Help needed with plumbing

[Tango589]

The hot tap (faucet) in the kitchen sink has got a worn 1/4 turn valve so it keeps leaking. Unfortunately I can't remove the Allen screw to take the tap handle off to allow me to replace the valve. Does anyone have any clever ideas?

[Commander Wallace]

If the screw is deep enough, you can drill maybe 1/16 of an inch and use an " easy out " to remove the screw.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMrDYJvY0Ts



Good luck Tango.

[Tango589]

Unfortunately, it is only a tiny screw.:wah:

[fumo30]

Use the force!

Remove the tap handle by breaking it using hacksaw/pincers etc..
A new valve comes with a new handle huh?

[Eichhörnchen]

Have you got any WD-40?

[Catfish]

+1 what Wallace posted, you need a smaller drill and according 'remover' of course.

I take it the inner 6-faced opening has become circular during trying to get it out? What yo can do is use a small torx bit that is a litttle bit bigger, and hammer this in. Maybe you can get it out this way – if not the Commander's advice is the only solution. Or a new faucet.

But i still don't understand: Usually you gave two 1/4" valves for warm and cold water, and then two pipes/tubes going up to the faucet. Why do you have to take out the faucet to remove the valves? :hmmm:

And WD-40 is ok but not really good. Get something like rust-shock or similar "chemical wrench" stuff, this usually solves the problem. What also works well is a mixture between acetone and ATF oil. You even might get those 40-year-old wishbone bolts off this rusted Triumph chassis..

[propbeanie]

Do you not have the correct-sized allen wrench (aka: Hex Key), or did the hole's "octagonal" corners round-out on you? Is it ~really~ an Allen, or maybe a square head? I've had a couple of those. Either way, if it's stripped and worthless, Commander Wallace's tap suggestion would still work, and you might not even need to drill it, if you can find a small set. My experiences with "EZ-Outs" though, has been more along the lines of "EZ-Curse", and I've made-up new swear words as I go... I usually break the easy out, and those things, you can NOT drill out...

Not to scare you, but you might then have to go purchase a whole new faucet just to get the "leak" changed-out... and if you're like me, you'll not be able to get the old faucet off the sink, without taking the sink off the counter... which the wife will then go "Oh... well... in that case, let's buy a new sink." Then you'll have trouble with the drain, and next thing you know, you'll be getting yourself a new garbage disposal!... :o A quick repair with $3 US for parts initially, turned into a $350 "fix-it nightmare"... I should have recorded it and posted on ToobYu, and it would have gone viral... :D

[Commander Wallace]

The only other solution may be to cut a groove Into the head with which to use a screw driver or X pattern with which to use a Phillips head screw head with an impact driver.

It not, can you take the head off and remove the faucet handle ? Then use a vice grip locking pliers to lock on and turn and remove the screw.

[MaDef]

What brand/model faucet? how old is it?

sometimes it's more cost effective to just change the whole faucet rather than rebuild or replace the valves.

[Eichhörnchen]

Oh for Pete's sake, call a plumber!

[Jimbuna]

Oh for Pete's sake, call a plumber!

Yep, that's what I did a month or so before christmas.....repaired one tap and fitted another Franke mixer tap http://www.screwfix.com/p/franke-olympus-mono-mixer-kitchen-tap-chrome/97195 in the kitchen (which I purchased).

£30 labour and no hassle...

[Commander Wallace]

Oh for Pete's sake, call a plumber!

Yep, that's what I did a month or so before christmas.....repaired one tap and fitted another Franke mixer tap http://www.screwfix.com/p/franke-olympus-mono-mixer-kitchen-tap-chrome/97195 in the kitchen (which I purchased).

£30 labour and no hassle...


Either that or purchase a decent faucet like Delta for about $ 50.00 and put it in yourself. It can be done in 30 minutes or less.

[u crank]

Either that or purchase a decent faucet like Delta for about $ 50.00 and put it in yourself. It can be done in 30 minutes or less.

Indeed and most good quality faucets, Delta, Moen, Kohler...have lifetime warranties. You can't beat that.

[vienna]

I'm relieved you are talking about faucets; when I saw the title of the thread, I feared there was a medical problem... :)



<O>

[Commander Wallace]

Indeed and most good quality faucets, Delta, Moen, Kohler...have lifetime warranties. You can't beat that.


Lifetime warrany ? You can't beat that with a stick. :) Moen ,Kohler and Delta's are all excellent. I replaced all of mine a few years ago and they are working well and look great.

I'm relieved you are talking about faucets; when I saw the title of the thread, I feared there was a medical problem... :)



<O>


:haha:

[Aktungbby]

Indeed and most good quality faucets, Delta, Moen, Kohler...have lifetime warranties. You can't beat that.
Have U noticed in your sixties lately...the only faucet that counts DOESN"T have a lifetime warranty...Something to Moen about at Two-in-the-morning DEPENDing on your point of view:oops: of course!:O: Moral: the plumbing always depreciates ahead of schedule BBY! :o A month ago, My cold water valve was so corroded (needed only a simple seat black rubber gasket to stop a small drip in drought-stricken PC California!) I couldn't even pull the handle off the theaded valve- stem green with corrosion.... a simple chore I've managed for a quarter-century??!! Not wishing to do harm to the corian shower-wall by inexpert overexertion of my vicegrips...worst case scenario & one too many sub-flicks imho:timeout:>https://media1.giphy.com/media/PfqqKARTdvTsA/200.gif#3:k_confused:I called the plumber to replace all three valves- in Pfister set from HomeDepot which he did in 15 minutes...:Kaleun_Los: http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/400_compressed/d4/d4d25dda-f73f-410f-8167-5520d67c03cf_400_compressed.jpg<Good for the economy; my peace of mind-no drip in the drought-:up: and (presumably:O: ) the next 25 years! When I'll b 90 and really Moening!

[Gargamel]

An EZ-out set is your best option. They do come in various sizes, just look around.

[em2nought]

Get a house plant and a bucket. Keep the bucket under the faucet, water the plant with the bucket. :03:

Snake Plant(Mother-in-laws Tongue" is a good indoor plant, it purifies the air in your house.

[Commander Wallace]

Have U noticed in your sixties lately...the only faucet that counts DOESN"T have a lifetime warranty...Something to Moen about at Two-in-the-morning century??!! Not wishing to do harm to the corian shower-wall by inexpert overexertion of my vicegrips...worst case scenario & one too many sub-flicks imho:timeout:>https://media1.giphy.com/media/PfqqKARTdvTsA/200.gif#3:k_confused:I called the plumber to replace all three valves- in Pfister set from HomeDepot which he did in 15 minutes...:Kaleun_Los: When I'll b 90 and really Moening!

What Aktung fails to mention is that he doesn't really care if the shower faucets drip. He is such a submariner fanatic, he fills the water half way up in the tub, then turns the shower on and pretends he is in a submarine that has been hit while he showers. :D

[Aktungbby]

What Aktung fails to mention is that he doesn't really care if the shower faucets drip. He is such a submariner fanatic, he fills the water half way up in the tub, then turns the shower on and pretends he is in a submarine that has been hit while he showers. :D https://thumb1.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/539572/101940379/stock-photo-bizarre-ugly-man-washing-his-leg-in-a-bath-101940379.jpg :sign_yeah:but....'"It don't mean a Thing (the faucet?!!) if it ain't got that :ping: :ping: :ping:"... BBY !:Kaleun_Party: