How to fix or repair a leaky bath and shower faucet..Stem and seat replacement. Plumbing Tips
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- Опубліковано 3 бер 2012
- This a complete video on repairing a leaky bath faucet from removing the stem and checking the seat for wear. Removing the seat and installing the new seat and stem.
- Навчання та стиль
This is very clear and helped me understand why I was having a problem with my shower faucet repair job. Well done--thanks!
Yay! Thanks so much for this video! I used this one for the leaky faucet and the other video of yours to replace the shower diverter. I couldn't have done it without these videos! I usually wait for my husband to come home and fix these things, but it saves a lot of time for our family if I can do it since I am at home all day taking care of the kids. This also saves our landlady from having to bring someone in to do something simple. Cheers from Nova Scotia. :)
I agree,great video, I replaced both the stem and the seat since it was still leaking after I had replaced the stems only , no way I could have done it without your '' help '' thanks ! (New Brunswick)
Thank you for this video! It was very helpful... My waltec was leaking and sure enough it was the seat that worn away, after following your steps I was able to fix the problem. Much appreciated!
Hello T Bow,
You are more than welcome!
I am glad it went well for you! Congrats on the repair!
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your week! Al
Hey Al !!!
Carl will only install Delta , hence Delta everywhere at Casa Rochester !!! LOL ...
There you go Al , great Tip with the Cheater !!!
Fantastic Tip on Teflon !!!
Great Job Al !!!
Hello PASBODRER;
Congrats on the repair!
Glad it went well for you!
Thanks for the kind words and have a great week! Al
( Caper )
Straight forward, no hassle. Thank you very much.
Al, Thanks so much! I replaced the garbage disposal and replaced all the pipes, traps and hoses under my kitchen sink, and have replaced all the toilet fixtures, but for some reason was hesitant about attempting the leaky bathtub.. Now that I have watched your video, it seems like it may not be as difficult as I thought, Think I will take care of that on Saturday. :)
Dena
Hello debbie;
Whenever you install new stems;you have to make sure that the stem is completely open when you install them. if they are not then you cannot install them all the way and they will not be able to close completely.
The other thing to keep in mind is if your faucets are leaking as much as they were before then the seats should be changed as well to give you a leak free faucet for years.I always replace the seats whenever I change he stems.
Thanks for commenting and have a good day!Al
DO NOT discount the need to cover your threads in some teflon tape! Awesome vid! I had never done this before with no problem, but when you NEED it, there's no getting around it to stop a leak!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Hello thesteveshowfoodfestroadtest,
I am glad to hear the video helped you out!
A little teflon goes a long way. I always add a little to the seats of faucets before I install them.
Congrats on the repair!
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your week! Al
Hello PASBODRER;
Thanks for the kind words!
Congrats on the repair!
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your week! Al
( Caper )
Thanks for the Video it was a great help . I was looking for a video about the seat , glad I didn't have to go through all the other videos to find out about it ,
+anthony Barthelmes
You are more than welcome!
I am glad everything worked out for you!
Thanks for commenting and have a great week! Al
@Jdcap26 Hey JD;
These faucets can last for many years. Parts are readily available and have not changed there design for decades except from going from the plastic washer that was used for installing the new cartridge to the o-ring. I prefer the o-ring myself.
Considering the rough-in is entirely made of brass; if there is a leak in the wall, it will probably be from a copper pipe or fitting.I will do a video on this for you JD this week.
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your week!
Al
Hello ebrdallas;
Glad I could help!
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your day!!!! Al
Fantastic video!! (Cindy here) I will be tackling this tomorrow, with confidence after watching this. My only concern might be calcium and mineral issues once the handles are off. I just tried getting the cap off a kitchen faucet and it's basically cemented on with minerals (tried vinegar with no luck). Anyway, I'm going to hope for the best! Thanks soooo much for this!! Next project will be changing from copper pipes to flex pipes and replacing shutoffs under kitchen sink. Hope you have a video for that!!
Hello Cindy,
You Go Cindy!!!
Minerals can make a repair a pain in the backside.
Hopefully it will go well for you. Patience is key in doing any repair.
I made a 4 step video on installing new pex lines in a home. I think it may help you out with your next project!
How to install Pex Lines In your Home. Step 1....That is the first of four.
