Hi everyone, I am new to the site and need some help asap as you will
quickly see. I know it says to search first before asking a question and I
have done that, but anytime I click on a topic I get a blank white screen.
(This is not my problem, but if you know the solution to this issue, I
would love that too!!!)

THE PROBLEM:

Last night while at work (7pm-7am)my wife called and told me that the hot
water handle on our claw foot tub would not shut off. Once we are at work,
we can not leave unless there is something significantly worse than a leaky
faucet!!! I told her to try the shut off valve, and she said she couldn't
reach it, (more on this later) and then told her to use a screwdriver and
pull off the handle and try a vice grip on the stem. She said the screw is
stripped. URRRRGHHHHHHHHHH. Finally I told her since it is after eleven PM,
just shut off the main valve to the house in the basement.....


Well I got home this morning, and she decided it was easier to just close
the door and let it run...this is not a drip, it is running like it was
1/8th of the way open. If the stopped was in, it would fill the tub is 4-6
hours. LOL

The Faucet is a typical single hard spout with shower pullup and two
handles. The screw was indeed stripped, but I managed to get it out. The
handle wouldn't come off, so I used an handle puller and got it off. I
expected to find a cartridge, and did, but it must be about twenty or
thiry years old. I can not get it to budge even a fraction of an inch.

The toilet is mere inches from the tub, and the tub is right against the
wall in a corner. There is indeed very little room to work. You have to
physically lay on the edge of the tub with your feet in the tub and sort
of hang just right between the tub and toilet to see/reach anything behind
it.

This is a 120 year old farm house and everything connected to the tub is
either cast iron or really OLD galvanized. I cant seem to get the
cartridge thingy out, and if, worst case scenario I need to replace the
faucet, I cant seem to figure out how to even get the faucet off. To
really make sure i had a good day, fate made it certain that the shut off
valves installed by the previous owner do nothing at all. The main water
valve to the house is now shut off.

HERE IS WHERE THE DESPERATION COMES IN....

I HAVE to work Friday, Saturday and Sunday night from 7pm-7am. This is a
big problem because my daughters First Communion is Sunday morning, and my
family is coming over afterwords, and this is the only bathroom. I do not
have a big budget and payday is next week. I really can't call a plumber.
I basically have between now (3:30am CS and 1-2pm Friday and 8am to 1-2pm
Saturday to fix this. I have to sleep a few hours. As it is, I will get
off Sunday morning with just enough time to get cleaned up and to church,
and since my family is going to be here I won't be getting any sleep
before work Sunday night.



HHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPP!

Because I am also having problems viewing some pages on the site, if you
could email responses that would be great.



THANKS IN ADVANCE!

srvnut writes:

HHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPP!

Cut the supply pipe and cap it until you can fix it properly.

Since you have the handle off try this:

Heat up the fixture with a torch to try and loosen things up, maybe
some penetrating oil also. Probably a good idea to let the cold water
trickle out so you don't over heat that side.

A six point socket for the cartridge (probably stem & washer) then hit
the ratchet or breaker bar handle with a hammer. Don't try to muscle
it off, a sharp shock is less likely to break something than leaning on
a breaker bar.

If you get it apart:
Inspect the seat to make sure it is in good shape, if not a seat reamer
is an inexpensive tool that will clean it up.
When you are getting the new washer also get some packing string to
wrap the stem when it goes back together.

To take the entire faucet off there should be two big nuts on the
backside of the tub that you can't get to. If you have take the toilet
off that is no big deal as long as the floor and toilet flange are in
good shape.

Best advice I can give you is get it fixed before Sunday otherwise you
will have ten guys wearing ties in you bathroom prying on your pipes
*helping* you fix it.

Good luck!

with time pressure call a plumber or add some valves somehere to
isolate the bathroom, hopefully you have another toilet.

i have found that rushing against a fixed time deadline causes endless
grief. hurying causes quick fixes that take longer than doing it right,
worse stuff breaks and what may have been a small job rushed later
grows sustantially to a rehab bath ooops dropped tool need new tub.

do yourself a favor and step back and take your time. rent a port a
john or move the party to a community park.

Did your wife call me about the leak behind the refrigerator? I think
we know each other.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"srvnut" wrote in message
news:652751b6afaed6a036b04d5cd6e8e213@homerepairli ve.com...
Hi everyone, I am new to the site and need some help asap as you will
quickly see. I know it says to search first before asking a question
and I
have done that, but anytime I click on a topic I get a blank white
screen.
(This is not my problem, but if you know the solution to this issue, I
would love that too!!!)

THE PROBLEM:

Last night while at work (7pm-7am)my wife called and told me that the
hot
water handle on our claw foot tub would not shut off. Once we are at
work,
we can not leave unless there is something significantly worse than a
leaky
faucet!!! I told her to try the shut off valve, and she said she
couldn't
reach it, (more on this later) and then told her to use a screwdriver
and
pull off the handle and try a vice grip on the stem. She said the
screw is
stripped. URRRRGHHHHHHHHHH. Finally I told her since it is after
eleven PM,
just shut off the main valve to the house in the basement.....


Well I got home this morning, and she decided it was easier to just
close
the door and let it run...this is not a drip, it is running like it
was
1/8th of the way open. If the stopped was in, it would fill the tub is
4-6
hours. LOL

The Faucet is a typical single hard spout with shower pullup and two
handles. The screw was indeed stripped, but I managed to get it out.
The
handle wouldn't come off, so I used an handle puller and got it off. I
expected to find a cartridge, and did, but it must be about twenty or
thiry years old. I can not get it to budge even a fraction of an inch.

The toilet is mere inches from the tub, and the tub is right against
the
wall in a corner. There is indeed very little room to work. You have
to
physically lay on the edge of the tub with your feet in the tub and
sort
of hang just right between the tub and toilet to see/reach anything
behind
it.

This is a 120 year old farm house and everything connected to the tub
is
either cast iron or really OLD galvanized. I cant seem to get the
cartridge thingy out, and if, worst case scenario I need to replace
the
faucet, I cant seem to figure out how to even get the faucet off. To
really make sure i had a good day, fate made it certain that the shut
off
valves installed by the previous owner do nothing at all. The main
water
valve to the house is now shut off.

HERE IS WHERE THE DESPERATION COMES IN....

I HAVE to work Friday, Saturday and Sunday night from 7pm-7am. This is
a
big problem because my daughters First Communion is Sunday morning,
and my
family is coming over afterwords, and this is the only bathroom. I do
not
have a big budget and payday is next week. I really can't call a
plumber.
I basically have between now (3:30am CS and 1-2pm Friday and 8am to
1-2pm
Saturday to fix this. I have to sleep a few hours. As it is, I will
get
off Sunday morning with just enough time to get cleaned up and to
church,
and since my family is going to be here I won't be getting any sleep
before work Sunday night.



HHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPP!

Because I am also having problems viewing some pages on the site, if
you
could email responses that would be great.



THANKS IN ADVANCE!