Moen Kitchen Faucet problems/quality

My mother's kitchen 2 handle moen faucet was dripping from the hot side. So I went over to replace the washers on the stem.

I installed this faucet about 1.5years ago to replace a older American Std.

I pull the hot handle off and the bottom part is all chewed up/mangled. At first I thought it got this way bc of the leak and maybe them tightening the handle to stop the leak. But the cold was the same way. Very disappointing.

The handles lever appear to be heavy metal but the bottom part that attaches to the stems are cheap plastic.

I pull the stems and head over to HD to get the 2 diff size washers I need. Ofcourse they don't have the washers I need! A million others but not the ones the moen needs.

I get the washers I need at another supply house. I get back to reinstall them and the cartridge nut splits on one side!

At this point I'm so frustrated that I now have a kit faucet with 2 handles that need to be replaced, stems that have hard to find washers, nuts splitting!!

The amount of time that I spent doing this "repair" work wasn't worth the savings in just buying another faucet. I think I paid about $100 for this.

Now I know this isn't a high end faucet but I figured I was buying a name brand that would make durability and future repairs easier.

I ended up pulling the entire unit and replacing with an American Standard unit.

It's a shame that this perfectly good looking faucet now is useless. I looked online and new handles appear to be about $24, then new stems/or washers and new cart nuts.

What is moen like for warranty? Am I entitled to replacement parts on them?

BTW this all started when I went over to replace what I thought was a bad flapper on a leaking toilet, that ended up being a cracked bowl on a 1957 Am Std toilet with a 14" rough-in!!! U know the depot doesn't have any 14" roughs!!! What a day

On a two handle Moen faucet, most of us would not fool around with replacing anything less than the entire cartridge. $6. There are no washers in there, but there are o-rings, but why fool around trying to find a Moen o-ring?

Moen is lifetime warranty, so they should send you a cartridge and handle adapter if necessary. 1-800-buy-moen

Sorry I meant o-ring.

I did read on their site that they are lifetime warranty. So do I just call and ask for new cartridges?

I see the "original receipt required" in their warranty terms, do they hold u to that? Kinda pointless in my mind since it is a lifetime warranty but it hasn't stopped a company before.

2 more questions, how would I find my faucet model number? and would they also send me replacement handles and the cart nut too?

Thanks
Rem

rmelo99 said:

I see the "original receipt required" in their warranty terms, do they hold u to that? Kinda pointless in my mind since it is a lifetime warranty but it hasn't stopped a company before.

Click to expand...

You wouldn't need the receipt, you just need to take the old cartridge to a distributer for a replacement . I know that HD's in my area act as disrtibuters for warrenty cartridges for Moen

rmelo99 said:

2 more questions, how would I find my faucet model number? and would they also send me replacement handles and the cart nut too?

Click to expand...

The only way to get new handles , is to call them and explain your situation, and if their PR hasn't changed, then they will offer to send them wthin 3 working days. You could probably get your cartridges this way as well. You can usually describe the faucet over the phone and they will get the model number 95% of the time

In Canada HD will give out free replacement cartridges.

In the USA HD will sell them to you. Call 1-800-BUY-MOEN for free parts there is a lifetime guarantee on function and finish. They will take care of you without a reciept... They are #1 in customer service and should serve as a role model for all other companies. You will be plesantly surprised. There is no need to know a model number. Their CSR's have ESP! Seriously they ask a few questions and they know exactly what family of parts you fall into.

I suspect your mother has hard water that is taking its toll on the fixtures. Get that water tested and treat as needed.

Thanks for the help. I couldn't find the model number on the unit anywhere but will call Moen this week.

Since you mentioned hard water, how would I tell if in fact we have hard water. we are served by city water and I assume my water would be the same as hers.

Just got me worried bc I have heard hard water isn't good for my tankless I thought I was ok since I was on city water.

Best bet would be to get it tested. Just because it is city water, doesn't mean it can't be hard...just ask a plumber in San Antonio!

The only thing you can count on from a public water system is that it is potable...it can have all sorts of things in it as long as they are not unhealthy. Some people pay big bucks for mineral water.

faucet

I am not sure what washers you tried to change on the Moen stem, but since they are no "user replacable parts" in them, that is the reason no one had them. You replace the entire cartridge. If anything was chewed up on the faucet, it was either because of something you did, or the faucet was one that had been returned to HD by a previous installer who damaged it.

Hard-ware store quality faucets

Most moen double handle faucets are difficult
to even get the handles off without scarring them up
and getting parts can be even worse....

then you replaced the Moen with an
American standard faucet.... a very shrewd move


Moen faucets from hardware stores are sub -standard,
but the brand you have now is actually far worse...

both of them are good for a year or two, thats about it.

yes you can get free parts from moen....

you should have just shut off your kitchen faucet
and waited about 10 days for parts to arrive from moen
and maybe they might have sent you the right parts...


when the American standard faucet goes bad, and you
cant get parts for it next year......


go to a real plumbing supply house and buy a DELTA

Delta...hmmm was waiting for someone to chime in with what the pros choice is.

I have always like Delta, but I know these other names as being around for quite sometime. I guess I sorta figured if they lasted all these years they must be pretty decent. Guess I was wrong.

I don't want to turn this thread into a brand bashing but what other brands should I lean towards & away from.

I have never seen a 10 day wait for a Moen Part!

However, on Kohler I have see a 1 month wait for a part!

Redwood said:

I have never seen a 10 day wait for a Moen Part!

However, on Kohler I have see a 1 month wait for a part!

Click to expand...

I have seen 3 working days maximum for Moen

American standard parts are here today and gone the following year

And Delta just simply doesn't like me. No matter what I try, I just have bad luck with them

That has been my experience with Moen!

rmelo99 said:

What is moen like for warranty? Am I entitled to replacement parts on them?

Click to expand...

I have seen moen send out entire faucets to replace the damaged one or one that has a non repairable dilema................................. free of charge.

They feel that it is cheaper for them to give you a replacement faucet and they get to keep you as a customer ( but thats in the eye of the beholder)