A drip from the spout and a leak at the handle are different problems with different parts, different fixes and different urgency.
Spout drip means the valve is not sealing fully closed. Water escaping around the handle means a seal that is supposed to keep water inside the faucet body has failed, and that water is running down into the cabinet rather than the drain.
Which seal depends on what kind of faucet you have. Start by working out exactly where it is coming from.
Where Exactly Is It Leaking From?
Dry the faucet completely with a towel, run it for thirty seconds, and watch where water reappears first.
| What you see | Failed part | DIY? |
|---|---|---|
| Water at the base of the handle, only while running | Cartridge O-rings or stem seal | Yes |
| Water at the handle base, even when off | Cartridge failed open or cracked body | Usually |
| Water from under the escutcheon or trim plate | Base gasket or loose mounting | Yes |
| Water where the spout meets the body, when swiveling | Spout O-rings, a different set | Yes |
| Drip from the spout tip only | Valve seat or cartridge seal, not a handle leak | Yes |
| Puddle in the cabinet, faucet itself dry | Supply line or shutoff valve, not the faucet | Sometimes |
| Two-handle faucet, one side only | That side’s stem packing or washer | Yes |
The last two rows send people down the wrong path constantly. If the faucet body is dry and the cabinet is wet, the faucet is not the problem and taking it apart will not help. That case is covered in how to find a hidden water leak.
What Actually Failed Inside
Four valve designs cover almost every faucet, and each fails differently at the handle.
| Valve type | How to tell | What leaks at the handle |
|---|---|---|
| Cartridge | Handle lifts and rotates smoothly, most single-handle faucets | Cartridge O-rings, or the cartridge body itself |
| Ball | Single handle over a rounded cap, often kitchen | Cam and packing, or the ball seals |
| Ceramic disc | Handle moves in a short arc, feels solid | Inlet seals or the cylinder seal |
| Compression | Two handles that keep turning until tight, older homes | Stem packing or the packing nut |
The same four designs turn up in shower valves, which is why a leaking shower handle is the same diagnosis in a less accessible location. That version is covered under shower valve repair.
Why the stem comes up so often
The stem is the shaft the handle attaches to, and it passes from the wet inside of the faucet to the dry outside. Every faucet has to seal around it somehow. On a cartridge faucet that is an O-ring. On an old compression faucet it is graphite packing under a nut.
So “leaking from the stem” and “leaking from the handle” are usually the same failure described from different angles: the seal around the shaft has given up.
Why these fail faster in Houston
Hard water is the accelerant. Dissolved calcium crystallizes on the cartridge and on the O-rings, and the mineral crust acts like sandpaper every time the handle turns. Seals that would last a decade elsewhere give out in five or six years here.
It is the same mechanism behind calcium clogging the faucet aerator, one visible at the tip and one hidden inside the valve.
Fixing a Single-Handle Faucet
- Shut off both supply valves under the sink, then open the faucet to release pressure and confirm the water is actually off.
- Close the drain or lay a towel over it. Set screws and retaining clips are small and the drain is where they go.
- Find the set screw. Usually under a decorative cap on the front or under the handle at the back. Most take a hex key.
- Lift the handle off, then remove the decorative dome or collar beneath it.
- Remove the retaining clip or nut holding the cartridge. Photograph the orientation before anything moves, because cartridges go back in one specific rotation and a reversed one swaps hot and cold.
- Pull the cartridge straight out. If it is seized with scale, a cartridge puller for that brand is worth the price of not breaking the faucet body.
- Take the old part to the store. This is the step people skip and regret.
- Grease the new O-rings with plumber’s silicone grease, never petroleum jelly, which degrades rubber.
- Reassemble, then open the supply slowly and check for movement at the handle before putting the cap back.
After you reassemble
Flow often drops slightly right after a cartridge swap, usually because debris shook loose during the work and lodged in the aerator. Clear the aerator before assuming the new part is faulty. If it does not recover, faucet low water pressure works through the rest of the causes.
Fixing a Two-Handle Faucet
If only one side leaks, only that side needs work. Hot usually fails first because heat ages rubber faster.
- Shut off that side and open the tap to drain it.
- Pry off the hot or cold index cap and remove the screw beneath.
- Lift the handle and expose the packing nut or bonnet.
- Try tightening the packing nut a quarter turn first. On a compression faucet that alone stops a handle leak surprisingly often, and it takes two minutes.
- If it still leaks, unscrew the stem completely and replace the packing washer or graphite packing string.
