I guess it's just a matter of principle but I don't want to give up
yet.
I'm on month #3 of having replaced everything and once again a slow
drip is developing. Someone came up with a few other suggestions. What
do you guys think?

1. Try using "no-rotate" or swiveling washers. Anyone have any luck
with these? Any installation tips would be greatly appreciated.

2. Try stainless steel seats. I noticed that after only a few months
of use, a brand new seat has almost a sandpaper like tarnish/coating to
it.
Would stainless seats prevent this? I think this may be causing the
washer to fail so quickly. Does anyone know of a supplier for
stainless steel valve seats?

Thanks,
Tony G.

tony g wrote:
Help - this is really aggravating,

I have an old Sterling two handle shower faucet with a standard
washer/valve-seat arrangement(compression faucet I believe its
called,
not a cartridge type).
The washer on the HOT faucet only lasts about 3-4 months before it
drips.

I always replace both the seat and the washer. I have also replaced
the whole
stem assembly as well as putting in a new washer and seat at the same
time. What is causing the leak after such a short period of time?
Everything works fine right after the washer and seat on the hot side
are replaced, so I know that water is not leaking past the washer due
to the seat not being in correctly, etc. Its just that after a few
months of use I can feel that more force is needed to shut off the
hot
water and by about 4 months no matter how hard you tighten the handle
(without really torquing it to the point it might bteak off!) the hot
water side still drips. Cold side washers will last about 3 years.

Someone had suggested that the water may be too hot but for over 15
years that I have been in the house I was replacing the washer only
about once every five years. The water temp is the same as back
then,
and in any case it was never really scalding hot since its from a
tankless coil arrangement on a oil furnace. Also the seat does not
appear to have any nicks in it so I don't think that I am damaging
the
seats when I install them.

What am I doing wrong? Is there anything else I can try short of
ripping it out of the wall and getting a new unit? There is no access
from the back, I would have to break up the tile. Seems silly to
have
to do this for a lousy washer.

Thanks,
Tony G.

I'm on month #3 of having replaced everything and once again a slow
drip is developing. Someone came up with a few other suggestions. What
do you guys think?

1. Try using "no-rotate" or swiveling washers. Anyone have any luck
with these? Any installation tips would be greatly appreciated.

2. Try stainless steel seats. I noticed that after only a few months
of use, a brand new seat has almost a sandpaper like tarnish/coating to
it.
Would stainless seats prevent this? I think this may be causing the
washer to fail so quickly. Does anyone know of a supplier for
stainless steel valve seats?

As long as the seat is undeformed or unworn, the faucet should shut off. Did
you use pipe joint compound on the seat threads when you replaced the seat?
(should have) Is the seat fully seated in its socket? Also, faucet needs to
be very gently shut off, especially when new. Folks who "crank" the faucet
off will quickly abrade, distort, and ruin the new washer. Faucet should be
dripless with just a two-finger shutoff torque.

You did not take the advice we gave you and here you are back with same
problem.

surprise surprise.


"Roger Taylor" wrote in message
...

I'm on month #3 of having replaced everything and once again a slow
drip is developing. Someone came up with a few other suggestions. What
do you guys think?

1. Try using "no-rotate" or swiveling washers. Anyone have any luck
with these? Any installation tips would be greatly appreciated.

2. Try stainless steel seats. I noticed that after only a few months
of use, a brand new seat has almost a sandpaper like tarnish/coating to
it.
Would stainless seats prevent this? I think this may be causing the
washer to fail so quickly. Does anyone know of a supplier for
stainless steel valve seats?

As long as the seat is undeformed or unworn, the faucet should shut off.
Did you use pipe joint compound on the seat threads when you replaced the
seat? (should have) Is the seat fully seated in its socket? Also, faucet
needs to be very gently shut off, especially when new. Folks who "crank"
the faucet off will quickly abrade, distort, and ruin the new washer.
Faucet should be dripless with just a two-finger shutoff torque.

I guess i should have said that I did try to take all the advice into
consideration. I used teflon tape on both the seat and the valve stem
itself. It never leaks right after installation. It always takes
about two months before the drip begins. The valve is not being
cranked down as best as I can control since i do have children but they
have been instructed to close down the valve very gently. I also
checked with some toothpaste on the assembly that it is not being
restricted from closing.

tony_g wrote:
I guess i should have said that I did try to take all the advice into
consideration. I used teflon tape on both the seat and the valve
stem
itself. It never leaks right after installation. It always takes
about two months before the drip begins. The valve is not being
cranked down as best as I can control since i do have children but
they
have been instructed to close down the valve very gently. I also
checked with some toothpaste on the assembly that it is not being
restricted from closing.

Tony,

Is it possible that there is something in your water causing the
problem? When our water company switched from chlorine to chloramine,
we noticed that everthing rubber in our plumbing systems eats up.
Toilet flappers won't last a year. Washers fall apart, O-rings too.
Washing machine hoses don't last as long as they used too. The o-rings
in my high priced dishwasher only lasted 3-years. Check with your water
company and see what they use as a disinfectant. Some rubber products
are resistant to chloramine, you may try a new brand of washer that is
resistant. If the seat is wearing out, there may be grit in the water.
Installing a new faucet won't fix that, but a filter might.

