What is leaking and what usually causes it
Where the water shows up points to the failed part. This table covers the calls we hear most often.
| Where it leaks | Likely cause | Typical repair |
|---|---|---|
| Drip from the spout | Worn cartridge, washer or seat | Replace the cartridge or seat set |
| Water at the handle | Worn O-ring or loose cap | Replace seals, tighten the bonnet |
| Under the sink cabinet | Supply line, stop valve or drain | Replace the line or the valve |
| Weak flow | Clogged aerator or stop valve | Clean or replace the part |
| Tub spout drips after shower | Worn diverter or spout | Replace the spout or diverter |
| Hose bib drips outside | Worn washer or frozen pipe damage | Repair or replace the bib |
A leak you can see is often the small version. A wet cabinet floor or a stained wall is the sign to call before the damage spreads.
When a broken supply valve or faucet is an emergency
Call at once if a supply valve is spraying, a faucet has broken off the sink, or water is dripping through the ceiling below. Close the shutoff valve at the fixture. If it will not turn or the handle snaps, go to the main valve, usually where the water line enters the house, and turn it fully clockwise.
Open the lowest faucet in the house to drain pressure, and switch off power to anything near the water. If the leak is in the wall behind a shower, do not cut into it, because a plumber can often reach the problem from a smaller opening.
We take after-hours and weekend calls on the 24/7 line, and same-day appointments are offered when available. Photograph the damage and keep the broken part, since an insurer or landlord may ask to see it.
Cartridge, ball, disc or compression: what is inside your faucet
Faucets use four basic designs. Compression faucets have separate hot and cold handles and a rubber washer that wears out. Cartridge faucets use a replaceable insert, ball faucets use a slotted ball with rubber seats, and ceramic disc faucets use two plates that slide against each other.
Knowing the type tells us what to bring. A worn cartridge is a fast, low-cost swap if the brand still makes it. Older faucets may have no parts available, and replacement is the more honest answer.
Water chemistry matters too. Missouri American Water's 2023 report lists total hardness of 66 to 150 ppm at its Meramec plants and 82 to 226 ppm at its Missouri River plants, and we cannot say which plant serves your address. Mineral scale clogs aerators and wears seals faster, so test your tap and ask your water utility for its annual water quality report.
Shower valves and tub spouts
Shower trouble usually comes from one of these.
- Water runs after you shut it off.
The cartridge or seat in the valve is worn. The valve sits inside the wall, so we open the trim and replace the insert.
- Temperature swings.
A pressure-balancing or thermostatic cartridge is failing. This is also a scald risk and worth fixing promptly.
- Water drips from the tub spout during a shower.
The diverter, the part that sends water up to the showerhead, is worn or the spout is loose.
- Handle spins without effect.
The stem or handle adapter is stripped.
- Stain on the ceiling below a bathroom.
Check the valve, the spout seal and the drain before assuming a pipe has burst.
Water spraying and the valve will not close?
Call the 24/7 line now. We can walk you to the main shutoff while a plumber heads to you.
Supply valves: the small part that decides how bad a leak gets
Every sink and toilet should have a shutoff valve, often called a stop or angle stop, so you can isolate one fixture. Old multi-turn valves can seize after years of sitting open, then leak or snap when someone finally turns them.
We often replace the stop at the same time as the faucet, since a seized valve defeats the point of having one. Quarter-turn ball valves are easier to use and less prone to sticking. If a valve cannot be saved, the fix may mean shutting the main for a short time, which is another reason to find your main valve now.
Hose bibs and cold weather
An outdoor hose bib that drips, or leaks inside the wall when the hose is on, is common after winter. Disconnect hoses before freezing weather, because a hose left attached can trap water in the pipe behind the spigot. A frost-free bib has a long stem that puts the shutoff inside the heated wall.
St. Louis Public Radio reported a wind chill near minus 33 degrees Fahrenheit in the region on the night of December 22 to 23, 2022. In January 2025, the City of Wildwood posted that frozen pipes become more common as temperatures drop. So check outdoor spigots before the first hard freeze, and look at them again in spring.
What affects the price of faucet repair
A cartridge swap and a shower valve replacement are very different jobs. These factors move the cost.
Common cartridges are cheap and widely stocked, while specialty or imported fixtures cost more.
A valve behind tile needs an opening, which adds time and finish repair.
A seized stop must be replaced before the faucet work can begin.
Customer-provided faucets save on parts but we cannot vouch for a part we did not choose.
Night and weekend visits cost more than scheduled ones.
A sudden pipe or valve failure that damages floors may be covered, while a slow drip over months often is not. Your policy decides.
To get a clear price before work starts, call us and tell us the faucet brand if you can read it.
How a faucet repair visit goes
- 1
Isolate the fixture.
We close the stop valve and test that it holds. If not, we shut the main.
- 2
Identify the faucet type.
We pull the handle and look at the cartridge, ball or washers so we match parts exactly.
- 3
Repair or replace.
You see the price first, then we swap the cartridge, replace the valve or install a new fixture.
- 4
Check for leaks.
We run hot and cold, check connections and look under the sink and around the base.
Permit and code notes
Plumbing work in Wildwood falls under the St. Louis County Plumbing Code (Chapter 1103, adopted 2019) as adopted by the city. St. Louis County guidance has said a plumbing permit is required to replace or reset sinks and water closets. That flyer dates from 2013, so confirm current rules with the building department. A simple cartridge swap is different from replacing a fixture, and we will tell you how we see your job.
Questions we hear in Wildwood, MO
Yes. The line is open 24/7 for broken supply valves, burst supply lines and fixtures that will not shut off. Non-urgent drips can often be booked as a same-day appointment when available.
Do not force it, because a seized valve can snap. Close the main valve for the house, then call us. We can replace the stop once the water is off.
Usually. Most shower valves use a replaceable cartridge or seat behind the handle, and we can often reach it without opening the wall.
The diverter inside the spout is worn, or the spout is loose on the pipe. Replacing the spout or diverter usually fixes it.
If the parts are available and the body is sound, repair is reasonable. Corroded bodies and discontinued designs are better replaced.
Minerals in the water collect on aerators and cartridges. Test your tap and ask your water utility for its annual water quality report. Our water softener and filtration page explains what treatment can and cannot do.
Yes. We serve Wildwood and nearby towns, including Chesterfield and Ballwin.
Have a question this page did not answer? Call (855) 575-2890 at any hour and a dispatcher will talk it through.