Water Shut Off But Still Running – What To Do?

It sounds like your main water valve needs an extra turn using a suitable spanner. If you already repair it yourself, but the water is still running, perhaps you need to call right away a professional plumber to fix your faucet.

Any household dripping faucet is a typical problem, especially if your faucet at home is already old. It becomes stressful because the water leaking will add up the cost of your water bill.

Even if that’s a small leak, it can still send three gallons of water a day down to your drain. Ignoring your dripping faucets for a year, you just wasted enough water to fill a swimming pool.

And that just if you have a small leak. How about if you have a bigger dripping faucet problem and you ignore. Probably you can waste more than thirty gallons of water a day.

If you’re looking for a guide to help you fix your leaky faucet problems; we gather some strict steps for you to learn.

To know more about these steps first, you need to know the cause of the problem to fix it in the proper way it is needed.

Why Does My Faucet Keep Running After I Turn It Off?

Probably, your faucet keeps on running after you turn it off, it is because there is something wrong inside your faucet.

There are many reasons why your faucet keeps on dripping, yet, you can fix it yourself, but it will depend on how the issue of your faucet.

Moreover, let’s take a look at some of the five common causes of your dripping faucet.

1. Broken Faucet O-Ring

The cartridge is a water valve that controls the flow of your water in your faucet spout. Inside the cartridge is the O-ring, having a damaged O-ring will cause dripping of the water to your faucet.

2. Damage Cartridge

Also, a leaking faucet is due to its cartridge itself, if you notice your faucet leaking you may need to replace it. Before replacing it, make sure that it matches the size of your faucet needs.

3. Rusted Valve Seat

If the beginning of your dripping faucet problem is coming from the spout, it could be that your valve seat is covered with rust.

Water carries minerals, and it is expected that it will buildup sediments to your valve seat throughout the year of using it. To lessen the buildup of rust you may ask an expert to clean your valve seat thrice a year.

4. Broken Washer

Another cause of dripping faucet has a damaged washer that sits against the valve set. Over the months/years of using your faucet, the friction between the two parts of your washer will wear out.

Also, if the plumber incorrectly installed the washer, it could lead to leaking.

5. Water Pressure

Water pressure can also cause dripping faucets, especially if you have intense water pressure that may damage your faucet system. It could lead to this issue.

How Long Will Water Run After Shut Off?

You should run the water for thirty minutes to make sure you’re safe after fixing it.

After fixing debris and dirt, it is left behind inside the faucets that may endanger you if you do not flush it with fresh water.

How Do I Fix A Leaky Shut Off Valve?

Indeed, if you ignore your dripping faucet problems correctly, it will lead you to more problems in the future.

Significantly during night time, the sound of dripping water will disturb your excellent sleep, and it isn’t enjoyable.

However, you don’t need to think a lot because here are the step-by-step guides that will help you fix your faucet problem.

1. Turn Off Your Water Supply

Before you take off to pieces your faucets, make sure to turn off your water supply first. If you ignore your water supply, then it becomes a significant mess.

If you are fixing a sink faucet, its shut-off valve is located under it inside in your vanity or cabinet.

There will be two valves, the hot and cold side. Shut them both by turning its handles clockwise until you can’t turn it anymore.

Then you may turn both taps to make sure that there’s no water coming out to your faucet so that you can start the fixing process.

2. Remove The Faucet Handle Knob

You may use a flathead screwdriver to take off the decorative top of your handle knob. After removing it, it exposes the small screw used to mount the handle to the stem of your water knob.

Then remove the faucet screw and pull the handle off to the faucet stem.

3. Remove The Stem

To remove the stem of your faucet, you need to use a C-wrench or an adjustable wrench to loosen the faucet’s packing nut to reveal its stem.

Hence, it depends on what your faucet style and manufacturer, the stem will pop right off or you need to twist it off the valve.

Once you already remove the stem, check if all parts have no damage.

