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

[91344George]

Originally Posted By: Pablo

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.

What a doofus.


You need to communicate more clearly.

The way you worded your first post it sounded like you purchased the house brand new.

Now that you have given more details it makes sense.

It still made no sense to bother spending hours trying to repair a junk faucet though.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: Pablo

Why would you think I bought this faucet?

Assume much?

In the grand scheme of things. Delta makes good stuff. Their box-store brand is Peerless. They are decent.


Most plumbers will tell you that Delta is the one to buy

 

[andyd]

Meh, I have Moen shower valves. The big sink has a Hansa, a high toned German faucet with a pull out head. I really like it. The little sink Has a POJ, the fake brass plate is peeling but, it still functions fine.. I had a Delta ball mixer kitchen faucet. I was always having to mess with that darn thing
I dont mess with faucet washers anymore. The acid water rots the bibb screw Id settle for a ball valve, but Marina has to be fancy.

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: tomcat27
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!


Best reply in the whole thing. I posted this for entertainment. Plumbing sucks. Why people want argue, give out funky recommendations, get all brand loyal, even call me "bad".....it is indeed the internet!

I was hoping someone would want to explore the dissimilar metals issue and the set screw binding up.

 

[PandaBear]

Sounds like my inlaw's faucet. Their problem is the father in law is too cheap to do it himself and will refuse to ask for help, from paid professionals, or from my side of the family or even me. In the end the leak got so bad that the whole kitchen counter is water damaged and it can be an electrical hazard below.

Last time when I did mine I have to do it when they are out of town. I'd be happy to buy a new cheap faucet (American Standard $60, made in USA, lifetime warranty) because the old one is stuck so bad I have to saw, burn, drill, rip, it to pieces.

 

[bigmike]

I buy cheap faucets and just junk them if I can't easily fix them. By the time they have a problem, the finish looks bad anyway.

I might change my mind when I can't crawl under a sink anymore.

 

[doitmyself]

Thanks for the entertaining thread Pablo. I agree with the general conscensus here regarding the nature of plumbing jobs.

And, it makes perfect sense to spend a bit of extra time to keep a functional unit alive if you plan to replace everything next year. The "throw away" mentality has some flaws also. It's all about balance and moderation...grasshopper.

Although, I am surprised you bought a house with Delta fixtures....should have been the deal breaker!

Actually, I think Delta is o.k.. They have excellent parts availability and warranty services. Finish peels, they give you a new unit (so I hear).

FYI, I hold most world records for DIY project length.

 

[andyd]

I enjoy plumbing. My house had very rudimentary plumbing when we bought it. We added another 1 1/2 baths and another sink and dish washer. I have replaced all the copper at least once. I dont think I've got 75$ worth of tools. A few cheap tools and plumbing gets pretty simple. I spent a month as a plumber's helper/ septic pumper driver/ general laborer for a friend during a career change. It was a great short term job. I learned a lot about plumbing. Like anything else, the more you do , the better your technique gets. I have replaced all the shut offs with ball valves. I can isolate every run of plumbing in the cellar. Having all the drains low down ensures that the pipe is empty. Painlessly. Quickly. I keep a few lengths of tubing, assorted fittings, brushes, solder, flux, etc on hand for emergencies, But mostly , I just turn off the problem

 

[bigmike]

Plumbing in Florida is pretty easy, so I don't complain. I've replaced all the faucets and toilets, various shower and tub parts, and basic rough ins. Everything is with PVC, so it's simple.

I don't mind it at all and if I were not in a "white collar" job, I'd probably select plumbing as a trade.

Besides, there's only 2 rules:
Hot goes on the left.
Everything flows downhill.

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: bigmike
I don't mind it at all and if I were not in a "white collar" job, I'd probably select plumbing as a trade.

Besides, there's only 2 rules:
Hot goes on the left.
Everything flows downhill.


The plumbers around here tell me that the big money is being a "turd chaser".....the guys that just go around and unplug stopped up drains.

 

[CivicFan]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
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.


Why not buy a new faucet based on what your wife wants? You get to go to the hardware store, she gets a faucet she likes. The best outcome to maintain marital bliss.

 

[CivicFan]

Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: Pablo

Why would you think I bought this faucet?

Assume much?

In the grand scheme of things. Delta makes good stuff. Their box-store brand is Peerless. They are decent.


Most plumbers will tell you that Delta is the one to buy


After cheaping out on Pfister or Moen, and wasting quite a lot of money and time fixing leaks, I switched to Delta. They have been the most reliable as far as the finish and leaks go.

 

[kb01]

Originally Posted By: 91344George


You need to communicate more clearly.

The way you worded your first post it sounded like you purchased the house brand new.

Now that you have given more details it makes sense.

It still made no sense to bother spending hours trying to repair a junk faucet though.

You should learn to read more carefully. You jumped all over the OP because of your own confusion. One of the nicest things about this site is how people can freely post about their own foibles or silly anecdotes.

I don't think there's a single person on this site who hasn't spent 5 hours on a 5-minute job and looked back and said "wow, I should have just replaced it!". House projects have a way of sucking one in and replacing the whole thing or calling in a professional is akin to declaring defeat.

 

[Papa Bear]

Originally Posted By: bigmike
I buy cheap faucets and just junk them if I can't easily fix them. By the time they have a problem, the finish looks bad anyway.

I might change my mind when I can't crawl under a sink anymore.



+1

 

[91344George]

Originally Posted By: kb01


You should learn to read more carefully. .


I don't need to, my reading and comprehension skills are excellent and rated among the top percentile in scholastic testing.

The only thing that was missing was more detail on the part of the original poster, which was posted later on in this thread.

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: 91344George
Originally Posted By: kb01


You should learn to read more carefully. .


I don't need to, my reading and comprehension skills are excellent and rated among the top percentile in scholastic testing.

The only thing that was missing was more detail on the part of the original poster, which was posted later on in this thread.


No dude. You assumed something and you were wrong. Get over it.

 

[dishdude]

All this banter over a faucet?

 

[91344George]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
All this banter over a faucet?



If you want to hear "banter" check out some amateur radio frequencies if you have a shortwave radio with SSB....

14.313 USB from about 9 am to 1 pm or so. EST

7.213 LSB from about 7 am to 12 noon EST

3.843 LSB from about 1 am to 4 am EST..