[Shop-talk] Leaking faucet

[Scott Hall]

The packing nut was tight and there was no sign of a packing washer.

I did something I saw in a YouTube video that I'm going to call "the janky
repacking": loosen the packing nut, wrap about six inches of twisted PTFE
tape around the valve stem, use a pick or screwdriver blade to push it down
towards the valve, then tighten the packing nut.

It's working so far. That supply box made the list for replacement, but I
can move on for now.

On Wed, Sep 5, 2018, 6:34 AM Jeff Scarbrough <fishplate at gmail.com> wrote:

> My experience is that repacking is fairly simple - or even just
> tightening the packing nut, as suggested elsewhere - and usually
> successful.  If the valve appears to be in good shape otherwise
> (corrosion, etc.), then I'd give it a try.  I guarantee there's a
> YouTube video showing someone doing it on your exact type of valve.
> I've also fount the Family Handyman site useful for showing step by
> step instructions for stuff like that.
>
> -- Jeff
> On Tue, Sep 4, 2018 at 10:37 PM Scott Hall
> <scott.hall.personal at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Guys, thanks for the door lock help--the front door popped out.
> >
> > Then the locksets we picked out didn't show up, so now I'm waiting for
> them to arrive to install.
> >
> > New stupid question: the washing machine's hot water supply faucet is
> leaking.
> >
> > It's brass, has a gate valve, and a wheel handle. When I turn the faucet
> on, water is flowing up the stem from the body, spraying off the wheel
> handle (the thing you grab and turn), and leaking down into the drain. It
> does not leak when turned off.
> >
> > The drain is that pre-fab box thing that holds the supply faucets and
> that the washing machine's drain goes into, but apparently it's shot,
> because it's draining down inside the wall and forming a puddle in the
> basement.
> >
> > So...Google says I can 'repack' this thing--disassemble it and do a
> variety of things to make it stop leaking. Seems to be a loose packing nut
> or a bad packing washer.
> >
> > Before I do that, would the wiser members of the list like to advise
> whether or not I should do that, or just replace the whole assembly?
> Likewise, the fact that the box-drain-unit isn't, er, holding water bothers
> me. Should I replace this too?
> >
> > My usual M.O. here involves destructively disassembling the faucet, the
> supply lines, the drywall, and replacing that drain box all with new,
> taking about a week and involving a lot of work. I thought here I might
> just repair the faucet and rejoice in the fact that when the washing
> machine drains there's no leaking so perhaps if I fix the faucet, I'll have
> no leaks and I can focus on more important things.
> >
> > So...should I repair the faucet? (And if so, please feel free to offer
> advice on technique).
> >
> > Replace the whole faucet?
> >
> > Replace the supply/drain box or just fix the faucet leak and move on?
> >
> > I'm trying to avoid the shipwright's disease, and I have so many more
> pressing issues, but water leaks don't seem like something to overlook or
> halfass.
> >
> > Thanks.
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