Thanks for commenting and I hope the repair goes well for you! Al
Hello paris;
I am glad it worked out for you!
Nothing better then the sound of silence when it comes to a leaky faucet!
You are more then welcome!
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your day! Al
Hello Dena;
Congrats on the plumbing replacements. It sounds like you have pretty much everything under control.
It is not a big job, but it takes a bit of time.
Removing the seats in the faucet can be the most difficult part in the repair if they have to be changed. Besides that it is pretty much straight forward.
Thanks for commenting and good luck! Al
Thank you for this video. It was really helpful. I knew I was going through to many seals, and needed to investigate a little more. The seat was chipped and eating the seals. Now I think it should be good. Maybe now to do the center water divider.
Hello Chris,
You're welcome!
I am glad everything worked out for you!
I hear from people often that they replace the washer and end up with a leaky faucet shortly after it's replaced. The seat can wear easily if there are a lot of minerals in the water. Glad everything worked out for you! Congrats on the repair!
I have a video on changing the diverter as well if your interested...
"How to repair or fix a bath and shower faucet....little water going to shower head. Plumbing Tips"
ua-cam.com/video/t1TPrAKf19I/v-deo.html
Hopefully the rep[air goes well for you!
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your week! Al
thank you for this very clearly explained video. a big help.
@AreWeStillFree1 Hello;
You are correct on the waterline not being the problem. I would say it is the dishwasher itself do to the fact that you only get the leak when you use it.
You will have to remove the bottom panel on the dishwasher which is usually philips screws. You will then have to run the dishwasher and watch it for a while. It could be the water supply after the solenoid valve on it or the drain line. Take a flashlight and throughly go over it when it is running.
Hello TheMikeyb86;
Keeping things simple is the only way to fly!
Glad I could help!
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your day! Al
Hello Millie;
It sounds like the diverter to me Millie. A mobile home diverter is a little different then the one in most homes from my experience. Waltec makes 2 different styles for their faucets. If you can remove the old one and take it with you or purchase them both and return the one you don't use; you should be all set. If you have water to the valves this should resolve your problem.
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
This was a very helpful video. Thank you
Hello Katina;
You are more then welcome!
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
Hello boonjin;
You are more then welcome!
I believe you are talking about the diverter.
It does take pressure to keep the diverter open to allow the water to go to the shower.
I would not be to concerned about it. Just a matter of opening the faucets a little more and you should be all set.
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your day! Al
Hello there;
Thanks very much for the kind words. I am a big believer that keeping things simple is the only way to go.
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your week! Al
well done! saved a lot of money by doing it myself!
+amanb19
Thank you!
Nice to have that leak repaired no doubt. Congrats on that!
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your week! Al
Thank you, your video was very helpful. 😊
Hello Linda;
You are more then welcome!
I hope your repair went well for you!
Thanks for commenting and have a great week! Al
Good video! Here is another thing to do, if you have the time or don't know what brand of faucet you have. I pulled mine apart first and then took the parts to my hardware store. Mine did not look at all like the one in this video but I did need my allen wrench! Plus the hardware store guy gave more helpful advice.
Hello Meg Stewart;
Thanks for the kind words!
They make many different types of spouts; these are just a few that I come across more often.
You can take it to the hardware store and hopefully they will be able to help you....
Thanks for commenting and have a great day! Al
Hello threehappypenguins;
You are more then welcome!
Congrats on the repairs!
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your week! Al
From...N.S.
Hello fleurdelis1925;
fleurdelis is a trail in Nova Scotia. Cape Breton actually!
Although some people considered these old style faucets they are still popular.
The beauty of these is that you can replace the seats and stems and be good to go for years.
You can purchase the trim seperate from the faucet itself as well. This will have new handles, flanges,a spout and a shower head.
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
I have a older set up with the "Stem style," so I need to get a hold of a set of Tub wrenches. When I took it apart I was like damn... But when I put it back together it wasn't "leaking" as bad. I got this though. :D Thanks for the vid, and help.
Hello Karin;
Removing the handles can be a chore on many faucets and depending on your water they sometimes can be very difficult. The plastic unit has very little support in it. Once you have removed the screw you will have to lift up and down on the handle until it moves. They do make a tool for this application; called a handle puller.
Occasionally a handle has to cut off and a new one purchased.
