inside shutoff to the spigot if your home has one. Frost-proof spigots still fail if a hose holds water in them.
Yes. We tell you what we found, what we recommend, and the clear price before work starts. Nothing extra is added without your approval.
Sources and standards behind this page
Local facts and rules on this page come from these public sources. Check the current version before relying on a permit or code detail.