- Check the seat while you are in there. A pitted valve seat causes a spout drip and is worth addressing in the same visit.
The part that stops most DIY repairs
Not the disassembly. Finding the right replacement part.
Cartridges are brand and model specific, and a faucet that looks generic may take a part that only its manufacturer makes. Some older and discontinued models have no replacement available at all, which turns a repair into a faucet replacement.
Look for a model number stamped under the spout, on the underside of the body, or on the escutcheon. If there is none, the old cartridge itself is your only reference, which is why it goes to the store with you.
When It Is Not Worth Repairing
- The faucet body is cracked. Water at the handle that continues with the cartridge removed means the housing has failed, and no seal fixes that.
- No parts available. Discontinued models past about fifteen years old frequently have nothing left in the supply chain.
- The shutoff valves under the sink will not close. Older multi-turn stops seize, and you cannot safely work on the faucet until they are replaced.
- You are on the third repair. A faucet that needs a new cartridge every year is telling you something about its own quality, not about your technique.
- The cabinet floor is already soft. That is water damage, not a plumbing question, and it has been leaking longer than you thought.
A dripping faucet also wastes more than people expect. EPA WaterSense puts household leaks at nearly 10,000 gallons a year in the average home, and a handle leak is worse than a spout drip because the water never reaches the drain. It reaches the cabinet.
If the faucet is worth keeping and the repair is beyond a cartridge swap, faucet repair and installation covers what a professional repair involves and what it costs in Houston.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my faucet leaking from the handle?
A seal that keeps water inside the faucet body has failed, almost always the O-rings around the cartridge stem on a single-handle faucet, or the stem packing on an older two-handle compression faucet. Unlike a spout drip, this water runs down into the cabinet rather than the drain, so it causes damage while you wait.
What is the difference between a faucet leaking from the stem and from the handle?
They are usually the same failure described differently. The stem is the shaft the handle attaches to, and it passes from the wet inside of the faucet to the dry outside, so every faucet has to seal around it. When that seal fails, water escapes at the point where the stem exits, which is directly under the handle. Cartridge faucets seal it with an O-ring, older compression faucets with graphite packing.
Can I fix a faucet leaking from the handle myself?
Usually yes. Shut off both supply valves, remove the set screw under the decorative cap, lift the handle, remove the retaining clip, pull the cartridge and replace it or its O-rings. The step that stops most people is not the disassembly, it is finding the correct replacement part, because cartridges are brand and model specific. Take the old one with you.
Why does my faucet only leak from the handle when the water is turned on?
Because the seal only fails under pressure. When the valve is closed, water is held back before it reaches the stem seal. Opening the handle admits pressurized water into the cartridge, and a worn O-ring lets it escape around the stem. A faucet that leaks at the handle even when off usually means a cracked cartridge body or a cracked faucet housing, which is a more serious problem.
Why is water leaking from the base of my faucet handle?
Most often worn cartridge O-rings. If the water appears under the escutcheon or trim plate rather than around the handle itself, the base gasket has failed or the faucet has loosened on the deck, which is a different and usually simpler fix. Dry everything, run the faucet for thirty seconds and watch where water reappears first to tell them apart.
How do I fix a two-handle faucet leaking at the handle?
Work only on the side that leaks, which is usually hot, because heat ages rubber faster. Shut off that supply, pry off the index cap, remove the screw and lift the handle to expose the packing nut. Try tightening that nut a quarter turn first, because on a compression faucet that alone stops a handle leak surprisingly often. If it still leaks, remove the stem and replace the packing washer or graphite packing.
Why do faucet cartridges fail so fast in Houston?
Hard water. Dissolved calcium crystallizes on the cartridge and the O-rings, and that mineral crust abrades the rubber every time the handle turns. Seals that would last a decade in a soft water area commonly give out in five or six years here. It is the same mechanism that clogs the aerator at the spout tip, just hidden inside the valve instead.
Should I repair or replace a faucet that leaks from the handle?
Repair if the body is sound and the cartridge is still available. Replace if water continues at the handle with the cartridge removed, which means the housing is cracked, if the model is discontinued and no parts exist, or if you are on your third cartridge in as many years. Also stop and reassess if the cabinet floor under the sink has gone soft, because that is water damage rather than a plumbing question.
Handle still leaking after a new cartridge?
That usually means the faucet body, not the seal. We diagnose it, tell you honestly whether it is worth repairing, and quote both options. Free estimates across Houston.
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