I have a faucet that I am tired of working on and am looking for suggestions for the repair.
The hot water side is running at low flow – compared to the cold side ( and this began recently).
I have replaced the diverter and hot side valve. I have not taken the shut off apart – yet. In my mind this is the only thing left to examine. In disgust I went to a retail web site that sells this brand (a relatively high end – or was when I bought it-the price seems to have dropped by 1/2) and a couple of people complained of the same problem and replaced the unit entirely.
My question is how does a relatively new unit fail in such a manner to require replacement – shouldn’t the replacement of the internals solve any flow issues.
Also is it possible that the shut – off valve be the issue. I have never had one fail before.
Thanks
Replies
boag, I feel your pain. I like you have had a similar problem. ANd to make it worse you think, there are few working parts to go wrong and yet something happens.
In my case, I had a pile of black rubbery stuff plug up my valve (not value, inside joke, those bipolar posters will understand). Looked much like a broken up washer. Where it would come from I have no idea. After cleaning this out, more showed up. Then after cleaning this out I sucpected that a further issue was the shut off valve. Sure enough, replaced it, all ok. Did the rubber stuff come from the shut off valve? I don't know, I did not closerly inspect the valve as I was pleased enough to have fixed it.
My shutoff valve washer disintegrated and blocked the flow. Easy test: turn the shutoff and see if it works.
Other possibility is a lime or mineral build up somewhere within the faucet. Also a failing supply line, especially the ones with nylon or stainless reinforcement.
MarkH, when you say failing supply line are you suggesting that it should be replaced? Can supply lines produce a black rubbery blockage at the faucet valve? I think mine came from the shut off valve, but if my supply line is at risk I want to replace it.
I'd just replace it on general principal if it's old. They don't fail all that often though. Put in ball shutoff valves if you change them, much better. Most of the shutoffs (compression stem) can be fixed by changing the washer.
I think you are more likely to fine mineral buildup, or rust flakes in the faucet.
All lines in the house are copper. The shut-off valve works - I checked it out last night. I thought it was calcium in the Tankless water heater (I heard that has been a problem), but the other fixture works.My daughter and her husband has a similar problem and they said their plumber told them it was a bad fixture (yea) and replaced it.This whole thing seems strange - it is a simple system so it had to be something micky mouse.
Daughter had same problem. I took the Moen cartridge out and got what looked like calcium buildup there and in the shutoff (stop). They are on city water, electric heater, copper pipe. Mission accomplished.
" I took the Moen cartridge out and got what looked like calcium buildup there and in the shutoff (stop). They are on city water, electric heater, copper pipe. Mission accomplished"
Ditto in a Price/Fister valve ... thought the tennant was nuts but remembered he was an engineer and actually measured the volume difference between the two showers in the house - turns out there was a ton of scale from the hot water side jamming up the mixing valve in the master bath. Gotta flush out the HWH this weekend to avoid facing this again ....
While that probably was your problem, showers introduce a few more variables. The anti scald or pressure balancing features may show a flow differential by their design. Also the different heads have certain restrictors in them.
The Delta shower valves I am familiar with are set to limit the hot, if that is properly adjusted it will be lower than the cold flow. It wastes a lot of water waiting for the hot to get there. I go to the bathroom sink and run straight hot till warm then start the shower.
I have an Perless single lever. It has short copper leads on it that the supply lines connect to.After several years I the hot water flow was extremely low. Removed the ball and seals (Perless is a remakred Delta) and in the hot water side was this rubber "nipple". It was a tube with a slit in one end and a flange on the other. Hard to dig it out.Called customer service and they did not have any idea what it was. Later found the installions with a parts callout.The used one of these on each supply tube. Apparently they are used as a type of check valve. Apparelly the connection in the hot side was tightight up so much that the flange was squeezed out of the connection and lodge in the copper line, but still allowed water flow until it worked up into the faucet body..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
MarkH, thanks. First off, I did have a pile of rubber washer looking stuff plug up my faucet valve not mineral deposits. Just FYI.
Secondly as for supply lines not failing often. Well, they have me running a bit scared. I was sitting down for lunch a year ago when I heard this noise, got up and went down the hall, thought the toilet was running or something, only to come around the corner to see water exploding through the door under my vanity. I went down stair and had the house shut down in less than a minute. The carpet in the hall was wet out some five feet or so and water was pouring in all over the basement. I was lucky no damage, just wet. But, WHAT IF I HAD NOT BEEN HOME?!!! WOW!
What exactly was your failure? What type line?
What was my failure? The supply line broke right off at the point where it entered the nut on the end. Don't remember which end. Just snapped right off. I think it weird, but it happened.
What type line was it? Pex, braided, etc.
If I recall it was a plastic line. Pex? I doubt it as it was pretty old, likely 25 yrs.
I think all my future supply lines will use those with those catostrophic shut offs. Pretty cool.
I had a faucet with low flow on the hot side once. There was a piece of schmag behind the supply line. The piece was small enough to get through the valve but stopped at the supply line right at the reduction.
I didnt read all the posts what tyoe of plumbing are you dealing with(copper, pex, galv)?
Look for chunk of saw dust in the supply line or valve intake. Pull the hot supply off the stop and force the cold water to run backwards through the valve back through the hot supply into a bucket. See if this flushes out any debris.
m
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"You cannot work hard enough to make up for a sloppy estimate."