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
Hello Biosynthnut;
If you take your time; you should get along just fine!
I can think of a few things worse for sure to wake up to! LOL!
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
Very Helpful! Thanks
Hello owin385;
You are more then welcome!
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with any future repairs! Al
@AreWeStillFree1 Continued;
There are a number of places where it could possibly be leaking. Pump, hoses, seals,etc... So it is a bit of a problem to find the leak, but you will be able to by removing the bottom and watching a cycle.
I personally have come to the conclusion about appliances; once they have reached there life expectancy you should consider buying a new one. Dishwashers are about 15 years. That is just my train of thought.
Good luck with the repair and have a good one! Al
Hello tiffin2la;
You are more then welcome!
They can be a pain in the backside at times. I have had a few situations where I had to cut the handle off to remove the escutcheon and then the cartridge! Doesn't happen to often, but is a little frustrating when it does!
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
Hello GTown Dave;
Sorry about that. I had the cold thing going on and was fighting the bug!
I do hope that the video helped you!
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with your repair! Al
Hello janbeee;
It sounds like it could be latex caulking which can get exceptionally hard. You can take a utility knife and slowly score it several times. It will take time, but it does work. A dremil tool with a bit will cut it away for you as well, but the knife will work. You just have to be patient.
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the job! Al
Hello Betsy;
Before he dives into the wall;he should probably see what else can be done first.He may realize the age of the faucet and if they are really old,getting parts could be a big problem.So replacing the faucet may be the only answer.The faucet doesn't have any name on it by chance?Is the divertor for the shower between the handles or is it on the spout?Do you pull it out or turn it to turn on the shower?Replacing the stems and seats is the fist step in repairing it.
Tks 4 commenting!Al
Hello photosbyhank;
Removing the handles can be a chore on many faucets and depending on your water they sometimes can be very difficult. The plastic unit has very little support in it. Once you have removed the screw you will have to lift up and down on the handle until it moves. They do make a tool for this application; called a handle puller.
Occasionally a handle has to cut off and a new one purchased.
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
Hello Gordon;
Did you make a small gasket with teflon to place around the seat. It is around the 2.50 mark of the video. This is more then likely where the water would be leaking in if you have installed a new cartridge.
Thanks for commenting and let me know how you get along! Al
Hello kyle;
The brass seats can deteriorate over time depending on the water quality.
If an allen wrench does not work; you can use a large common screwdriver.
Make sure it is a large as the hole where you tried with the allen wrench.
Gently tap it into place with a hammer and use a pair of pliers or channel locks to turn the screwdriver.
This usually does the job.
Thanks for commenting and have a great week! Al
Hello causticprovocateur;
You are more then welcome.
I hope your repair goes well and you have a great week!
Thanks for commenting!
Al
Hello 27Drynn;
If your faucets are like the set in the video then getting the diverter for the shower out of the wall may just need a good tug after you have unscrewed it from the faucet. What happens is the o-ring on the diverter can make it a little tough, but it will come out.
A crescent wrench will work for you to remove the stems once you have taken off the handles.
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair!
I hope it goes well for you! Al
Hello VideoNOLA;
The old faucets can be stubborn at times. I wouldn't be to concerned about tearing the faucets or hurting the pipes in the wall. They should be secured and as you turn the wrench you will be able to see if they are anchored well.
You may have to get a seat refinishing tool if you cannot find something to fit securely into the seat.
The older seats quite often strip and a tool such as a big screwdriver has to be used.
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
Hello widkeo;
This can be a pain in the backside at times. First check the seat to see if it HAS to be replaced. I will try my allen wrench first and then an easy out. It usually works for me on these tough ones. I have used a large common screwdriver before as well. This is a last try effort as the faucet will have to be replaced and you don't want to get into that if you can help it.
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
Hello Michelle;
This is something you can try. If you remove the cartridge and get someone to turn the hot water on for a short time ( about 3 seconds ); you will see what kind of pressure you actually have at the faucet. If there is something in the line; this may possibly blow it out of the line as well. Slide over the shower curtain when you try this to be on the safe side. You should have someone to either turn on the water or watch at the tub.
Let me know how you get along! Al
Hello Don;
I am not sure if you placed a little Teflon on the seats when you changed them. If not this is more then likely what is taking place. Water will get past them and cause the faucet to leak.
