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Troubleshooting Kitchen Faucet Leaking at Base of Faucet Spout

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This troubleshooting document relates to standard, pull-out, and pull-down kitchen faucets. 

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Description of the leak: With this leak, water will leak from the area where the faucet base touches the escutcheon plate or countertop. This leak could be a temporary drip or a continuous leak.

Causes of the Leak

  • Temporary leak: This leak lasts while the faucet is running.  Dirt or debris have collected on the seals/o-rings/bearings which prevents the seals from making the faucet water-tight. The seals/o-rings/bearings are located in the faucet body. 
  • Continuous leak: This is characterized by a constant leak that occurs after the faucet is turned off. Dirt and debris have collected in the valve/cartridge which prevents the valve from properly controlling the flow of water.  The valve/cartridge is located under the handle. In some faucets, the check valve/spacer has also worn out. The check valve is located under the valve in the faucet body. 

Solution for the Leak

Temporary leak solution: Replace the seals/o-rings/bearing to return to water-tight faucet operation. The part number for the replacement seals will vary depending on the faucet model number.

Continuous leak solution: The issues should be resolved by replacing the valve/cartridge and/or the check valve/spacer(depending on your faucet model). The part number of the replacement valve and check valve will vary depending on the faucet model number.

Remote Handle or Two-Handle Faucets with Sidesprays

Leaking at the base of the spout for a two-handle or remote handle faucet can involve replacing several parts. Please contact Customer Service for replacement parts.

 

  1. Identify your faucet model number. To identify your faucet model number, please view Identifying Your Faucet Model.

Still having trouble identifying your model number? The Product Wizard can help you identify your product.

The Faucet Parts Catalog is another resource that can help identify your product.

  1. To locate the valve/cartridge or seals/o-rings/bearing part number for your faucet, enter your model number in the Find Parts search box (Fig. 1).

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(Fig. 1)

  1. On the faucet page, access the Interactive Parts Diagrams to locate and order the replacement valve/cartridge.  For additional information on viewing the Interactive Parts Diagrams please view Troubleshooting: Identify Product Replacement Parts.
  2. Replacement parts for this faucet may be covered under the Kohler Faucet Lifetime Limited Warranty. Contact Kohler Customer Service for additional details. 

 Additional Resources

KOHLER replacement parts are designed with ease of installation in mind. The following resources may assist with installation and repair of the valve/cartridge, seals and check valve.

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