Delta kitchen faucet eating rubber seats

[Harry Avant]

I have a Delta two handle kitchen faucet that was installed in September of 2002. Within the past couple of months it as gone through at least a half dozen seats and springs on the hot side. I have replaced the stem twice.

It seems that the rubber gets "mangled", that's the best word I can find along the top and then there is a total failure resulting in an inability to stop the flow.

I have checked the bottom of the stem units and have not found any burrs or rough spots. When replacing the rubber seats and springs I have tried to clean out the area using a soft cloth, but I have not found any debris there.

This is only happening on the hot side. My water heater is set for just below normal and has not be altered since installation. I should note that I'm in La Crescenta, California and the water here is very hard.

I've contacted Delta via internet and they have offered to send some new seats and stems but I wonder what good that will do, since I have been replacing these already.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Is it normal for the hot side to fail so early?

Thanks

[robson]

That had happened to mine in both kitchen and washroom. They are just melting. Not only the washers but the plastic stem parts. Replace and they will continue to melt. I brought both tap sets back and bought new

- with the ceramic parts.

[Harry Avant]

[Terry Cano]

[maradcliff]

Without seeing which faucet type you have, I can not tell exactly what you got. But think in these terms. Whatever the top of that rubber cup piece is contacting is probably worn. Not the spring side, the top of it. Either you have a single handle with a metal or plastic ball, or a two single handles, with each having a (most likely) plastic stem that turns against the rubber cup. Check whatever contacts the rubber for rough edges. Replace whatever is bad. Also, apply plumbers grease to the parts when you reinstall them. Unless your water is VERY hot, the melting issue is not likely. But, do you drain your hot water heater regularly? You may have hard particles coming up and wearing out the rubber, like gravel chunks. Drain the tank (several times if it was not done for years). I did plumbing for years and found the delta faucets pretty decent for the lower priced stuff. I have them myself and have very hard water. I replaced the cups once in the past 6 or 7 years.

There really is no other reason for your problem, unless a ghost or unwanted guest is tampering with the faucet.....