You are almost there on the repair. I believe this will fix the little drip you have. One of the biggest problems that happens with new cartridges is people still have a tendency to crank them tight, but they really only have to be finger tightened.
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your day! Al
@fritzhvac Hey Fritz;
Big Moen fan myself. Delta has been around since the beginning of time. Well, maybe not that long. They make very good products.
Waltec is the best bang for the buck faucet I believe.
Thanks for the Delta tip there Fritz!
Teflon can be used for all kinds of things. I even use it for dental floss if I am stuck.
Thanks for the comments and enjoy your week!
Hopefully it will be a good one for you and the folks!
Al
Hello hughtuberful;
You can use the crescent wrench by placing it into the cartridge and placing a screwdriver in the end of the wrench.
You can use the screwdriver as a handle similar to a basin wrench for this application.
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your day! Al
Hello Don;
The diverter only forces the water to flow up into the shower head from the spout; so it is more then likely not the diverter. It has to be either a stem or a seat in the faucet. this is the only place where the water can get past to come out the spout.
You may have to try and reinstall a new seat and stem. Make sure your stems are fully open when installing them.
Thanks for commenting and let me know how you get along! Al
Thanks really help for...
I have no idea how old this tub is, but it's a wall mount like this. So I will give this a shot. Not a good thing to wake up to in the morning...ugh.
hello Sharon;
I hoped this will make your repair a little smoother! It just takes a little time!
Thanks very much!
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your day! Al
Thanks! this is just what I needed. about to take my first stab at this. I have a really old home and the hot water pressure isn't right in my shower faucet. It's not leaky but think it could help if I open it up and replace it? The hot water pressure is fine in the rest of the house...
Hey janbeee;
Thanks very much!
How did you get along with the caulking?
Al
Thanks so much for this! Any tips for getting screws undone on faucets that are decades old? The previous tenants never had to replace this faucet I think.
Hello, very helpful video! Thanks. My question, if the seat is bad will it prevent water flow to the spigot?? Shower and bathtub spigot are neither one getting any water flow in our 1978 Fairmont Mobile Home.....however there is water coming to the valves themselves?? Thank you, have a great day!
Thank you for your reply, I'm inserting a picture of the type of spigot we have, which has the shower diverter on it. We have this off the pipes trying to get the water flow?? So, could it still be the diverter??
It won't let me add the attachment, however the diverter pulls straight up out of the tub spigot, which I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. Thank you so much for your kindness and God Bless!!
Great video! I replaced the stem washer and the seat also but hot water still keeps dripping out of the tub spout. I even tried replacing the stem with the cold water one (which wasn't leaking) and I still get the hot water leak. So if it's not the stem and I installed a brand new seat, what else do you think it could it be?
Thanks Oldkid for your reply. I did use the teflon tape on the seat threads and don't feel the cartridges are cranked too tight. Could it be a problem with the diverter as it's the only thing I haven't replaced?
Al how often do you've to change these valves? what if the leak is behind the wall you cannot see? TY for the vid. cheers
Thanks
Hello Phat Vuong,
You're welcome!
Hopefully it helps with your repair!
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your week! Al
Hello Imachowderhead;
Once you have removed the handles and stems; you should install new stems and seats as well!
The parts to make this repair do not cost much and will save you money on your water bill.
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your day! Al
Hello Michelle;
Does this happen when you are getting a shower or a bath or both?You can test this by running the cold water and using the diverter to see how much water you get and then try the same thing with the hot. If the hot water is low;then I would say that the problem may not lie in the faucet, but actually at the source of the hot water. Is the pressure low at other fixtures as well?Try doing the test first and get back to me.
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the test! Al
I am having trouble removing the screws from the faucets. Any suggestions?
Hello mannyvicev;
I made a video on repairing the diverter that you call the middle knob. The video is called....
"How to repair or fix a bath and shower faucet...Little water going to the shower head. Plumbing Tips!"
That video will show you how to change the center stem that is called the diverter.
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
Thanks for the video we were able to change the hot water stem, now our shower diverter is leaking water, is it basically the same idea, need new stem? thanks very much
+Heavonlea
You are more than welcome!
It is similar to removing a cartridge.
I made a video on what you are looking for....How to repair or fix a bath and shower faucet..little water going to shower head. Plumbing Tips...
