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A valve that will not shut off is the urgent one
A dripping spout can wait for a daytime visit. A tub that keeps pouring when the handle is off, or a shutoff valve that spins freely without stopping the flow, cannot. Water is moving into a fixture or a wall with nothing in your control, and the bill and the damage grow every minute.
The usual causes are a worn cartridge inside a tub or shower valve, a stripped stem or handle that no longer grips, or an old shutoff valve whose internal washer has broken apart. Each needs a different part, which is why a description of what the handle does is so useful on the call.
If you cannot stop it at the fixture
Turn off the water at the main shutoff for the house, usually where the water line enters near the meter. That halts the flow to every fixture until the valve is repaired.
What to do if a valve or faucet will not shut off right now
These steps stop damage first and keep the repair simple.
Until the plumber arrives
- Try the stop under the fixture.Most sinks have two small valves below. Turn each clockwise until it stops, hot and cold.
- Close the main if that fails.Turn the main house shutoff clockwise. Then open a lower faucet to drain the pipes so pressure falls.
- Keep electricity away.If water is running near outlets, a light fixture or a ceiling below, stay clear and switch off power to that area at the panel only if the panel is dry and reachable.
- Catch and divert the water.Put a bucket under a pouring spout and towels along the floor. Move anything valuable out of the splash zone.
- Do not force a seized handle.A handle that spins or will not move can break the stem and make the repair larger.
Once the water is off, call call (847) 281-8626 and describe which fixture it is. If the water is still flowing into a wall or ceiling, say so first.
Fixtures we repair and what usually goes wrong
Different fixtures fail in different ways. This is how each one tends to show it.
Kitchen and bath sink faucets
Drips from the spout, leaks at the base or handle, and a spray hose that no longer retracts are all common. Single-handle faucets often use a cartridge that can be replaced. Older two-handle models use washers or seats.
Tub faucets and diverters
A tub spout that dribbles even when the shower is on usually has a worn diverter. A tub handle with a stripped feel at the knob often points to a damaged cartridge or stem behind it.
Shower valves
A shower that drips constantly, runs hot or cold only, or will not shut off has a valve problem inside the wall. Reaching it may mean removing the trim and sometimes opening the wall from behind.
Shutoff valves and supply lines
The small valves under sinks and behind toilets get turned rarely, so they corrode, leak at the stem or refuse to close. They are a common reason a simple faucet job turns into a replace-the-stop job.
Outdoor spigots
A hose bib that leaks inside the wall in winter often means water froze in it. Check for water behind the wall or in the basement ceiling below it.
If a part is no longer made, the plumber can often replace the whole fixture with a matching style.
Repairing a faucet versus replacing it
Plumbers choose between a repair and a replacement based on parts and condition, not on how loud the drip is.
Repair makes sense when
- The fixture is otherwise in good shape
- A cartridge, washer or seat is the clear fault
- Parts are still available for the brand
- The finish and handles still look right to you
Replace makes sense when
- The body is corroded or pitted
- Repeated repairs have not held
- The valve is stripped or parts are discontinued
- You want a different style or a lower-flow model
Either way, you hear the price before work starts, and you decide.
Tub or shower will not shut off?
Call (847) 281-8626 and describe the fixture. A plumber can usually be dispatched the same day, and the line is answered after hours.
Low pressure at the faucets and what it means
Some callers report weak flow at a few faucets rather than a leak. EPA WaterSense suggests incoming household pressure between about 45 and 60 psi, with a pressure-regulating valve expected above 80 psi. A cheap gauge on a hose bib shows where your home sits.
If only one faucet is weak, the aerator or the cartridge is the likely cause. If every fixture is weak, look at the main shutoff, the pressure regulator or a leak on the service line. Our water service line repair page covers that second case, and a leaking fixture inside the wall may call for leak detection first.
High pressure matters too
WaterSense notes that high pressure can wear out fixtures and appliances and raise the chance of leaks. A faucet that keeps failing may be a sign to test the pressure.
Faucet and valve symptoms at a glance
Use this to match what you see to a likely repair.
| What you notice | Likely cause | Urgency |
|---|---|---|
| Drip from the spout | Worn cartridge, washer or seat | Plan a visit |
| Water at the faucet base | Failed O-ring or loose body | Soon, to protect the cabinet |
| Tub pours with handle off | Failed cartridge or valve | Urgent |
| Shutoff valve will not close | Corroded or broken stop | Urgent if a fixture is leaking |
| Shower leaks inside the wall | Valve body or connection | Urgent, water can reach framing |
| Spigot leaks indoors | Frozen or split pipe behind it | Urgent in winter |
Urgent means call now. A leak inside a wall is treated like an active leak even if the fixture works.
What drives the cost of faucet and valve work
A drippy faucet and a failed shower valve are very different jobs, so we explain the price once the plumber has seen the fixture.
Winter, hose bibs and freezing in Buffalo Grove
Cook County's hazard plan records extreme cold events in 2019, 2021 and 2022, and a hose bib on an exterior wall is one of the first places a freeze shows. The Red Cross advises closing the interior valve to outdoor bibs and leaving the outdoor ones open for the season, so any water left in the line can expand without splitting it.
If a faucet gives only a trickle in a cold snap, keep it open and warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer or heating pad. Never use an open flame. If you cannot thaw it, call, and see our burst pipe repair page if it has already split.
Standards and sources behind this page
Pressure targets come from EPA WaterSense, and the frozen-pipe steps follow the Red Cross guidance on frozen pipes. The cold-event history is from the Cook County hazard mitigation plan. Plumbing work is governed in Illinois by the Illinois Plumbing Code (Title 77, Part 890) and plumbers are licensed through the Illinois Department of Public Health.
You can check a plumber's license on IDPH's online verification page. Do it before you let anyone open a wall.
Questions we hear from homeowners
Yes. The line at (847) 281-8626 is answered around the clock. A valve that will not shut off, or a tub or shower pouring water into a wall, is handled as an urgent call at any hour.
Try the main house shutoff, since a tub often has no valve of its own. Then call and say whether the water is coming from the spout, the shower head or the wall.
Often yes. Many valves use a cartridge reached through the handle trim. If the valve body itself is cracked or corroded, the wall may need to be opened, and the plumber explains that before starting.
Old stops collect mineral deposits and their washers harden. Once they stop sealing, replacement is the reliable fix. Forcing a stuck one can break it.
Yes. A steady drip wastes water and can stain a sink. If the leak is at the base, it can also soak the cabinet below.
Yes. Hose bibs that leak at the handle, or inside the wall after a freeze, can be repaired or replaced. Check for water behind the wall first.
It depends on the fixture, the access, the shutoff condition and the hour of the visit. You are told the price before work begins.