Any plumbers around here?

[NutmegCT]

Bathroom sink faucets. Work fine *except* when the hot water runs for a few minutes.

Then the hot water valve becomes hesitant to turn ("sticky"), and finally freezes. Only way to shut off is to close the under-sink feed line valve. Let the sink faucet cool, and all is well.

Any ideas why a valve would get tough to turn when it's hot? I assume it's swelling ... but how to fix that. Any way to fix the problem (other than shutting off water heater ...)?

Edit: it's a new valve. Previous valve (same make and type) did the same thing. Water temp at valve is 125F.

Thanks.
Tom M.

 

[Gliderman8]

Just a wild guess. Could there an anti-scalding valve somewhere between the water heater and the sink that would shut off to prevent burns?

 

[DrEntropy]

Odd issue. The temp at the valve is not excessive, shouldn't cause anything like a "lockup" in the thing. Have you disassembled it to have a good look at what pieces interact? Maybe swap hot and cold valve innards? If it's a 'conventional' valve, a synthetic washer may be swelling?

Hard to figure out from the scant description.

 

[Basil]

I know you said it's a new valve, but is it possible it's simply a defective valve? If possible you might try swapping the lines and see if the problem stays on the same valve or does it "move" to the cold valve (which now has the hot water line)? Just do this as a test to see if the problem is truly related to water temp or, if the same valve still malfunctions when cold is hooked up, in which case I'd suspect a faulty valve. Just some thoughts for troubleshooting.

 

[GregW]

Edit: it's a new valve. Previous valve (same make and type) did the same thing. Water temp at valve is 125F.

Thanks.
Tom M.

If two valves did the same thing it may be a cheap, crappy faucet.

Note: I am not a plumber.

 

[Basil]

Note: I am not a plumber.

Do you at least play one on TV?

 

[Bayless]

No but he probably slept at a Holiday Inn at some time anyway.

 

[Basil]

No but he probably slept at a Holiday Inn at some time anyway.

Then he’s qualified!

 

[GregW]

Do you at least play one on TV?

No, but I was a freedom fighter once.

 

[DrEntropy]

If two valves did the same thing it may be a cheap, crappy faucet.

I'm with you, Greg. I did put the cheapest Chinese mixer in the bathroom vanity I could find at HDepot. They seem to be good for about five years.

Spent the money on Delta for shower and kitchen though.

Basil's suggestion to swap over supply lines would be the simplest test.

 

[NutmegCT]

OK - finally got back home. Thanks for the ideas. I did switch valves, hot/cold, and both valves still worked fine - when cold. But the *hot* valve (the former "cold" valve) works fine too, until the valve heats up, when it begins sticking when I turn the handle. After a few minutes running hot water, the valve won't turn at all, and I need to use pliers to shut off the valve.

Unfortunately the supply lines aren't long enough to allow switching.

Weird.

Doc - "Hard to figure out from the scant description."

What other details do I need to post?
Thanks all.

 

[Basil]

What other details do I need to post?

The metallurgical details and a description of any non-metalic components of the valve in question.

 

[NutmegCT]

For details, please contact my plumber:

 

[pdplot]

I'm going with Doc's analysis - swollen washer or packing.

 

[DrEntropy]

Swapping the two faucets and having the hot water run through the different one with the same result kinda tells the tale.

I'm "assuming" two separate faucets, not a mixing valve set, given the age of the 'new' house? If so, options are somewhat limited.

 

[NutmegCT]

Here's the object of mystery:

Not sure what else to try, after swapping the valves and finding they *both* gradually lock up when used for hot water.

 

[DrEntropy]

Ah-HA! Mixer. Better in terms of choices, but my take on it would be to change to a different manufacturer's set and walk away. And send that one to the company making/selling it, with explanation of the problem and a link to this thread. Their QC stinks.

EDIT: BTW, what brand is it so we know what NOT to trust?

 

[NutmegCT]

Delta!
(the valves are new, but the faucet head is around 50 years old ...)

 

[DrEntropy]

Yikes! For sure I'd be sending the valves back to them. You had two sets with the same problem, it can't be isolated to just those few. Or you could try messin' around with different (replacement) washers, just for the curiosity of finding a solution.

It's a real PITA that the time and cash a consumer can spend to get a satisfactory result (through no fault of your own!) for a simple task is impossible to reclaim. Why should we need to be the QC/QA department for an outfit as big as they are? But it seems a recurring problem across the board, from car parts to coffee makers. "Defective outta th' box".

Infuriating.

 

[Rhodyspit75]

Before I sent them back I would speak with Delta. Several years ago I had a terrible problem with water hammer in my upstairs shower. The woman that I talked with went out of her way to help me solve the problem.