4. Change The O-Rings And Washer

The O-ring inside your faucets is made with a thin rubber ring that sits around your faucet stem’s midpoint. At the same time, the washer sits at the bottom of the stem inside your faucet valve seat.

Either of these two is broken, and you need to replace both parts.

Hence, replacing it is quite tricky, so it’s better to take the old O-ring and washer to the store to help you find both faucet parts’ correct size.

5. Reassemble The Faucet

After you replace the O-ring and washer, carefully assemble all the parts, you need to reverse the process when you are placing each part.

Also, be careful that you don’t over tighten anything or it would damage the faucet parts.

Once you already assemble everything, make sure that your faucet handles are in the off position and slowly turn the water supply valves.

Slowly turns its knob to make sure that the water comes out of its tap correctly, turn your faucet and observe if your faucet still leaks.

If your faucet is still leaking and you already follow this guide, you should call a professional plumber right away.

Tools You Need to Fix a Leak Shut off Faucet

A dripping faucet is irritating. From its dripping sounds to wasting your water resources, you need to use your dripping faucets right away.

Learning the necessary process in fixing your dripping faucets can come handy. You can also avoid the hassle of calling a plumber and waiting for them to come over your home.

Before you can begin fixing your dripping faucet, below are the equipment you need to gather first.

1. Crescent Wrench/Adjustable Wrench

It is used to remove the packing nut in your faucet.

2. Faucet Washer

This equipment is for removing the old worn-out washer of your faucet.

3. New Sets Of O-rings

Prepare a new set of O-rings to replace the old ones.

4. Brass Screws

To replace your rust faucets screws.

5. A Cleaning Cloth

To clean out the cavity of the faucet.

6. FlatheadFlathead Screwdriver

To remove the screws correctly in your faucet.

7. Faucet Seat Wrench

It is used in case you need to replace your faucet seat.

8. Seat Dressing Tool

It is used to dress your faucet seat.

The Water Is Turned Off But The Meter Still Running – What To Do?

If you find out that your water meter is still running even though you have already turned it off, it’s time to call a professional plumber.

They will diagnose and repair your meter and your plumbing problem to ensure you are not wasting any water and money.

The Water Is Turned Off But The Tap Still Dripping – What To Do?

After you shut off the valves under your sink and notice that it’s still dripping, you should not continue fixing it.

The best thing you should do is to call for expert’s help because they are the one that has experience in advanced plumbing fixing issues.

They might replace your washer with new ones to fix the dripping faucet problem you have.

The Water Is Turned Off But The Toilet Still Running – What To Do?

If you notice that your toilet produces a weak flush means that its valve is overflowing. It is recommended that you need to adjust your toilet tank float.

Then you may now try flushing it again.

Turned Off The Water Under The Sink But Still Running – What To Do?

If your faucet sink still drips after you turn it off, then both faucet and under-sink valves aren’t working well.

You probably need to replace it right away to prevent more sources of damage.

Turned Off The Water Main But Hot Water Still Running – What To Do?

Even if you turn off the main hot and cold valve and notice that the hot water valve is still running, it means its washer is damaged/needs replacing.

If you don’t know about replacing a washer from your faucet, don’t even try to do it, don’t risk it to avoid significant problems. Call a plumber immediately.

Summary

In summary, dripping faucets are common problems at home. It is very annoying, especially during night time because of its repetitive dripping sound that can disturb your sleep.

It is why you should check it immediately because you don’t know if your faucet parts are just loosen-up or damaged.

It is recommended for you to fix it because it may cause you more trouble shortly.

Lastly, knowing fixing your faucet can save you money, however, if your knowledge isn’t enough to fix appropriately, never risk fixing it and calling for help.

Resources

Image credits – Canva

I have over 20 years of experience in construction. For the past 12 years, I've been mostly devoted to bathrooms, where I have my own business. I've seen almost every problem, so I believe I can help you. Read more