Keep replacing bathtub faucet washers but I must be doing

[yy4me]

something wrong. I never saw the original washers to replace them with the same thing but I have been periodically replacing the washers for the 35 years we have been in this house. For the last two or 3 years, we seem to need new washers every month or two. I know this is not right but I can't seem to cure the problem., When we turn off the hot water after a shower ot tub, it takes several turns to tighten up the closing of the flow. It won't just turn "off". Upon removal of the stem to check, I always see that the new grey washer I just put in already flattened and has grooves in it. Am I using the wrong size? Should I be using a flat washer instead of the domed type? It takes 3/8R size. Any suggestions that would help will be appreciated. This job is a pain because I have to go 3 floors down to off the water to the house, back up to do the job, down to turn the water back on and check things.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. Frankly, it's time for new fixtures...

the fact that you got 35 years of use out of it is amazing!

You can keep fiddling with it for awhile to keep it going... but it sounds like you're already doing that.

[Stinky The Clown]

2. I suspect a bad valve stem

The end of the stem, where you locate the washer, should have a sort of depression or 'washer retainer' at the end. It is sorta shown in this picture (left side, bottom):



Sometimes that wears/corrodes away. The result is that the rubber washer, under compression, sorta squishes out, gets malformed, and wears prematurely. One symptom of this the 'extra turns' you describe as necessary to get the thing to shut off.

The sell replacement washer retainers. You need to chip away the remains of the original, install a rubber washer in the replacement retainer, put the washer screw through both parts and tighten.

This repair, in my experience, is temporary and will give, at best 6 months or so of service before it, too, fails and a new stem much be purchased. A new stem, by the way, ought to last as long as the original ..... assuming you can find one and the price is less that $50 to $100 or more.

There is also another possible cause for premature wear ..... even wear in as little as a few days. A badly worn washer seat (that part of the faucet body against which the faucet washer seals). Some faucets have replaceable seats. If yours does, replace it. On other faucets, the seat is fixed in place but can be smoothed with a special tool (valve seat reamer). Just be careful if you use a reamer. It must match the profile of the original seat.

In the end, I agree with the poster, above ....... replace the faucet.

[mopinko]

3. these guys are great.

i have gotten parts here after visiting/calling a dozen hardware stores. they have it all, and are very helpful, good guys.

http://www.thefaucetshoppe.com/