# Two Questions



## Koolkat (Jun 30, 2013)

One: is there a way to take out a plastic water heater drain valve without breaking it off?

Two: why does a Waltec face mount tub/shower faucet keep dripping, even after replacing the seats and cartridges? Am I a lousy plumber or doing something wrong? It doesn't help when the customer is standing over you and suggesting ways to do it better, that the other guy he usually gets from your company can do it perfectly in half the time, and why are you taking so long?

Thanks for letting me vent a bit. Customers like that make me doubt my ability, and put a wet blanket over the rest of my day. Even if I have three more successful calls, that one overshadows all of them.


----------



## Coolcanuck (Jan 30, 2012)

Threads on your seats my be wormed, throw some tape at it. I hate those plastic drains, best idea to create a service call for us. We all have those customers as well, let him know it makes it more difficult to have someone within earshot of to do it in a timely fashion when working with outdated products. Perhaps he would like to consider replacing it with a single lever faucet. He'll leave when your start offering good ways for him to spend more money.


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Yea Coolcanuck has it right...
Start selling shiot until he leaves...:laughing::thumbup:


----------



## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

You replaced the seats and the cartridges? If the tub valve has a cartridge, then there aren't any seats. Seats, in my experience are found with tub valves that have compression stems. So, did you replace a cartidge or a stem? If the valve has stems, then maybe the washer is loose; or the bib screw is loose. Also, check to see if the brass seats has a little nick in it. If it's new, the seat could still have a little nick in it. That will explain the drip.


----------



## Plumbtastic1 (Jul 5, 2014)

I agree that If you can keep selling at the hovering customer they will leave you alone. I also put them to work if they get in my way. If they are standing I between where I am and where I have to go, I'll ask them to hand me something or put them on a mission. Turn this on or off, or do you still have the paperwork for this faucet/fixture? If they are the hovering type they usually keep all the paperwork. Usually they get into the other tasks and leave me alone.


----------



## PathMaker (May 10, 2013)

Ive never plumbed in Canada, but has anyone checked the water pressure coming into the home, or if there is an expansion tank on the system, if its a closed system?


----------



## Cajunhiker (Dec 14, 2009)

Off topic Pathmaker. Wrong thread. Try again. 

Tapping finger on desk, patiently waiting for someone to answer the man's plastic boiler drain question. 👇


----------



## PathMaker (May 10, 2013)

*not off topic*

Its not off topic. I am answering part two of his question. If you replace seals on a shower valve but dont check the pressure coming into the home, or if thermal expansion might be an issue, then youre missing some clues to the puzzle. Unless of course Canada doesnt have high water pressure or thermal expansion. Dunno, never been there...:001_unsure:


----------



## mrjasontgreek (May 21, 2014)

Is the leak on the hot side? Waltec faucets seem to love to drip on the hot side a few minutes after you turn them off. The hot side cools down and the washer shrinks just a little bit and will start dripping if you don't turn them off snugly enough. Maybe the customer just needs a lesson on the "lobster claw" handle grip technique!


----------



## Coolcanuck (Jan 30, 2012)

Plumbtastic1 said:


> I agree that If you can keep selling at the hovering customer they will leave you alone. I also put them to work if they get in my way. If they are standing I between where I am and where I have to go, I'll ask them to hand me something or put them on a mission. Turn this on or off, or do you still have the paperwork for this faucet/fixture? If they are the hovering type they usually keep all the paperwork. Usually they get into the other tasks and leave me alone.


Had a hover today, he read the tube heater manual to me while I replaced his rotted c/b vent with z... I was curious if they had flue temps in there. He was a good guy though, he offered me a tea and we had a chat before I left. I like the retired folk that don't mind a $400 8' venting system.


----------



## Plumb26 (May 18, 2013)

Try tightening the drain a little first to see if it will move a little. It's really a crap shoot with that plastic garbage. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you're chiseling the thing out when it breaks.


----------

