Struggled with a leaky faucet for months then finally tried the brass compression fitting instead of plastic

I've been going back and forth on this for a while now. My kitchen faucet started dripping last October, and I swapped out the plastic compression ring twice with no luck. It would stop for a week, then start leaking again. Finally frustrated, I grabbed a brass compression fitting from the hardware store for like 4 bucks and it's been bone dry for 2 months straight. Plastic seems easier to tighten, but the brass just grips better without cracking. I even had to use a little more elbow grease on the nut, but no regrets. What's your take on plastic versus brass for supply line connections? Has anyone else found one clearly outlasts the other?

3 comments

3 Comments

riley_price2mo ago

You mentioned the plastic ring cracking, and that's the thing that gets overlooked. The plastic fittings swell and contract with hot water cycles, so they lose their seal over time. Brass doesn't expand nearly as much, so it holds tight even after years of use. I had a similar issue with a washing machine hose years back, switched to brass and it outlasted the machine itself.

gibson.mark16d ago

Right, and that thermal expansion stuff is exactly why a buddy of mine had his whole under-sink setup blow out at 2am. He used one of those cheap plastic supply lines and woke up to a flooded kitchen. Switched to braided stainless with brass ends after that and never had another problem.

fiona_lane2mo ago

Tbh that tracks with everything from faucets to garden hoses now.