Stubborn dripping bath tap at parents house. It is a traditional 3/4 bath tap of about 1970 vintage. Father replaced the washer when the old one split. It dripped. Reseated it, second new washer, and it still drips.
I'm a bit puzzled on what to try next, three observations:
- Reseating tool feedscrew seems damaged making it stiff and difficult to adjust over minute increments - however was still able to adjust it in under
1/8 turn increments whilst reseating. Small radial marks are present on seating, but you cannot feel these and they are barely visible. Given the coarseness of the cutter I doubt if a better finish could be acheived without grinding the surface of the seat on an oil stone - which of course is not practical.
Is is perhaps time to replace the reseating tool.
- Could water be leaking through via the central nut that holds the washer in place? As not all of the central spigot that holds on the washer is threaded if washers have got thinner then perhaps the nut is tightening down on the end of the thread rather than the washer. Should I put a brass washer between the nut and the tap washer?
- The fibre washer that the tap head beds down on has seen better days. Did not replace it at the time as did not have a spare handy. However, can't see how this could affect a turned off tap, I don't see how a damaged fibre washer would prevent the washer bedding on its seat.
Any thoughts? Don't wish to replace the taps as all the taps at present match - an odd one would stand out. Also it is bound to be fiddly and pipework is quite likely 3/4" rather than 22mm.
Thanks,
Pete