More Hope For a Leaky Faucet

  Is that old faucet you replaced the washer in leaking again? You were so happy to have finally dealt with that torturous dripping that had been going on for over a year, and now it's back to haunt you only after a month.

Not to worry. It's not the end for your fifty year old fixture. You don't have to tear out the shower tile and replace the entire system yet. There's another inexpensive part that can be replaced that will give you another fifty or so years of replacing just the neoprene washer next time the faucet leaks.

When you turn off an old faucet valve at the handle, you're essentially screwing the valve shut, and that little washer at the tip is plugging a little round opening inside the valve body that allows the water to flow to the spout.

The little round opening is lined with a brass part that acts as seat for the the washer and is appropriately called a "valve seat". Over the years of not replacing the washer when needed and instead cranking down more and more to turn the dripping off, the metal from the valve stem can grind away and wear out or even crack the valve seat. This is also the major cause of damage to the valve stem as well. Notice the cracked end of the older valve stem on the left. It can no longer hold a washer.

The easy fix is to remove the valve stem as if you were going to replace the washer, and take a look at it. You may notice the washer is distorted or in this case the the valve stem is damaged and needs to be replaced.  If you peer inside the valve body with a flash light, you will see

the face of the valve seat way in the back.

In order to remove the valve seat, You'll need to invest in a specialty valve seat wrench available at any local hardware store for about $12 . Its a very simple tool with a square shaped bit on either end.  Buy the most universal option with large and small tapered ends to insure that it will fit your valves seat.

Being careful not to strip the valve seat, figure out which end best fits your valve seat. Firmly set the wrench and lefty loosey it out. You'll feel the seal of the valve seat break, and when it's completely un-threaded, the seat will come out on the tip of your wrench when you retrieve it.

Now take your old valve seat and valve stem to a plumbing supply, and they should be able to match up the the right part. While you're at it, get a supply of fifty cent washers to to protect your newly rebuilt faucet.