Happiness

Happiness is an attic vent fan that works when it is supposed to.

Dripping faucets
A while ago I worked on the faucet dripping in the bathroom off our bedroom.

I bought some parts off the internet.  I bought the silicon grease from Pettit's Hardware in town.

One quirk of our water is that the cold water is hard while the hot water leaves most of the hard water deposits in the hot water tank.  Consequently I knew that it was the cold water valve that was leaking.

I tore it apart.  I cleaned it with tiny strips of Scotchbrite pad and cotton swabs.  I liberally greased everything and put it back together.  My only concern was that the spring loaded rubber seats did not glide in their holes.  I attributed it to some hard water deposits I was not able to scrub off.

It still leaked.

Disheartened, I let an embarrassing amount of time lapse.  Today, I took another swing at it.  I was sure that the problem was the rubber seat not gliding or that the rubber could not seal to the rough surface that was "grabbing" the seat.

I turned off the water.  Bled the pressure.  Disassembled the cold water valve.  Poured in 10% HCl (toilet bowl cleaner).  I rubbed.  I scrubbed.  I rinsed.  I dried.  And then I noticed that the rubber seats ride in a metal thimble that is open at the bottom where the water wells through.  "Ah ha!" I thought.  I found my leak path.

I gobbered large amounts of silicon grease everywhere, paying particular attention to the bottom of the thimble.  I reassembled.  I turned on the water.

And it still leaked.

What the heck!

Mrs ERJ asked why I was so bummed.  I told her.  She commented, "If it is not the cold water valve then it must be the hot water valve." 

Fortunately I had extra spare parts in hand.  Mrs ERJ was right.  The rubber seat was locked in place by crud.  I replaced the appropriate parts.  The dripping tap is now quiet.

That is why I pay her a trillion dollars a day.  She is worth every penny.