It explains how to remove the old diverter and install a new one.
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
Hi there, thank you for the helpful video! I am unable to dislodge the cartridge and I think it is because it is very corroded and ancient. What is the next step? Is there a way to get it to move?
Hello amys252;
You want to open your faucet before turning on the stem. This may help you out. You will have to turn the wrench a little harder once you have open the stem.
Remember that it is counter clockwise when removing it.
If they have been in there for a while; I am sure they will be a little challenge, but with a little force they should pop and unscrew for you.
Thanks for commenting and let me know how you get along! Al
Is this process done the same way to the middle stem(knob)?
I replaced the stem and seat on my Waltec tub and shower set after viewing your video. I did this to fix a drip from the tub faucet. There was a 95 percent improvement, however there is still a slight drip. Any suggestions?
I have changed the stems in both the hot and cold water. When I turned the valves back on and try to turn the water off at the handle, it won't go off..What did I do wrong!!!
The problem I'm having is first getting the handles off. The plumbing does not seem securely fastened to the wall and when I try too get the handles off the wall of the shower stall moves quite a bit. As it is a plastic unit I can not just apply leverage with a screw driver or pry bar. I've been trying to wiggle them by hand by that hurts and no luck so far. Any suggestions?
Glad I bought gloves
Hello GhostBoogieBaby;
I hope everything worked out for you!
Thanks for commenting and have a great day! Al
wondering if you can be of any help. I had to replace washer on my cold cartridge to fix the leak, which it did. Worked fine for a week now if you turn the knob the cartridge comes out with it and you get a blast of cold water in the shower.
+TheWorldsACircus
So what you want to do is turn your water off. Then open your faucet all the way. Remove the handle and then tighten the cartridge in place. If your cartridge is partially closed while you are tightening it in place; it will bottom out on the washer leaving the cartridge not seated properly.
Once this is done; reverse the procedure.
This should resolve your problem.
Hi, My valve stem is far into the wall and I can't access the part to unscrew it with a crescent wrench. Is there a special tool that will reach that far in?
Hello TheOldkid888, what size hex key did you use to remove the valve seats? thanks!
Hello JJ Javier,
You would be looking for a 5/16th allen wrench. That will (should) remove the seat for you.
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
What size is the hex wrench that you used? My faucet is exactly the same and I bought a seat removal tool, but all i need is the right size hex wrench to save a few trips to the hardware store. Thanks!
Hello Matt,
You would be looking for a 5/16th Allen wrench.
That will remove the seat for you!
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
Thanks, Al. Great video and I appreciate the information on the Allen wrench. Replaced the seat and cartridge for both hot and cold and we are leak free. I was changing washers in the past, but I think it was the clear washer in the cartridge that I was missing before. Appreciate your help!
Thank
You Have saved me some money.
Hello Jacqueline,
You're welcome!
I hope the repair goes well for you!
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your week! Al
Teflon tape is not needed on the seat threads
I've had my hot water seat going bad twice in a year's time. It lasted about 10 years after I replaced it the first time. Is there another reason it might go bad other than turning it too tight?
Also, I don't recall if I only have to shut off the main water or if I also have to drain the hot water tank. I don't understand how only shutting off the main water will also stop the hot water from shooting out when I remove the seat. Thank you Al. (I don't have the cartridge system)
Hello socalteri;
Is it the seat or the washer that is bad? The seat is what the washer pushes up against inside the faucet. If the seat is bad in the faucet; your rubber washers won't last long. If you remove the cartridge and look inside the faucet with a flashlight; you will see that it is probably rough and when the washer pushes against it; it wears it down.
If it is a Waltec faucet then you will need a 5/16 Allen wrench to remove the brass seat.
By shutting off the main water; you are turning the water off to the hot water tank as well. So all you have to do is close the main valve and you are all set.
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
TheOldkid888 I just wanted to thank you for your response which I read right away but had trouble implementing due to my shut off valve being divided into two instead of just one valve and so until we figured that out, the water kept running. I had to call a handy(wo)man after all and she explained the problem to me and fixed the knob. Thanks for your videos.
Hello Teri E;
I am glad you got the faucet repair.
Thanks for commenting and have a great day! Al
How much would yo have to take aprt and remove to change from a Price Pfister Cartridges with Moen Cartridges or vice versa? I am not sure what I have now but I would like to install moen cartridges.
