Kitchen faucet won't turn off after water outage
Air trapped in the plumbing or debris dislodged during a water service interruption can prevent a faucet from sealing completely. This leaves a slow leak that pools under the sink and requires identifying the specific internal component causing the failure before taking the fixture apart.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- The most recent one is from October 2026.
- This comes up 17.8× more often in r/Plumbing than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Replacing the faucet entirely2 people mentionedDid this help you?
- 2Pressing the faucet handle lightly to temporarily stop the water flowDid this help you?
- 3Wiping up the puddle and running the faucet to locate the dripDid this help you?
- 4Checking underneath connections and trying to tighten or reseat themDid this help you?
- 5Attempting a DIY fix with the help of the internet before calling a plumberDid this help you?
- 6checking the seal or gasket under the trim pieceDid this help you?
- 7reapplying plumbers puttyDid this help you?
- 8Tightening the connections or replacing washersDid this help you?
- 9Contacting the manufacturer for a warranty replacementDid this help you?
- 10rip and replace the valvesDid this help you?
- 11look inside to see if the stem is broken or disconnected from the seatDid this help you?
- 12turn it off and on againDid this help you?
- 13removing teflon tape from the threadsDid this help you?
- 14tightening water line connections furtherDid this help you?
- 15replacing worn gaskets with supply hosesDid this help you?
- 16Replacing the tub spoutDid this help you?
- 17Checking or changing the diverter cartridgeDid this help you?
- 18Trying another cartridge from a different brand or an OEM manufacturer partDid this help you?
- 19Adjusting the set screw to change the off positionDid this help you?
- 20Swapping out the entire old valve bodyDid this help you?
- 21Using concave nylon washers on the ball that rotatesDid this help you?
- 22Flipping the nylon washers or ensuring they are in the correct spotDid this help you?
- 23Replacing the faucet entirely rather than attempting a repairDid this help you?
- 24Buying inexpensive replacement parts onlineDid this help you?
- 25replacing the valve stems or cartridgesDid this help you?
- 26calling a plumber if the water shut-off valves are stuckDid this help you?
- 27Buying a vacuum breaker repair or rebuild kit from a hardware storeDid this help you?
- 28Turning off the water supply inside before performing the repairDid this help you?
- 29replacing the aeratorDid this help you?
- 30Stacking objects behind the faucet to physically block it from turningDid this help you?
- 31Applying super glue to lock the swivel base in placeDid this help you?
- 32Tightening a set screw at the back of the base nutDid this help you?
- 33Replacing the internal flexible split ring with a solid rigid locking ringDid this help you?
- 34Replacing the entire unit with a commercial non-swivel faucetDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“My faucet started dripping yesterday and now it’s evolved into a small stream of water that doesn’t stop.”source ↗
“It's broken”source ↗
“Are sure its not leaking at the top where it screws on the pullout wand?”source ↗
“Needs a new vacuum breaker.”source ↗
“For months, there has been a steady drip from the faucet when it is off. I replaced the aerator, but that did not solve the problem.”source ↗
“What is the part number I need to replace and fix the leak?”source ↗
“Leaking faucet supply hose after 6yrs”source ↗
“It's been leaking for a while and has completely ruined the bottom of the cabinet.”source ↗
“So I can just replace the hose I have to replace the faucet?”source ↗
“I installed a new tap yesterday and water is leaking from the lever for the plug.”source ↗
“I have put PTFE tape on the thread but it hasn’t stopped the leak.”source ↗
“I changed my old bidet head to new one. The new one doesnt stop the fuacet from running.”source ↗
“So it comes from two places instead of one, even when pressing all the way on bidet.”source ↗
“Help please, I don't know anything about plumbing. I have been living in this apartment for two months, and today there was a water outage. After the water came back on, I noticed that the kitchen faucet doesnt shut off completely and sometimes makes a squeaking noise.”source ↗
“What should I do? I realized that if I press the faucet handle lightly, the water stops flowing, does that give you any clues?”source ↗
“The tap is leaking water in to the cupboard below when water is splashed around it.”source ↗
“The hot side just randomly stopped working. Hot water works everywhere where else but here”source ↗
“no water ever came out”source ↗
“Thank you will update when i get under there again in the morning”source ↗
“when I pull the tub diverter it’s not stopping water from coming from the tub…makes no sense to me.”source ↗
“When I pull the tub diverter to send water to the shower, water continues to come out of tube spout.”source ↗
“I turn water on it comes out of tub. I pull the button on tub spout to send water up to shower and it still coming from tub.”source ↗
“My tenants reached out because their tub faucet was dripping even when off.”source ↗
“Replaced with a brand new cartridge and it's still doing it.”source ↗
“I must have fiddled with the off position about 15 or 20 times before I finally gave up.”source ↗
“I tried turning the water off under my sink and neither of the valves will turn”source ↗
“Your vacuum breaker on your faucet is cooked.”source ↗
“A few of the kids love to spin it around and flood the sink & floor. Is there a way to fix it into one position?”source ↗
“Noticed a small puddle under the kitchen sink this morning. Nothing dramatic—just a damp spot on the cabinet floor and a little water sitting in the corner.”source ↗
“I installed it myself, which means there's a decent chance the problem is something I did wrong.”source ↗
“Before I start taking things apart, I want to figure out what I'm actually dealing with”source ↗
“Can someone advise on what I need to do to fix a leak on my faucet.”source ↗
“Water leaks out of there, and if the faucet is running for more than a few seconds, the water starts backing up the faucet and starts leaking under the sink.”source ↗
“I am not sure how I'm supposed to replace the broken o-ring there, as I'm unable to remove the ball end from the piece with the broken o-ring.”source ↗