The valve will not shut off: what to do right now
Work upstream until the water stops. Each fixture has its own stop, then the house has a main. If one of them fails, you move one step closer to the street.
- Fixture stop.Under a sink, look for two small oval or round handles on the pipes feeding the faucet. Turn them clockwise.
- Main shutoff.Usually where the water line enters the home, often in a basement, garage or utility room. A ball-style lever turns a quarter turn. A round wheel handle needs several turns.
- If the main will not close.Do not force it. Open a low faucet to drain pressure, and call us. A seized main valve is a job for a plumber, not a pipe wrench.
- Street side.Riverton City owns the water line up to and including the meter. The owner is responsible from the meter to the home. Do not open the meter box yourself.
Sometimes a handle spins freely and the water keeps coming. That usually means the stem or cartridge inside has stripped, and the stop under the sink is the quickest fix. Mop up standing water, then call us.
Where the leak is tells you what failed
| Where you see water | Typical cause | Usual repair |
|---|---|---|
| Drip from the spout when off | Worn washer, seat or cartridge | Replace the cartridge or seat and washer |
| Wet at the base of the handle | Worn O-ring or packing nut | New O-ring or packing, check the stem |
| Water under the sink | Failing supply line or loose compression nut | New supply line, new stop valve if it weeps |
| Shower drips after you shut it off | Worn cartridge or valve seat in the wall | Cartridge replacement, sometimes the whole valve body |
| Spray from the tub spout when the shower runs | Diverter worn or scaled | Replace diverter or the spout |
Four common faucet designs and their weak points
Compression
Separate hot and cold handles. A rubber washer wears against a seat. Cheap to fix, but old seats can be pitted.
Cartridge
One or two handles over a sealed insert. Leaks start as a drip or a stiff, gritty handle. The insert swaps out.
Ball
Single lever over a slotted ball with rubber seals. Seals and springs go first, and the leak shows at the base.
Ceramic disc
Smooth, quiet handles. Mineral grit can score the discs, causing slow drips. A cleaned or new cylinder fixes it.
Matching the exact replacement part matters. Parts that almost fit leak again in a month, which is why we pull the old one out and compare before buying anything.
Dripping or spraying where it should not?
Call the 24/7 line. We can talk you through the shutoffs and arrange a same-day visit when available.
Shower valves, showerheads and the tub faucet
A showerhead that drips is usually a worn washer or scale in the arm, and it unscrews easily. A valve that drips behind the tile is different. The cartridge sits inside the wall, and getting to it means removing the trim and sometimes opening the tile.
Tub faucets that will not shut off fully waste water all day, and a leak behind a shower wall can soften drywall for weeks before a stain appears. If you hear a trickle after the shower is off, or the wall around the handle feels damp, call sooner rather than later.
Slow shower or tub drain
Standing water at your ankles is often hair and soap in the trap, not a faucet problem. A drain cable clears it in most homes, as described under drain cleaning. If the tub and the toilet back up together, treat it as a deeper line issue.
Mineral scale and Riverton faucets
Riverton's 2022 water quality report lists average hardness of about 190 mg/L, around 11 grains per gallon. That kind of mineral content leaves chalky scale on aerators and inside cartridges, so faucets lose flow and handles get stiff. Unscrew your aerator, soak it and check for grit. Test your tap if you want a number for your own supply.
Scale on the cartridge is also a good reason to replace a whole cartridge, rather than patching a seal, if the faucet is a few years old.
Outdoor faucets are a separate story. Riverton's irrigation system runs on secondary water, and the city asks residents to shut off their secondary valves by March 15. A hose bib that drips in spring after a cold snap may have a split inside, so check it when you turn things back on.
Repair the fixture or replace it?
Repair when
- The faucet body is not corroded or pitted
- A cartridge or seat is available for the model
- The finish is in good shape
- Only the stop valve under the sink is leaking
Replace when
- The body leaks at the base or has cracks
- Parts are no longer made
- Scale has fused the stem or handle
- A new faucet also lets us replace tired supply lines
Utility sinks, jetted tubs and kitchen sprayers each have their own quirks. If yours is unusual, describe it on the call and we will say what to expect.
What faucet and valve repair costs
Accessible or hidden
A visible faucet is quick. A valve behind tile means opening the wall and repairing it after.
Fixture and part availability
Some models take a common cartridge. Others need a special order or a full replacement.
Condition of shutoff valves
A stop that will not close must be replaced first, or the repair cannot be done safely.
Number of fixtures
Doing several at the same visit saves a trip, and parts can be matched.
Hours and urgency
Water that cannot be stopped at night is handled differently from a slow drip.
Homeowners policies often cover sudden burst-pipe damage but usually not slow leaks or wear, so check your policy. Call the 24/7 line and we give you a clear price before work starts.
Rules and sources behind this page
Fixture repairs are judged against the plumbing code Utah adopts. Utah Code 15A-2-103 adopts the 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) as the state plumbing code, effective July 1, 2026, with Utah amendments on top. That is one reason a loose supply line or a missing shutoff gets corrected during a repair visit instead of being left alone.
To check any plumber before they open a wall, use the Utah Division of Professional Licensing license lookup. Search by name or license number and set the profession to plumber.
Faucet and valve questions
Yes. The line is open 24/7, and same-day appointments are available when schedules allow. If water will not stop, close the main shutoff and call right away.
Do not force it, because old stops can snap. Use the main shutoff for the house, then call us to replace the stop. It is a small fix when the pipes are intact.
The seat inside the body may be pitted, so a new washer cannot seal. Scale can do the same. Replacing the seat or the whole cartridge usually ends the drip.
Sometimes. Many valves have a trim plate that opens access to the cartridge. If the valve is old or the body is cracked, a plumber may need to open the wall. We tell you before any cutting.
Yes. Stops and supply lines fail often, and replacing them is a regular repair. For a rocking toilet or running tank, read about toilet repair.
Not usually. Spots are cosmetic, but scale inside the cartridge makes handles stiff and causes drips. Cleaning the aerator is a good first check.
Yes. We install new faucets, replace the supply lines and test every connection. A small leak under the kitchen sink may also point to the disposal, covered under garbage disposal repair.