+707SonomaComa
You would have to remove the entire faucet in order to install Moen. There are no easy ways around that. Soldering would have to take place in order to change them; so if they are shower or bath faucets, you would have to either have to take them out from behind or remove a piece of the wall in front.
Changing faucets such as this requires soldering.
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your day! Al
My stem is plastic from the front, and the sleeve is quite large. It's an old trailer, the water is leaking quite significantly. How do I make sure I don't damage the stem (any more than it probably is because of the leak) when removing the sleeve?
Hello D Doherty;
Old trailer actually have a different diverter then the one in this video if by chance you are changing that part.
Is it the chrome plastic sleeve you are talking about? That simply screws off. You stem may look plastic, but I believe that the plastic cover comes off and you should have a brass stem underneath it if I am not mistaken. Wish I was there to see exactly what you have there. Sorry....
Get back to me and I will try and help as much as possible. Is your diverter in between the 2 handles as in this video?
Thanks for commenting and get back to me when you get a chance. Al
hello there , my shower is leaking and i can't find a seat for my delta shower ..home depot doesn't carry it .. do you know a place i can order one ?? im not sure on the parts number or anything like that ..all i know it's a delta brand.. the house was built around 1999 so im thinking it could be a part from late 90s or early 2000
Hello JAVIE-HW MrCowboys4life,
Is it a two handle or a single lever faucet? It probably isn't a seat you are looking for, but simply springs and washers.
Thanks for commenting and get back to me when you get a chance.....Al
When replacing the hot water cartridge, do I have to replace the cold water cartridge as well?
raymar gancena
You don't have to replace the cold water, but I usually do as you are going to have the water off. Big thing to remember is....check the seat of the faucet with a flashlight and try to touch the seat with your finger tip to see if it is smooth or rough. If it is rough you should consider changing as it will chew through the new gasket in the cartridge quite quickly.
If the cold is smooth and doesn't require much effort to close; I would let it go until a later date.
The way to make your new cartridge last longer is to turn it off gently and not crank it tight. Everyone thinks they have to crank the handle, but there really is no need to to turn the water off especially if your cartridge is new.
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
I opened mine but I dont know what to replace. the wasgers look fine but it still leaks.
I know you turn off the water supply, obviously, but do you have to kill the power to the water heater? I've heard my dad say in the past when we've worked on plumbing issues that this is necessary to keep from causing damage to the water heater . . . is this necessary in this situation, though?
Thanks -- great video!
Hello James,
No need to kill the power to the hot water heater on this job and generally that is something I don't do unless I am changing the tank out. There is an anti siphon hole that prevents the water from draining out of the tank.
No worries with that happening in this situation. You will be all set.
Thanks for commenting and good luck with the repair! Al
Fantastic info. Thank you so much!
Hello James,
You're welcome!
Best of luck with the project!
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your week! Al
do the old style sinks work this way as well. i assume so.
Hello bambamtin;
The principle for repairing the older style faucets is exactly the same as this set of Waltec.
Getting the cartridges and seats sometimes can be a challenge, but most of them are still available.
Thanks for commenting and have a great week! Al
We had a plumber come out to fix a leak in a bathroom... they opened the wall and "fixed" something, also replaced hardware in the shower. This is a rental property so I wasn't there to see what they did. Now the leak is repaired but the shower has NO COLD water? The plumber did tell me there was a slight difference in the water pressure from the hot & the cold knobs (?) but he said it wasn't much of a difference. Now the tenant says it's too hot to use, and they say there's no cold water coming out at all. I called the plumbers office and the receptionist said it's probably the cartridge- and wants to charge us for the secondary repair. Is there anything they could've done when repairing a leak that may have cause NO COLD water? And why would both the toilet and the shower leak at the same time? Any advice would help. I just need to know what I'm taking about more before I talk to the plumbers again. The cold water worked before they worked on it 🤷🏼♀️
Hello Dusty,
From what you are saying; you have a two handle faucet with very little cold water coming out of the faucet.
It is very difficult for me to say exactly what is going on there. There could be one of a number of things making this happen.
A screw could have broken off of a valve back in the system some where or a piece of solder just to name a few.
He really should have checked the faucets before he left to make sure everything was fine.