Just a thought.

Stretch

It may be sand or grit in the water. Allthough you mention no problems
with other faucets in the house. Still, you might consider a filter
setup at the main line where it enters your house. It can only help.

tony_g wrote:
I guess i should have said that I did try to take all the advice into
consideration. I used teflon tape on both the seat and the valve stem
itself. It never leaks right after installation. It always takes
about two months before the drip begins. The valve is not being
cranked down as best as I can control since i do have children but they
have been instructed to close down the valve very gently. I also
checked with some toothpaste on the assembly that it is not being
restricted from closing.

tony_g wrote:
....w/ tale of woe subject...

I've not followed this thread, but a comment about grit/sand/etc.,
wearing seat caught my eye---methinks it's quite likely the seat is worn
from erosion from the previous leaking (a very small drip still comes
through the minute area between the seat and washer w/ pretty high
velocity/pressure) and the problem is a new washer can fill the
imperfection for a short time but soon fails.

If possible to reach, you could possibly clean up the seat face s/ a
seat-facing tool if that's the case.

Does the seat actually get guttered so you can see a leak path?

If you are really wearing out the brass seats you could try monel (stainless steel)
seats sold by Sexauer.

MM

"tony_g" wrote in message
oups.com...
I guess i should have said that I did try to take all the advice into
consideration. I used teflon tape on both the seat and the valve stem
itself. It never leaks right after installation. It always takes
about two months before the drip begins. The valve is not being
cranked down as best as I can control since i do have children but they
have been instructed to close down the valve very gently. I also
checked with some toothpaste on the assembly that it is not being
restricted from closing.

I have seen this with thermal expansion.
It could be caused by your neighbor belive it or not.
Are you on city water?
What is the water pressure?
What kind of hot water you got?
Where is tank in relation to this valve?
Is the water extremely hot at the sink?

You claim to be replaceing the seats as well as the washers, in fact it
looks like you have replaced evarything at least once. The problem is
the hot washer wears out.

Are you sure the washer is wearing out?
Is it tearing or getting marred?

At this point I'd start trying some different washers.
You are not putting grease on them right???





"Duane Bozarth" wrote in message
...
tony_g wrote:
...w/ tale of woe subject...

I've not followed this thread, but a comment about grit/sand/etc.,
wearing seat caught my eye---methinks it's quite likely the seat is worn
from erosion from the previous leaking (a very small drip still comes
through the minute area between the seat and washer w/ pretty high
velocity/pressure) and the problem is a new washer can fill the
imperfection for a short time but soon fails.

If possible to reach, you could possibly clean up the seat face s/ a
seat-facing tool if that's the case.

In answer to your questions:
I'm on city water. The hot water is created through a tankless coil
arrrangement on an oil-fired furnace which also provides a closed loop
for baseboard heat. The furnace is in the basement and the problem
faucet is on the second floor through a total run of about 25 ft of
copper pipe. Water out of the faucet is not scalding hot. I don't
know the actual pressure, but with everyone in the neighborhood
watering their lawn, I have never had a problem getting adequate supply
of water in the shower so I assume that the pressure is pretty high.

The washers never appear nicked or torn, just a fairly uniform ring
where it is being compressed by the seat. I noticed that after only a
few months of use, a brand new seat has almost a sandpaper like
tarnish/coating to it. The washers I use are red and very hard when
new, I have tried the softer black washers but they don't seem to last
as long. No grease is being used on the seats and the threads are
being wrapped with a few layers of tefflon tape.

Any thoughts on "no-rotate" or swiveling washers. I'm thinking that
maybe the sandpaper texture to the seat is creating abrasion against
the washer and wearing it out. Anyone ever tried these no-rotate
washers? Any installation tips would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks,
Tony G.

you need to check your water pressure.
You share town water, your neighbor can affect you.
I am sure the pressure is very high, thats typical.

BTW I only use the black washers the colored ones are ****.




"tony_g" wrote in message
ups.com...
In answer to your questions:
I'm on city water. The hot water is created through a tankless coil
arrrangement on an oil-fired furnace which also provides a closed loop
for baseboard heat. The furnace is in the basement and the problem
faucet is on the second floor through a total run of about 25 ft of
copper pipe. Water out of the faucet is not scalding hot. I don't
know the actual pressure, but with everyone in the neighborhood
watering their lawn, I have never had a problem getting adequate supply
of water in the shower so I assume that the pressure is pretty high.

The washers never appear nicked or torn, just a fairly uniform ring
where it is being compressed by the seat. I noticed that after only a
few months of use, a brand new seat has almost a sandpaper like
tarnish/coating to it. The washers I use are red and very hard when
new, I have tried the softer black washers but they don't seem to last
as long. No grease is being used on the seats and the threads are
being wrapped with a few layers of tefflon tape.

Any thoughts on "no-rotate" or swiveling washers. I'm thinking that
maybe the sandpaper texture to the seat is creating abrasion against
the washer and wearing it out. Anyone ever tried these no-rotate
washers? Any installation tips would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks,
Tony G.