BobsPlumbingVideos.com

Real Life Plumbing Advice for People Who Don't Want To Call A Plumber

My Delta Faucet Still Leaks!

By Leave a Comment

I’m a big fan of Delta faucets and when that very first generation single lever faucet was introduced many moons ago I absolutely loved it. Well made, easy to repair and just an all around good product. A routine Delta repair would consist of a pair of springs, rubber seats, a new ball and you were good to go. Eventually, I would purchase complete repair kits which included all the previous parts mentioned plus all the “O” ring washers and a spray diverter if the faucet was so equipped.

delta guide imageThe original Deltas used a solid brass ball unlike the hollow stainless steel versions of today. In both cases the ball had a slot cut into it which would ride on a small brass guide located on the right side of the faucet interior.I would start to get service calls stating that the customer had to play with the handle and position it in exactly the proper spot in order to get the water to stop dripping. I thought this sounds a little flakey, but after taking a close look I figured out what was causing the problem.

The little brass protrusion or guide inside the faucet body would wear down and in some cases become virtually flush with the faucet body. The result being the ball lost its ability to be guided left to right for a positive shut-off. You would have to literally find a “sweet spot” for the handle in order for the water to stop running. I started to realize this would happen more often with the first generation Delta faucets which used the solid brass ball. Because it was one solid mass of brass, it eventually wore down the guide preventing the ball from making a positive shut-off.

If you find yourself having to get that handle in exactly the right position a.k.a “sweet spot” in order for the water to shut after you’ve replaced all the other parts inside the faucet, it’s time to take another look inside. If you find that the guide inside the faucet is pretty much worn down, you’re going to be faced with replacing the faucet. Check out the video below where I show you exactly what to look for. Don’t forget ! if you got questions, I got answers! Forward them to info@bobsplumbingvideos.com and as always,

Happy Plumbing.

Bob.

How To Repair a Delta Single Lever Faucet

By Leave a Comment

When the Delta single lever faucet was introduced, you would think it was the birth of the i-phone.

To the best of my knowledge, this was the first company that claimed to be “the washer-less faucet.” As you can see in the video, it was nothing like the old two handled faucet I had been using up until that point and fact is they worked really well.

Delta originally introduced this as a kitchen faucet and in short time had the complete line up including bathroom faucets, shower faucets, tub and shower faucets.

The concept was very simple and the parts originally consisted of a brass ball (stainless steel today) two rubber seats, two stainless steel springs which were originally straight and are now cone shaped.

These are available in a basic repair kit but if you get the deluxe version (highly recommended) you’ll also receive the cam washer, cam cover, a spray diverter (if your faucet has a spray head), “O” ring washers and a handy allen key and cam tool.

I was then and still am a big fan of the Delta faucet company, they stand behind their products and customer service is top shelf.The new products from Delta are using ceramic disc design cartridges as are all the other major players, but these are still readily available and still in service today.

The biggest tip I want to pass on to you is that when you decide to jump in and make the repair, get the deluxe kit and replace all the parts at one time. This will ensure a trouble free repair from the start.

I also want to encourage you to check out my video titled “How to replace Delta style stems and seats-cartridge style faucet repair” which is Delta’s version of a two handle faucet.

In it you get a nice shot of how the springs and rubber seats are installed. Listen, if you experience any issues with this one, drop me an e-mail info@bobsplumbingvideos.com and I’ll walk you through it.

HAPPY PLUMBING!