You are not sure exactly what he did to make the repair and stop the leak? There could also be a valve on the cold water line that was closed and didn't open correctly after he made the initial repair. Old gate valves are known to cause this problem.
Wish I could help you out more, but not seeing exactly what is there, it is difficult to comment on what took place.
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
I am having problems getting the seats out ... apparently stripped. how I get remove them without having to call the plumber?
How does one remedy a stripped out facet seat. We tried a seat wrench but could not get it to loosen. Thanks.
+Lawrence Castillo del Muro
They can be difficult at times depending on the water quality.
Be sure to feel the seat as it may not have to be replaced. Just a suggestion...
I generally try the proper size Allen wrench (5/16) and then if that doesn't work I go to a metric Allen wrench slightly bigger and tap it into place. Hopefully it will come out of the body for you.
I also have taken a wide common screwdriver and tapped that in and placed a wrench on it and removed it. This is a last resort because if you damage it to bad and it doesn't come out you will end up changing the faucets.
If you reach a point where you are leery of going farther there is a tool that will refinish the end of the seat for you.
Omalley Faucet Reseater Kit Includes Cutters, Guide Cone, Washers And Reseating Tool
Wolverine makes one as well. They do work!
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
Theoldkid888, I have a question for you. My husband wants to hire a plumber to fix the leak in our bathtub faucet, but I would like to try and fix it myself to save money. I have watched several videos and from what I understand I may want to replace the seats and cartridges. With my lack of experience what would you recommend? I also noticed you simply used an Allen wrench rather than a specialized tool to remove the seat. Would you recommend that as well. I was hoping you might be willing to give a little guidance! Thank you:)
+Rachel Jackman
This is a project you may be able to tackle.
Once you have removed the handle; you simply open the stem and remove it with a wrench as shown in the video. It may not be necessary to remove the seat depending on how it looks and feels. Once you have removed the stem you take a flashlight and look into the housing and see how it looks. You can take your finger and then feel the surface of it. If it feels smooth you will not have to remove the seat, but only replace the stem.
The Allen wrench is 5/16 ths of an inch.
If the seat is tight you can place a pair of pliers on the allen to help force it free. Place a little teflon threads of the new seat before installing it.
Any questions just fire away....
Thanks for commenting and have a great week! Al
+TheOldkid888 Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly. I think I am going to give it a try. I hope it is as simple as your video makes it look! I guess my next step is going to buy the parts! Do you recommend a plumbing store, or do places like Home Depot etc.. carry these parts? I'm not 100% sure what to ask for. What would you say about that?
Rachel Jackman
The faucets you have are Waltec with the diverter in the middle correct.
So you would be looking for a Waltec stem and seat. The stems come in both hot and cold, but many people are just using the cold on both sides. It will work in either one.
The seats you are looking for are for bath faucets. They are longer then the seats used in basins and sinks.
You will either need a 5/16th allen wrench or a seat wrench that will work as well.
You will also need a screwdriver and a crescent wrench to remove the stem if you don't have one already.
!...2-Waltec Bath faucet seats...remember they are longer then the regular seats.
2...2-Waltec stems..cold and hot or two of one.
3...1-5/16th allen wrench
4...A 10 inch crescent wrench or channel locks. Pipe wrench will work as well.
5...1-A screwdriver to remove the handle and utility knife to remove the cap on the handle.
Be careful removing the cap if you use the utility knife as it can slip and is very dangerous.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Thanks for commenting and let me know how you get along! Al
+TheOldkid888 Thank you SO much. I really appreciate it. Yes, mine is the style that you show in your video with the three handles. I guess I have everything I need to know to go out and buy the parts I need and get started. I may not do it for a while, since I am a student and am very busy in school right now, but I will be sure to get back to you if I have more questions, or to let you know how I did! Thank you once again kind sir:)
Rachel Jackman
You are more than welcome!
Best of luck with the repair!
Thanks for commenting and have a great week! Al
What an I doing wrong? I replaced the seat and stem, but when I put the plastic nipple, flange and handle back on the handle was tight and I could not run it.
My plumbing sets back far in the wall. I also had to use two small extensions on the end of each of the valve stems.
Hello Rhonda;
You may have installed the cartridge when it was closed. If you remove the cartridge and turn the stem in the center all the way open and reinstall it you should be all set!
