Where the water shows up tells you the cause. A drip from the spout or handle is usually a worn cartridge. Water around the base is a cartridge, aerator or O-ring problem, by faucet style. Water under the sink means a shut-off valve seal, a supply line or, on two-handle widespread faucets, the hose to the spout.
Why is water dripping from the spout?
The cartridge is usually the cause. Moen says its faucets have an interior component called a cartridge that controls water flow, and when water leaks from the end of the spout after the handle is turned off, the reason is usually that cartridge. A single-handle faucet has one cartridge. A two-handle faucet has two, one behind each handle.
That matters for how you fix it. On a two-handle faucet, only one side may be worn, so check both. Moen says the handle and handle mechanism have to come off to reach the cartridge. It also says most Moen cartridges are available at a local home center, or directly from Moen at 1-800-BUY-MOEN.
### Is a dripping Moen faucet covered by warranty?
Moen has a faucet warranty and a parts warranty, and it points owners to Moen.com for the full text. Our page on whether Moen has a lifetime faucet warranty explains what that language covers and what it leaves out.
Why is water leaking around the handle?
It's usually the cartridge again. Moen's article on handle leaks gives the same explanation as the spout article: when water leaks from the handle area while the faucet is on, the reason is usually the cartridge, and a two-handle faucet has two of them.
To pick the right replacement, Moen gives three routes depending on what you have in hand:
- You have the model number. Moen says you can find the replacement parts for it on Moen.com.
- You've removed the handle. Compare the cartridge to the photos in Moen's article on bathroom faucet cartridges. Our page on how to identify a Moen faucet cartridge walks through the same comparison.
- You have no information. Moen suggests its Identify My Product page, or a call to 1-800-BUY-MOEN.
The Home Depot's how-to guide on replacing a faucet cartridge makes the same general point from the retail side: worn cartridges or rubber O-rings often lead to leaks, and swapping in replacement parts stops leaks at the base and around the handles. Its steps for the job are worth knowing before you start. Close the shut-off valve under the sink completely, open both taps to drain the lines until the flow stops, close them again, and plug the drain so screws and small parts can't fall in.
### How can you tell a cartridge faucet from an older compression faucet?
Home Depot's guide gives a quick hint. If you turn the handle to slow the flow, it's a cartridge faucet. If you push the handle down to slow the water to a trickle or shut it off, it's a compression faucet, and repairing those follows a different process. It also says a two-handle faucet with a stem sticking up once opened is likely compression, with no cartridge inside, and that older homes often have that type. A cartridge is a plastic cylinder, so if you find one inside, the cartridge steps apply.
Why is water pooling around the base?
Check whether it's really the handle. Moen warns that a handle leak can run down onto the base plate, called the escutcheon, and look like a leak at the base of the faucet. Its test is simple: wrap a paper towel around the handle and turn the faucet on. If the towel gets wet, you have a handle leak, so use the handle section above.
If the base itself is leaking, the fix depends on the faucet style, according to Moen.
| Faucet style | What Moen says to do |
|---|---|
| Single handle (any style) | Remove and clean the aerator, then thread it back on. If the leak stops, that was it. If it persists, replace the cartridge. |
| Two handle, centerset | Same steps: clean the aerator first, then replace the cartridge if the leak persists. |
| Two handle, mini widespread | Replace the faucet's O-rings. |
| Two handle, widespread | Replace the faucet's O-rings. |
The aerator step is easy to skip because it seems unrelated. Moen lists it first for single-handle and centerset faucets, so it costs nothing to try before ordering parts.
Why is water leaking under the sink?
The cabinet is where a small leak becomes real damage, so look at it as soon as you see any moisture. Moen's guidance asks two questions: is the leak steady day and night, or does it happen only while the faucet is in use? Each answer points to a different part.
- 1A steady leak from around the shut-off valve handles. Moen says the seals on the shut-off valves have failed, and the solution is to replace the shut-off valves.
- 2A steady leak from a split or torn supply line. These are the lines that run from the shut-off valves up to the faucet. Moen's solution is to replace the supply lines between the shut-off and the faucet.
- 3An intermittent leak only while you use the faucet. Moen says that on a two-handle widespread faucet, the supply connection hose between the handle valves and the spout has developed a leak. Single-handle and centerset faucets don't have that hose. The fix is to replace that supply connection hose.
Moen adds that it has used several styles of connection hose over the decades, so you need to find which one your faucet has. It lists the hose by the year the faucet was installed:
| Installed | Moen hose part number | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Before 2000 | 14373 | Built-in spout union T-connector |
| 2000 to 2003 | 103469 | Threaded spout with a square brass connector |
| 2003 to 2023 | 114299 | Three quick-connects, each with an integrated clip or button |
| 2023 to present | 215998 | Quick-connect hose that slides up the valve bodies and snaps into place, with white connectors and black elongated buttons |
The last row is worth a second look: the 2003 to 2023 hose comes in two color combinations, black connectors with a white clip or white connectors with a black button, so color alone doesn't date it. Moen's article shows photos for each.
### What should you do first if you can't tell where it's coming from?
Dry everything with a paper towel, then run the faucet and watch. Moen's diagnosis depends on whether the leak is above the counter, called the deck, or below it, and on whether it shows up only while you use the faucet, right after, or all the time. Those observations alone often settle the question before you touch a wrench.
When is it time to call a plumber?
Call when the leak is inside the cabinet and you can't isolate it, when a shut-off valve won't close fully, or when a new cartridge or hose doesn't stop the leak. A valve that won't hold is a reason to stop before you take anything apart, since Home Depot's guide treats a fully closed shut-off as the first step. If you already have a cartridge in hand, our page on how to fix a dripping faucet and our guide to leaks under the sink cover the general steps. HQ Plumbing & Air is licensed and insured, gives free estimates and quotes an upfront price before starting, and offers 24/7 service if water is on the floor.