Leaky or dripping faucet
Check whether water is coming from the spout, handle, base, or pipes below the sink. Then choose the next repair step.
Find the leak
Plumbing
Plumbing help for leaks, drains, and replacement parts.
Trace a leak, identify a part, or check whether a replacement will fit. Find the right next step.
Explore plumbing guides
Practical answers for your home.
Clogged or slow drain
One fixture, several fixtures, sewage or backflow, floor-drain behavior, and prior chemical use can change the safe next step.
Start drain diagnosis
Unknown shower cartridge
Use markings, brand or series clues, shape, and close-up photos to identify the installed component before buying a replacement.
Identify the cartridgeReplacement fit
Choose a compatible replacement
Before buying a new fixture, check the installed valve, mounting dimensions, and connections.
Shower valve or trim change
Separate a trim-only change from a function change that may require the hidden valve body or rough-in to change.
Check valve and trim compatibility
Will a replacement faucet fit?
Check hole count, center spacing, deck clearance, and connection constraints before narrowing to compatible fixtures.
Check faucet fitIdentify before ordering
Identify a part or check the fit
Start wide enough to show the fixture, then move closer to the problem area and any markings. Add a measurement only when fit or geometry depends on it.
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1Show the whole fixture
Start wide enough to show whether this is a sink, tub, shower, valve, toilet, or drain location.
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2Show the problem area
Move closer to the leaking connection, cartridge, valve opening, mounting holes, or visible backup point.
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3Show markings or measurements
Include logos, stamped numbers, labels, end views, or a ruler when exact identity or geometry matters.
If fit depends on a measurement
Replacing a toilet? Measure the rough-in from the finished wall.
Use the finished wall as the reference and confirm the measurement before comparing exact toilet specifications. A photo can help show the layout, but the fit decision should not be based on a guessed distance.
How to measure toilet rough-inScope and professional help
Know when to get professional help
Some problems need more than a new part: a failed repair, hidden pipework, or several backed-up drains. Use the guides below to check the situation before arranging work.
The repair has not stopped the problem.
Damage to the valve body, pipes you cannot reach, or a change the existing valve cannot support may require a plumber.
Confirm the work scope before another purchase
Several fixtures are backing up.
Multiple affected fixtures, sewage or backflow, floor-drain behavior, or repeated short-lived clearing can point away from a fixture-level tool.
Check for a problem affecting more than one drain
A drain chemical was already used.
Prior chemical use changes what is safe to do next. Do not stack another chemical or create splash exposure just because the drain is still blocked.
Check what drain cleaner has already been used
Preparing for plumbing work
Gather the quote, fixture details, and any access problems before discussing the work with a plumber.
Quote scope
What to check in a quote
Separate diagnosis, parts, access, labor, exclusions, and prior work before deciding on another quote.
Before work begins
Check the fixture and the work it needs
Keep fit, shutoff condition, access, drain work, and the exact installation scope separate from buying another fixture.
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Leaks & drains
Parts & compatibility
Fit & replacement
Verify before fitPhotos help show where the problem is. Markings, manufacturer specifications, and measurements help check the replacement part and whether it will fit.