How to Repair a Leaky Faucet in Toronto (And When to Call a Plumber)

That drip. Drip. Drip. coming from your kitchen faucet at 2 AM is more than annoying.

A single leaky faucet can waste up to 3,000 gallons of water a year — and your water bill will remind you every month you ignore it. Most Toronto homeowners think it’s a small problem. It usually is. But occasionally that drip is the first sign of something bigger hiding in your walls.

Here’s how to figure out what you’re dealing with — and fix it the right way.

Why Faucets Leak in the First Place

Think of your faucet like a gate. When you turn it off, a small rubber or ceramic component closes that gate and stops the water. When that piece wears out, the gate doesn’t seal perfectly anymore.

The most common causes of a leaky faucet in Toronto homes:

• Worn-out washers — the most common cause in older ball and compression faucets
• Damaged O-rings — small rubber rings that seal the stem; they dry out and crack over time
• Corroded valve seat — where the faucet meets the spout; sediment buildup in Toronto’s hard water accelerates this
• Loose packing nut — causes leaking around the handle rather than from the spout
• Ceramic disc damage — found in newer disc faucets; less common but more expensive to fix

Toronto’s hard water is a real factor here. The mineral buildup that leaves white residue on your sink slowly corrodes internal parts. Faucets in Toronto homes often wear out faster than the manufacturer’s estimated lifespan for that exact reason.

Step 1 — Identify What Type of Faucet You Have

Before you touch anything, figure out which type of faucet you’re dealing with. This determines the fix entirely.

Not sure which one you have? Look at the handle mechanism. If it tightens like an old tap, it’s compression. If it moves freely in all directions, it’s a ball. Everything else is likely cartridge or ceramic disc.

Step 2 — Shut Off the Water (Don’t Skip This)

This sounds obvious. You’d be surprised how many calls we get from homeowners who skipped it.

Find the shut-off valves under the sink — one for hot, one for cold. Turn them clockwise until they stop. Then open the faucet to release any remaining pressure and let the water drain out.

No shut-off valve under your sink? You’ll need to shut off the main water supply to the house. It’s usually in your basement or utility room.

Step 3 — The Fix by Faucet Type

Compression Faucet (Most Common in Older Toronto Homes)

1. Remove the handle — unscrew the decorative cap on top, then the screw underneath
2. Use pliers to unscrew the packing nut
3. Pull out the stem and look at the washer on the bottom
4. The washer is usually a black rubber disc held in with a brass screw — replace it
5. While you’re in there, replace the O-ring around the stem too
6. Reassemble in reverse order

Parts cost: under $5 at any hardware store.

Cartridge Faucet

1. Remove the handle and any decorative cover
2. Pull the cartridge straight up — it may need gentle wiggling
3. Take the old cartridge to the hardware store and match it exactly
4. Drop the new cartridge in the same orientation
5. Reassemble

Cartridge replacements run $10–$30 depending on the brand.

Ball Faucet

This one has the most small parts. Your best move is to buy a repair kit specific to your faucet brand (Delta, Moen, Pfister) — it includes every component you might need for about $15–$20.

The kit comes with instructions. Follow them exactly, and replace every part in the kit while you’re in there. Don’t just swap the one piece that looks worn.

Ceramic Disc Faucet

1. Remove the handle and access the cylinder
2. Unscrew the cylinder and lift it out
3. Locate the ceramic discs at the bottom
4. Clean them with white vinegar if they look coated in mineral deposits
5. If cracked, replace the whole cylinder

Cylinder replacements are $25–$50 and brand-specific — bring the old one with you.

Step 4 — Test Before You Celebrate

Turn the water back on slowly. Watch for drips at the spout and at the base of the handle. Let it run for 30 seconds, then turn it off and check again.

If the drip continues, the most common reason is: the wrong washer size, the cartridge installed backwards, or corrosion on the valve seat that a washer alone won’t fix.

When to Stop and Call a Plumber

DIY faucet repair is genuinely doable for most homeowners. But there are situations where you should put the wrench down.

Call a plumber if:

• The leak is coming from inside the wall or under the sink cabinet — not from the faucet itself
• You turn off the shut-off valve and water keeps flowing (the valve is failing)
• There’s visible rust, greenish corrosion, or the pipe looks damaged
• You replaced the washer and it still drips after 24 hours
• The faucet is over 15–20 years old and repairs feel like patching a sinking ship
• You don’t have shut-off valves under your sink (common in older Toronto homes built before 1990)

That last one matters. If you don’t have isolation valves under your sink, the whole house goes down for a faucet washer. At that point, it’s worth having a plumber install them while they’re already there.

What a Plumber Actually Charges for Faucet Repair in Toronto

We’ll be honest with you: most licensed plumbers in Toronto charge $150–$300 for a faucet repair. That includes diagnosis, parts, and labour.

At DrainRooter, we use upfront flat-rate pricing — you know the cost before we start. No hourly surprises if the job takes longer than expected.

For a dripping kitchen or bathroom faucet that you can’t isolate or that’s part of a bigger leak, it’s genuinely worth the call. A $200 fix today beats a $2,000 water damage remediation in six months.

One Thing Most Toronto Homeowners Miss

While you’re already under the sink — check the supply lines. These are the braided or plastic hoses connecting the shut-off valves to the faucet.

If they’re more than 10 years old, or if they look bulged, cracked, or stained, replace them while you’re in there. They cost $8–$15 at any hardware store and failing supply lines cause the kind of under-sink floods that ruin cabinets and subfloors.

It takes 10 minutes. It’s not glamorous. But it’s the kind of thing that saves homeowners real money.

The Short Version

Most leaky faucets come down to a worn washer, O-ring, or cartridge. The fix is doable in 30–60 minutes with basic tools if you know your faucet type.

Shut off the water first. Match the part exactly. Replace everything while you’re in there — not just the one piece that looks bad.

If the leak persists, the shut-off valve is failing, or the leak is coming from somewhere you can’t see — call DrainRooter Plumbing at (416) 477-4755. We’re available 24/7 across Etobicoke, Toronto, Mississauga, and the GTA, and we’ll tell you the price before we start.