SEAT WASHERS
Badly worn washers make faucets noisy, hard to operate, and wasteful of water. Moderate force on the handle of a faucet in good repair should stop all flow and drip. [Figure 1] shows an ordinary half-inch T-handle compression faucet which closes against the pressure of the water. To replace the seat washer, shut off the water to the faucet. Unscrew the cap nut with a monkey wrench. (Placing cloth or thick paper between the jaws of the wrench saves marring the cap nut.) Take hold of the faucet handle and unscrew the stem from the body of the faucet. With a screw driver remove the washer screw at the bottom of the stem. This screw is often hard to start. Applying one or two drops of kerosene and lightly tapping the head of the screw may help to loosen it in the stem. Use strong, even force on the screw driver, the blade of which should have a good square edge to fit the slot. The head of the screw often splits before the shank of the screw turns in the stem, because it is already corroded and weakened. If it splits, deepen the slot in the head with a hacksaw, cutting a little into the shank of the screw. No harm is done if the saw cuts slightly into the stem of the faucet. The washer screw may now be turned with a small screw driver. Replace the old washer with a new one, replace the washer screw, screw the stem into the faucet, and screw down the cap nut. Rubber and fiber composition washers for hot- or cold-water faucets cost 10 to 15 cents a dozen. A "floating" washer, costing 15 cents, is very serviceable. A few washers of the needed sizes should be kept in the home. If none are at hand, a temporary washer may be cut from a piece of leather, rubber, or sheet packing. Leather is preferable on cold-water faucets and rubber on hot-water faucets.
| Figure 1.—Compression faucet. | Figure 2.—Compression faucet for a washstand. |
[Figure 2] shows an ordinary 3/8-inch, 4-ball-handle compression faucet for a washstand. To replace the seat washer, shut off the water to the faucet and open the faucet one or two turns of the handle. With a monkey wrench on the hexagonal part of the stuffing box unscrew the stuffing box from the body of the faucet. Lift out the stem, replace the old washer with a new one, as previously described, and screw the stuffing box into the body.
A worn washer with constant leakage over the seat of a compression faucet, together with grit lodging there, often causes the seat to become cut, nicked, and grooved. The trouble occurs more often in hot-water than in cold-water faucets. Such seats can easily be reground or squared with a simple seat dressing tool, two types of which are shown in [figure 3], A and B. A seat dresser with four cutters for different-sized faucets costs about $2, and its use saves buying new faucets. To dress the seat of a faucet, unscrew the stem from the body to the faucet, as above described. Screw the adjustable, threaded cone of the tool (see [fig. 3], A) down into the body of the faucet, as shown in [figure 3], C, thus centering it over the seat. With the hand, as shown in [figure 3], D, gently rotate the wheel handle at the top of the tool several times, and the cutter on the bottom of the stem squares the seat. Turn the faucet bottom side up and shake out the cuttings. Reassemble the faucet and turn on the water to wash out any remaining cuttings.
Figure 3.—Faucet seat dressers: A, dresser with inside adjustable cone; B, dresser with outside adjustable cone; C, dresser A screwed into a compression faucet; D, rotating the wheel handle and cutter.
Seat washers are subject to damage from metal filings left in newly installed water pipes. A good plumber, before screwing up a piece of pipe, always stands the pipe on end and raps it with a hammer to clear the bore.
[Figure 4], A, shows an ordinary half-inch lever-handle Fuller faucet which closes with the pressure. As shown in [figure 4], B, the bottom of the spindle is eccentric, so that slight turning of the handle moves the rubber ball to and from the beveled seat. To replace the ball shut off the water to the faucet. Unscrew the body from the tailpiece with the hands or with a monkey wrench on the hexagonal part of the body of the faucet. It may be necessary to apply a wrench to the hexagonal nut on the tailpiece and press the wrench downward to prevent unscrewing the tailpiece. Unscrew the stem nut, which holds the brass cap and rubber ball on the stem. Put on a new ball and replace cap and nut. Red rubber balls are considered to be better than black balls for hot-water faucets. Avoid using too large a ball, as swelling of the rubber may hinder the flow. Screw the faucet into the tailpiece. Just before the joint closes or "makes up", wrap a little string packing or candle wicking around the thread on the faucet to make the joint water-tight.
Figure 4.—Fuller faucet: A, body unscrewed from tailpiece; B, spindle and stem removed from body.