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aphiodred · Jan 13, 2009, 12:52 PM

I'm in a rental homne that was built in 1975, I think. The shower faucet is leaking. This is the kind where you have different knob for the cold water on your right and another for the hot water on your left, and the faucet is in the center. I tried unscrewing the left knob but doesn't know where or how to change the "gasket"? I'm not even sure if that's the correct word for it.
Please help.
Thanks much.

speedball1 · Jan 13, 2009, 01:22 PM

Before we can help we need to know the brand name of the mixing valve. Regards, Tom

aphiodred · Jan 13, 2009, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by speedball1

Before we can help we need to know the brand name of the mixing valve. Regards, Tom

The brand name I see on the faucet is PRICE PFISTER. I don't see any other texts anywhere else .

letmetellu · Jan 13, 2009, 03:18 PM

To start you will have to turn off the water coming into the house. Next you will remove the button on the handle, now remove the screw that is beneath the screw, now unscrew the chrome escutcheon, or it could be polished brass or antique brass, so be careful not to scratch it. When you remove that you will see two hex nuts one that is small and is very short, this is the nut that keeps the packing tight in the packing gland, do not do any thing to this nut at this time. The hex nut you will want to work on is the larger one that is actually the stem housing, open the hot water faucet and then try to unscrew the stem housing by turning it counter clock wise. After a few turns this part will come out, on the end will be a bib washer held in place by a brass screw, unscrew that screw and replace the washer, it should have a marking of 3/8 L and should be available at any good hardware store. Now before you go to the store use a flashlight and shine into the hole where the stem came out of the wall, you should see a brass seat with a square hole through it. If the face of this seat is rough you will want to replace it. You will need a tool that will slip into the square hole, you will then unscrew the seat by turning it counter clockwise, take this with you to the store and get a new one.

Now you will just reverse the procedure to put it all back together. There is one thing to do before you tighten the stem housing back into the faucet, that is to make sure that the hot water stem is screwed counter clockwise all of the way, this is so that it will screw into place without the bib washer hitting the seat before it should.

After you have the stem and the housing back inplace but before you install the escutcheon you will need to turn both handles to the off position, now turn the water back on coming into the house. Open the hot water side of the faucet, make sure no water comes out where the stem packing nut is, if so tighten it about a 1/4 turn and try again. Keep doing this until there is no leak, but the handle turns easily. Now you are ready to finish up the job.

One other warning, before you take anything apart put a paper towel or rag in the drain hole of the tub, if you drop a screw that is where it will go.

If this helps you let me know.

aphiodred · Jan 17, 2009, 02:16 PM

It's me again. I'm sorry for the delay. I sent a word to my LL's agent but got no response as to where I could find the main water supply valve in order for me to turn the main water off. Would it matter if I cannot turn the main water off? I know the water would leak through the faucet but what about through the left valve where I would need to remove the stem?
I don't want to do anything to jeopardize my LL's bathroom. Thanks