Neil.Steiner
Member
An older 3-handle shower of mine developed a problem where even when the faucets are turned off, the spout would still drip a little, and I had to turn the faucets really tight to get the dripping to stop. My wife tells me the problem is mostly with the hot water faucet.
I hired a plumber for something else, and asked him to replace the valve stems on this shower. I figured he would replace the valve stems and seats, but he only replaced the bib gaskets, and after he was done, I still had to turn the faucet really hard to get the dripping to stop. I explained the situation, but he said he had performed the service correctly.
I figured the plumber just wasn't as thorough as he should have been, so I replaced the valve stems and seats myself. It was my first time working on something inside the walls, but I think I did everything correctly. I used Rectorseal 5 on the seat threads. I tightened everything else somewhere between snug and tight, with the possible exception of the bib washers which I didn't tighten especially hard.
When I turned the water main back on, with the faucets off, it took a little while, but the spout again started dripping a little. In fact, it's dripping more than it was before or after the plumber. I can tighten the faucets really hard (not sure how much is safe), but the dripping continues. I see no evidence of any leaks from the side or center of the stems.
Which makes me wonder, could the alignment between the valve and seat be a little off? I don't think anything is cross-threaded—and wouldn't I get a leak on the side of the stem if it were?—but I'm unsure how to explain what might be happening here. The old hot water seat wasn't perfect, but it didn't look like it could have caused this problem.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be much appreciated.
I hired a plumber for something else, and asked him to replace the valve stems on this shower. I figured he would replace the valve stems and seats, but he only replaced the bib gaskets, and after he was done, I still had to turn the faucet really hard to get the dripping to stop. I explained the situation, but he said he had performed the service correctly.
I figured the plumber just wasn't as thorough as he should have been, so I replaced the valve stems and seats myself. It was my first time working on something inside the walls, but I think I did everything correctly. I used Rectorseal 5 on the seat threads. I tightened everything else somewhere between snug and tight, with the possible exception of the bib washers which I didn't tighten especially hard.
When I turned the water main back on, with the faucets off, it took a little while, but the spout again started dripping a little. In fact, it's dripping more than it was before or after the plumber. I can tighten the faucets really hard (not sure how much is safe), but the dripping continues. I see no evidence of any leaks from the side or center of the stems.
Which makes me wonder, could the alignment between the valve and seat be a little off? I don't think anything is cross-threaded—and wouldn't I get a leak on the side of the stem if it were?—but I'm unsure how to explain what might be happening here. The old hot water seat wasn't perfect, but it didn't look like it could have caused this problem.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be much appreciated.