Stan in Oly, WA
Well-known Member
New renter called to tell me the kitchen faucet was leaking at the flexible riser (she called it the pipe) on the hot side. In my experience, they usually leak right away or not at all, but sure enough, it was wet when I checked it. While I was lying on my back tightening it at the valve stem, something fell behind my head. It was part of one of the plastic nuts that thread onto the valve stem to hold the faucet to the sink. I figured that something had made it break and then water was able to run under the faucet body from splashing, or whatever. I replaced it, and that seemed to fix the problem.
A few days later she called to tell me it was leaking again. I found that the same thing had happened on the cold side. This time I removed the faucet completely and cleaned off all the old plumbers' putty. I also cleaned the sink at the faucet location, used new plumbers' putty, stronger stem nuts, and put it back together. Today, five days later, she emailed me that it is leaking again. I'm ready to replace the faucet, but that seems kind of like starting to throw parts at a problem when it's got you stumped. On the other hand, I don't know what to do that I haven't done. Both times after I've worked with it, it didn't leak anywhere from using it normally.
Any suggestions?
Thanks, Stan
A few days later she called to tell me it was leaking again. I found that the same thing had happened on the cold side. This time I removed the faucet completely and cleaned off all the old plumbers' putty. I also cleaned the sink at the faucet location, used new plumbers' putty, stronger stem nuts, and put it back together. Today, five days later, she emailed me that it is leaking again. I'm ready to replace the faucet, but that seems kind of like starting to throw parts at a problem when it's got you stumped. On the other hand, I don't know what to do that I haven't done. Both times after I've worked with it, it didn't leak anywhere from using it normally.
Any suggestions?
Thanks, Stan