Gaah Leaky Faucet is Driving Me Insane

  • Thread starter Thread starter russ_watters
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a leaky faucet in a bathroom tub, focusing on troubleshooting and repair strategies. Participants share their experiences and suggestions regarding plumbing issues, potential solutions, and the challenges of accessing the faucet components.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes the difficulty in disassembling the faucet valve due to limited access and expresses frustration with the manufacturer's lack of support.
  • Several humorous suggestions are made, including turning up the radio or using a sledgehammer for repairs.
  • A participant proposes using a string or yarn to redirect the water from the faucet to the drain to minimize the noise of dripping.
  • Another participant mentions the possibility of needing to replace the faucet if it is washerless, indicating a lack of familiarity with the specific type of faucet.
  • Some participants discuss the mechanics of the faucet, including the role of a hex-nut and the potential need for a special tool to access the inner components.
  • There are exchanges about the correct identification of parts, with some confusion over hex bolts versus other components of the faucet.
  • One participant shares that they have successfully repaired plumbing in the past, while another expresses a fear of electrical work despite having some experience.
  • A later reply notes that the main water valve is currently not leaking, suggesting that the issue may have resolved itself temporarily.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the best approach to fixing the faucet, with multiple competing views and suggestions remaining throughout the discussion. Some express confidence in their plumbing skills, while others remain uncertain about the repair process.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various assumptions about the faucet type and the condition of the plumbing, but these are not fully resolved. There is also uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of suggested solutions and the potential for further complications during repair.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for individuals facing similar plumbing issues, those interested in DIY repairs, or anyone looking for humorous takes on home maintenance challenges.

  • #61
Redbelly98 said:
Hey, this could go in the "What's in your man-bag" thread. :-p

:smile:
 
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  • #62
russ_watters said:
I don't really want to have a freely spinning knob, but I might have to live with it.
Your girlfriend might appreciate it. :rolleyes:
 
  • #63
Russ, all you have to do is contact TAPS the ghost hunting Roto Rooter guys and tell them you hear a strange tapping sound coming from your bathroom and you think it could be a ghost, because when they investigate a haunting, they also fix minor plumbing problems.

I'm not making this up.
 
  • #64
Call kohler.
Order a new piece
When it arrives,
First turn the water supply off.
Open a faucet so you can take the water pressure out inside the pipe.
Go back to the faucet.
Take out the nut at the top of the handle.
Take the inner part out. Be easy...
Then take the new one and replace with the old part.
Make sure new piece placed in correctly.
Put the nut back and tight it.
Turn on the water supply slowly.
Check for leaks.
Hopefully there is no leak.
Also calling a licenced plumber to do this procedure will make your life easy.

Good luck
 
  • #65
ozgurakkas said:
Call kohler.
Order a new piece
When it arrives,
First turn the water supply off.
Open a faucet so you can take the water pressure out inside the pipe.
Go back to the faucet.
Take out the nut at the top of the handle.
Take the inner part out. Be easy...
Then take the new one and replace with the old part.
Make sure new piece placed in correctly.
Put the nut back and tight it.
Turn on the water supply slowly.
Check for leaks.
Hopefully there is no leak.
Also calling a licenced plumber to do this procedure will make your life easy.

Good luck

What is wrong with you?!

A plumber is what you call halfway through the repair when the water level in the basement is halfway up the basement stairs! And then you tell him its your daughter's house or girlfriend's house.
 
  • #66
BobG said:
What is wrong with you?!

A plumber is what you call halfway through the repair when the water level in the basement is halfway up the basement stairs! And then you tell him its your daughter's house or girlfriend's house.


What if it's his grandmother's house...

Have fun with that...
 
  • #67
BobG said:
You might be able to tell the temperature. You'd have to figure out the expansion/contraction for the different parts, but the gap allowing the water to drip should change with temperature.

In practice, I guess you could just chart the temperature vs drip rate over a period of time, but since everything is going to be pretty close to room temperature, you probably won't see a huge variation.

I suggest turning off heat to the house. That will create a bigger variation in temperature.
I found the reference I was referring to and it's actually if you know 3 consecutive time intervals then you can predict the fourth, and if you could measure these time intervals exactly you could predict the entire future of the system but as exact measurement is impossible this can't be done. If the initial measurement was made to 10 decimal places then each predicted step drops a decimal place so after 10 drops you can no longer make a prediction. This was discovered in 1978 by some grad students at the University of California.
 
  • #68
russ_watters said:
I was joking around a little - my primary concern was breaking a pipe or solder joint. If it starts leaking again, I'll buy a valve stem before doing anything else. Once I have that part, I should be able to see how to get the existing one out. I was at Lowes today and they didn't seem to have one for my faucet, but they were only like $10, so not a big deal even if I just end up using it as an instruction manual.

A piece of advice. If this is not a washerless faucet, replacing the stem/washer might not fix the leak. You might also have a bad seat(this is the surface the washer seals against). If it is worn or pitted, the washer will not seal properly, or even if the leak stops at first, the seat will quickly wear out the washer and you'll soon find yourself replacing it again. So, after removing the stem, shine a light inside and inspect the seat.

Here's what a typical seat looks like and where it is located. You might have to get a seat wrench to get it out. It just screws out, but it is down inside the faucet and not easy to get a purchase on.
 

Attachments

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  • #69
Let's just simplify the situation. Blow the damned house up and build a new one without leaks. :rolleyes:
 

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