This is common so don't panic. Just a matter of opening the stem....when I say this...the rubber washer on the bottom should be as far back to the end where the handle attaches. I hope this is clear enough for you.
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
Just a note...If you use any extension as you did you will turn the center stem in and that is not what you want.
Best of luck! Al
I'm having the same issue! HELP!!
Where is the leak? Is it leaking at the handle? Mine is dripping at the spout, how will I fix the leak there?
Hello carold.7907,
First thing is to check what type of faucet you have. The one in the video is Waltec.
You will need to shut off the water and remove the handle.
Once you have done that you unscrew the chrome extension as in the video so that you can remove the cartridge. CRack the cartridge open a little and this will help in the removal. You can either replace the entire cartridge which is probably the way to go or try removing the screw on the end of the cartridge and replace the washer. While the cartridge is out it would be good to check the seat inside the faucet to make sure it is not pitted. If so you will need a 5/16 Allen wrench to remove it. Place a little teflon on the threads of the seat and insert in faucet body. tighten it in and then install the cartridge. From there it is just a matter of threaded the chrome extension back on and securing the handle.
P.S. the seat you need for this faucet is longer than the regular ones for sink faucets. Keep that in mind when shopping for parts.
Hope this helps!
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the repair! Al
@@TheOldkid888 yes it's an old Waltec style, still sell them. I will get around to it. If I recall when I installed it there were pipes sticking out of the wall. What I would really like is to replace the plumbing behind the wall and update. Thanks for replying
help. my bathtub hotwater faucet rusted off. its almost flat...before i was able to turrn it on by the stem with pair of pliers but now i cant..i tried to glue on the handle and now the glue has it stuck. Any ideas how i can fix it or just turn it on somehow...im a woman and thats why i did something that dumb. Lol.
Hello nizolierocks,
Sounds like it may be time for a new set of faucets unless you can knock the handle off and remove the cartridge.
You will then need to replace the cartridge and the handle.
Hopefully it will pop off for you easily.
Give yourself more credit than that as you were attempting to make a repair!
I am a believer in words that should NEVER be used such as dumb, stupid and hate.
Congrats on you for trying to make the repair!
Now you will have to try something else. Worse comes to worse; you will have to get a new set of faucets installed, but I think you should be able to either break the handle off as you have it only glued or cut it off with a hacksaw and then replace the cartridge and handle.
Hope the repair goes well for you!
Thanks for commenting! Al
TheOldkid888i don't think I will be able to do that I wish so that it would save me Alot of money. See the knobs stripped off so the hot water stem was sticking out so I turned it with pliers. But now the stem stripped and broke off. Now I can't get hot water. Thanx for compliment
how to remove to a treadless seat ? please help
+ccnnnyyyccc
Not exactly wheat you mean by threadless. Is it a waltec faucet?
Get back to me when you get a chance. Al
+TheOldkid888 I need to remove the "faucet seats" but the "faucet seats" doesn't have thread because its too old. Usually "faucet seats" have thread and you can use "Tapered Faucet Seat Wrench" to remove it. But unfortunately the "faucet seats" I'm trying to remove its pretty old and the threads are gone. So, my question is do you know any tools or anything that I can use to remove the treadless "faucet seats""?
Thank you
ccnnnyyyccc
If the faucet is really old; you can get a seat finishing tool to remove the rough edges on the seat making it smooth.
You can't see the threads on the seat itself. A wrench usually gets inserted into the seat. It is usually in the shape of an Allen wrench or a square. Sometimes they have a screwdriver slot in them. If it is square, you can use a piece of square stock instead of purchasing a seat wrench.
I have used a wide screwdriver and tapped it into the center of the seat and removed them like that, but that is a last resort. Once you try that if it doesn't work; you must replace the faucets.
Thanks for commenting and best of luck with the project! Al
Thanks! My plumber charged me $100. to do that??????
Hello Wendy;
Things aren't cheap today for sure!
Niec that it is not dripping now...
Thanks for commenting and have a great week! Al
This is a great video but I CAN'T hear you.
My shower is a bitch,none of my valve wrenches fit at all! And whats worse I got the shower valve loose with a pair of needle nose pliers but something is holding the valve and I cant get it out.....Frustrated in Virginia!!!!!