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e095824 · Jan 8, 2008, 10:39 AM

Our bathtub faucet is leaking a lot. My husband has replaced the stems and it stops for a little while then starts again. Any suggestions what we can try? I'm not sure if it is related but now the kitchen sink has lost a lot of it's water pressure, but that's the only place. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all.

twinkiedooter · Jan 8, 2008, 11:15 AM

I would definitely suggest replacing the leaking tub faucet with a new unit as it seems to have finally given up and died on you having replaced the stems already. Did you replace the O ring also? Try that before you buy a new unit. A new O ring is pennies.

Have you checked the faucet screens on the kitchen faucet to see if they are clogged?

e095824 · Jan 8, 2008, 11:18 AM

We checked the screen on the faucet. With it off it still is very low.

e095824 · Jan 8, 2008, 11:19 AM

I'm not sure about the O ring. Where would that be? Can we replace the whole thing ourselves or do we need to call a plumber?

ballengerb1 · Jan 8, 2008, 11:19 AM

Did your bath tub faucet have washers? If so, the seats below the washer may have burrs, stick your pinky in the hole and feel for irregularities that can be tearing up the washer.

e095824 · Jan 8, 2008, 11:19 AM

How do we get to the seats?

ballengerb1 · Jan 8, 2008, 11:42 AM

If it has washers just shut off your main and open a faucet to blow off pressure. Remove the stem and stick your pinky down into the hole where the stem was removed. There should be a smooth round seat down inside for the washer to sit on. It may be scratched up.

e095824 · Jan 10, 2008, 10:55 AM

We checked the seats, replaced the washers and it still leaks. Is there anything else we can try before I call a plumber?

ballengerb1 · Jan 10, 2008, 11:24 AM

When your husband di the work did he install a total replacement stem or did he rebuild the old stem. New stems frequently come in a kit with replacement seats that can be installed using a Allen wrench. Did he install new seats? It is usually easier to fix an existing faucet than it is to do a total replacement. I am hoping your situation won't make me eat my words. Is the leak coming out of the spigot or from around the stem?

e095824 · Jan 10, 2008, 11:26 AM

He replaced the stems. We even took one out of the other bathroom that works and tried that one, it leaked too. It leaks out of the spigot that puts the water in the tub.

ballengerb1 · Jan 10, 2008, 11:29 AM

Time to eat my words I guess. If a new stem leaks and a known good stem from another faucet leaks there may be some crack in the valve body. This would be very, very rare but just because I have not seen it doesn't mean it can't exist.

ballengerb1 · Jan 10, 2008, 11:34 AM

One last shot before this drives me nuts. You did not answer my question about the seats. Did he replace the seats and did he give them 3 wraps with white teflon tape before installing? Please tell me he cut this corner because it is the very last thing I can think of.

e095824 · Jan 10, 2008, 12:00 PM

He replaced the seats but did not wrap them with teflon tape. I'll have him try that. Thanks a bunch