It took me half a day+ to fix a leaking faucet!

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Everson WA - Pacific NW USA
I'm not bragging.

Kitchen faucet, Delta ball knockoff, contractor grade. Drip............................................drip.

A couple weeks ago. OK remove handle set screw. Ugg. Really stuck. Use all sort of penetrating fluid. No help. Eventually I (king of all jackesses) strip the hex. Poop. None of my easy outs fit. Go get Milwaukee drill, but can't find my left hand drill bits. I think I loaned them to a buddy. In the process I find out my drill is fried and won't go in reverse.

Buy a HF $25 job (separate thread) and some various remover tools. None actually work. Screw is really seized. Suddenly one gets a bite, set strew starts to turn and then breaks partially. What a mess - but naturally the handle will come off.

OK cool, standard springs and rubber seal seats, plus the cap is loose. Off to the store. Of course no threads match the set screw. (metric or standard - weird). I got the closest match - looks like same size or so 1/4-20, just course thread (you would think this mean the thread was 1/4-28). Next size up is 5/16-18, but I don't have a tap that size or an "F" drill bit. So I buy that stuff, just in case.

Reassemble the faucet after shining everything up. Works GREAT.

OK now the handle. Drill press gets most the remaining junk out, but there is still stuck metal and my 1/4-20 tap is not having fun. So I work the hole with a diamond bit as the remains of the old stainless set screw were quite work hardened. Now the tap goes. Hole is not perfect, but fine for a set screw on a tiny faucet lever. Goo up the new stainless set screw with antiseize and works like a champ.

Return unused 5/16-18 stuff.

Wife now wants a new kitchen. Ugg.
 
The Delta ball system seems to be known for this type of "freeze-up". My plumber told me he never installs them but use the faucets with a cartridge. Less chance of this happening. Moen uses the cartridge, BTW.
 
This is the kind of simple job turing into a nightmare that I dread, although it does happen.
Every now and then, a straightforwrad task goes south on you.
I admire you peristence is completing the task.
 
Atleast you didn't give up 3/4 of the way through and waste your time and then money buying a new faucet.
We have the "times 4" rule at my house, we estimate how long it will take to do a job then schedule 4 times as much time to do it. Sometimes it takes less time, but not often more.
 
I had one of the standard screw down types (Argentinian). The brass seat kept breaking away. I had to regularly pull it apart and re-grind the seat down to good brass. The first two times I thought I'd get town to good brass. 3rd time I bought a new fixture for $150.
 
I hate plumbing jobs, but I'd hate paying a plumber even more. My kitchen sink backed up. It took a good 3 hours to snake it out needless to say I was not a happy camper.
 
lol !!! thank you for the entertainment! and I only laugh because I've been there! plumbing jobs usually require 3 trips to the store for me!
 
I feel your pain Pabs.

I know I dread this job with my current kitchen sink. Even replacing the faucet would be a nightmare the way the sink sets low and far back. You'd be working by feel only, up under there.

Not totally related, but I was able to acquaint myself with "Sharkbite" pipe fittings on my last copper line plumbing disaster. All I can say is; Where have you been all my life! No more soldering/sweating for me. Those things are AWESOME.

Joel
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I find most home repair jobs take 5 hours longer and $100 more than I planned.


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Quoted for truth. Hofstadter's law.
 
If things go wrong more then I think they should..I will just go and replace the whole unit. Might be wasteful but you know that everything is new and it will save further angst down the road.

I recently just threw away a $500 4 year old Moen and replaced it with a $130 Peerless..never looked back.
 
Wow you bought a junk contractor faucet and wasted all that time trying to repair it? LOL

Best to buy a well known brand, most of the good brands have inexpensive units that would have likely been much easier to repair.
 
Originally Posted By: 91344George
Wow you bought a junk contractor faucet and wasted all that time trying to repair it? LOL



Why would you think I bought this faucet?

Assume much?

It came with the house, so yeah I guess I bought it.
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I feel for you, I had the same thing happen a few months ago but threw the towel in and ended up replacing it.
 
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Originally Posted By: 91344George
Wow you bought a junk contractor faucet and wasted all that time trying to repair it? LOL



Why would you think I bought this faucet?

Assume much?

It came with the house, so yeah I guess I bought it.
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Usually today you can specify upgrades to things like plumbing items (faucets, toilets, ect) I guess you overlooked that?

If you would have specified a brand name product at a reasonable price it would have saved you hassle for more years.
Oops YOUR bad!
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Last edited:
Originally Posted By: 91344George


Usually today you can specify upgrades to things like plumbing items (faucets, toilets, ect) I guess you overlooked that?

If you would have specified a brand name product at a reasonable price it would have saved you hassle for more years.
Oops YOUR bad!
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I don't get where you are coming from, if you are trying to be an arse, you are succeeding. What IS your point, buddy?

Let's take this from the top. It was a used house, built in 1998. We bought the house 6+ years ago. I'm pretty sure back then it was a sellers market in WA state. In fact I know it was, as there were at least 3 other couples line up behind us with one guy offering us cash money to walk, because his wife wanted the house so bad. But even today, I highly doubt an ave Joe motivated seller will selectively replace all the fixtures with brand names the buyer prefers. Get real.
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What a doofus.
 
Originally Posted By: JustinH
I replaced my faucet with a decent one for 60 dollars at lowes on sale. Total time was 30 minutes.


I almost went down that road. Really the only thing that stopped me, is we are replacing all the countertops in 2013, new sink, etc. So I didn't want to get new faucets twice. Just needed to get more life out of the current one. Winning!
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