A running toilet sounds harmless. A dripping faucet is just a minor annoyance, right? Except that running toilet is wasting up to 200 gallons of water a day, and that “minor” faucet drip adds up to over 3,000 gallons a year. In Los Angeles, where water rates from LADWP have steadily increased over the past decade, ignoring these issues means watching money literally go down the drain.
Most homeowners and renters in LA try to fix these problems themselves first — and sometimes that works. A flapper valve replacement costs a few dollars and takes 10 minutes. But when the running doesn’t stop after you’ve replaced the flapper, or when a faucet drip keeps coming back no matter how hard you tighten the handle, the problem is usually deeper than a worn rubber seal.
When a Running Toilet Needs a Plumber
If you’ve replaced the flapper and the toilet is still running, the issue is likely a warped flush valve seat, a failing fill valve, or a crack in the overflow tube. In some older Los Angeles homes — especially those built before the 1980s — the toilet itself may be so outdated that replacement parts are no longer manufactured. At that point, replacing the entire unit with a modern low-flow model is the better investment.
Modern toilets use 1.28 gallons per flush or less. Older models use 3.5 to 7 gallons. The savings add up quickly, and many LADWP customers qualify for rebates when upgrading to WaterSense-certified fixtures.
Our toilet, faucet, and sink repair service covers everything from simple valve replacements to full fixture installs. We carry parts for the most common brands on our trucks, so most repairs are completed in a single visit.
Faucet Leaks That Keep Coming Back
A faucet that drips after you’ve replaced the cartridge or washer usually has a corroded valve seat, a worn O-ring, or mineral buildup inside the body of the faucet. Los Angeles tap water is moderately hard — calcium and lime deposits accumulate inside faucets over time, preventing a proper seal even with brand-new internal parts.
If you’re seeing white or greenish buildup around your faucet aerator or handles, mineral deposits are almost certainly affecting the internals too. We put together a maintenance guide on how to properly maintain faucets that can help you extend the life of your fixtures between service calls.
Don’t Overlook the Bigger Picture
Sometimes a leaky faucet is just a leaky faucet. But sometimes it’s a symptom of a broader residential plumbing issue — high water pressure that’s stressing fixtures and supply lines throughout the house, for example. If your pressure is above 80 PSI, it’s putting unnecessary wear on every valve, washer, and supply hose in your home. We covered how to check this in our post on how to test water pressure at home.
Flat-Rate Pricing. No Guesswork.
New Pro Plumbing serves all of Los Angeles, including Mar Vista, Palms, Venice, Del Rey, and Westchester. We give you a flat-rate price before we start, and we don’t charge by the hour. If the repair takes 20 minutes or 2 hours, the price stays the same.
Call (310) 663-7666 any time — we’re available 24/7 — or schedule your visit online.
