I am wondering why the one-lever shut off valve of my washing machine starts dripping. It was trouble-free since the plumber installed it seven years ago. Unfortunately, since several weeks ago it started dripping whenever I turn ON the valve. Luckily, it doesn't drip when I turn it OFF. But today it has become a fast-drip rather than a slow- drip. Seem like the problem is getting worse. I will have to replace it. Before I replace it, I want to figure out why it drips in the first place.
I am under the impression that one-lever shut off valves are very reliable, and I only turn it ON and OFF only twice a week for the last seven years. This means I turns the lever four times a week, 208 times a year, and 1456 times since it was installed seven years ago. I have a feeling that the valve is not subjected to a lot of wears, right?
My questions are:
o Why does this valve start dripping so soon?
o How can I prevent the new valve from failing so soon if I replace the old one with a new one?
o Is there any brand of valve that is better than others?
Thanks in advance for any info on this problem.
One thing I need to point out is that the valve is in the basement, and the water pipes come from the ceiling of the basement, and reach the valve that is mounted in the middle of the basement wall. I am wondering whether there is something in the water that may have sunk down to the bottom of the water pipe and touched the valve and might have corroded the valve or scratched the valve.
Jay Chan