A drip that keeps you awake, a spray from the base of the handle, or a stream that will not shut off all call for faucet repair. Faucet repair means identifying the faucet design, replacing the worn internal part, and checking the shutoff valves and supply lines that feed it. Our licensed plumbers repair kitchen, bathroom, tub, shower and outdoor faucets across Neptune, and the 24/7 emergency line is open around the clock.
Many faucets are worth saving, since the body is solid brass and only a cartridge or seal has worn. Some are not, and we say which is which before you pay for parts.
Faucet dripping, spraying or no pressure?
A steady drip usually means a worn seat, seal or cartridge that no longer shuts the water off. Spray from the handle or base points to a failed O-ring or packing. Weak flow at one faucet is often a clogged aerator, while weak flow at every faucet is a different problem entirely.
The technical name for most of these repairs is cartridge, seat and seal replacement. We identify the faucet type, match the internal part, and test under pressure so the fix holds.
Handle snapped off and water still running?
Find the shutoff valve under the sink or behind the access panel and turn it clockwise to close. If no fixture valve works, close the main shutoff where the water service enters the house, often near the meter or in the basement. Keep clear of wet outlets and do not touch the electrical panel if there is standing water.
Then call (732) 466-1098. A stuck-open faucet can flood a floor quickly, and a broken shutoff valve is just as urgent. Photograph any damage for your insurer or landlord, and tell us the faucet type, if you know it.
Four faucet designs and how each one fails
The design tells us what is likely worn before we take it apart.
| Design | Typical failure | Usual fix | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compression | Drip from spout | New washer and seat | Older style with two handles. |
| Cartridge | Drip or stiff handle | New cartridge | Common in single-handle faucets. |
| Ball | Leak at base | Seats, springs, O-rings | Many small parts to match. |
| Ceramic disc | Slow drip | Disc cylinder | Durable, but scale scratches the discs. |
If a faucet is discontinued and parts are impossible to find, we recommend a new fixture. Our plumbing installation page covers fixture swaps.
Fixture past saving?
We can swap a faucet, sink or shower valve when repair no longer makes sense.
Showers and tubs: diverters and valves
Shower faucets hide their trouble inside the wall, so symptoms are the best clue.
Water from the tub spout while the shower runs
A worn diverter lets water take the wrong path. Spout diverters are a simple fix, while wall diverters need a cartridge.
Shower drips after shutoff
A worn cartridge or seat is likely. Dripping into the wall is a reason to act soon.
Temperature swings
A pressure-balancing cartridge may be clogged or worn. Other fixtures on the line can cause the same thing.
Handle stiff or loose
Mineral scale can grip the stem. Loose handles often have a stripped screw or worn cartridge.
Aerators, scale and the 72 to 140 ppm range
New Jersey American Water reports naturally occurring hardness of 72 to 140 ppm in its Coastal North system, about 4 to 8 grains per gallon. Your street may sit anywhere in that moderately hard to hard range. Minerals collect in aerators, on cartridges and around spouts.
The practical result is a reason to check the simplest part first. Unscrew the aerator, rinse out the grit, and soak it in vinegar if it is crusty. If the pressure returns, you saved a service call. If not, call us. We also clear scale from cartridges when we can, and replace them when we cannot.
Before we arrive
A few quick steps keep the damage small.
- Close the fixture shutoff valve or, if it fails, the main shutoff.
- Open the faucet to drain pressure from the line.
- Clear the cabinet under the sink so we can reach the valves.
- Place a towel and bucket under any drip, and keep children clear.
- Photograph the damage, and note the faucet brand if it is printed anywhere.
- Keep any parts that came off, such as handles or caps.
When the shutoff valve itself fails
Old angle stops and multi-turn valves seize or leak when turned, which is why they get ignored for years. If a valve will not close, or drips at the stem, the repair starts one step upstream.
We replace failed fixture valves with quarter-turn shutoffs and new supply lines. If the valve is on a section of pipe that cannot be isolated, we shut the main and handle the job from there. Our toilet repair work uses the same kind of valve at the wall.
Outdoor spigots: freezing and vacuum breakers
An outdoor spigot that leaks inside the wall when turned on may have a cracked body from freezing. A drip from the top of the handle can be a worn packing nut, and water coming out of a small vent on the side is usually a vacuum breaker doing its job.
Disconnect hoses before cold weather and close the interior shutoff to the line if one exists. A frozen spigot can burst without showing, so look for a wet wall when you turn it on in spring. About 29.5% of housing units in Belmar are vacant, many of them seasonal, so closing and draining outdoor lines before you leave for the winter pays off there and in Neptune City.
Repair or replace the whole faucet?
Repair makes sense when the body is sound and parts are available. Replace when the finish is peeling, the body is cracked, or the repair cost nears a new faucet. A new fixture also lets you upgrade to a lower-flow aerator or a better design. We tell you which way is cheaper before work starts.
What drives the cost of faucet repair
Faucet jobs look simple but vary a lot. These are the reasons.
If water damaged your cabinets or floor, document it and tell your insurer or landlord. We can provide an itemized invoice, and coverage is decided by your insurer.
Faucet Repair questions in Neptune, NJ
Yes. The 24/7 emergency line is open around the clock, so call (732) 466-1098 at any hour. Close the fixture shutoff or the main shutoff while you wait, and keep clear of wet electrical areas.
We give a clear price before work starts and do not promise an arrival time.
A worn washer, seat or cartridge no longer seals. Hard water speeds this up by scratching seals and discs. In Neptune the utility reports hardness of 72 to 140 ppm, so mineral wear is common.
A clogged aerator is the first suspect. If the aerator is clean, check the shutoff valve under the sink, since a partly closed or scaled valve restricts flow. Low pressure at every fixture is a different problem and may involve the main or the pressure reducing valve.
Usually yes. The cartridge or seat in the shower valve is worn. We shut the water off, remove the trim, and replace the cartridge or valve parts. If the valve body is damaged, access through the wall may be needed.
Repair of an existing faucet is rarely a permit question, but permit rules vary, so ask the Neptune Township construction office. A new fixture install is different. The township's 2018 fee schedule lists $27 per fixture or device. Confirm current fees with the office.
Check your lease and tell your landlord or property manager right away, with photos and the date you noticed it. Many leases make repairs the owner's job. We can provide a written finding if asked.
Close the interior shutoff for that line if there is one, or the main if not. Do not keep running it. We repair or replace the spigot and check the pipe behind it for freeze damage.
Related plumbing services
Sources referenced on this page: New Jersey American Water, Coastal North annual water quality report. Neptune Township construction office, 2018 fee schedule (Ordinance 18-25).