I have Delta/Delex faucets with separate hot and cold water handles. The first time I had a leaky faucet I took out the old valve stem and went to a home improvement store and asked them to help me match it. I purchased a box of 5 valve stems, springs, and seats. I figured this wouldn’t be the only leak since I have 6 identical faucets in three bathrooms.
Tool list
- Phillips head screwdriver
- channel locks
- needle-nose pliers
- small screw driver
- rags
I turned the water off under the sink going to both faucets. The turn valves don’t seem to age well and this always makes me a little nervous since they can break. I once had a valve to a toilet break and start pouring water into the bathroom until I shut the water main off. Which brings up a good point. Before starting a plumbing project make sure you know where the main shut off is and how to turn it off (some need a tool) just in case something goes wrong unexpectedly.
To get to the valve stem I had to pop the caps that say “H” and “C” on the top of the faucet handles, remove the screw, and remove the plastic handle.
The handle is screwed into the top of the valve stem. To get the valve stem out on the Delta/Delex there is a brass ring that needs to be removed. I wrapped it in a cloth (to prevent damage to the ring) and used a channel locks to turn counter-clockwise and remove the ring.
If the ring has gotten stuck due to hard water deposits, I have had to soak a cloth in white vinegar and wrap it around the ring. I let it sit for a few minutes to allow the acid in the vinegar to work on the deposits. DO NOT get too aggressive if the ring is stuck since you could turn the entire thing and kink the copper tubing under the sink.
Once the ring was off I still had a hard time getting the hot water valve stem out and had to work around the edge with a small screwdriver prying it and while being careful to not gouge up the brass.
When the old valve stem was out I used rags to soak up the water down in the hole. At the bottom is a round black rubber seat. I removed it with a needle-nose plier. Once that was out I could see the spring under it and removed it also. I took care to note the direction of the seat and the spring when I removed them so I could make sure I put the new parts in correctly. The spring is narrower on one end and needs to go in the correct way.
If I’m replacing a valve stem I go ahead and replace the seat and spring while I have it disassembled. I’m never sure what exactly is leaking and it seems wise to start with all fresh parts.
I put the seat over the spring, grabbed the assembled seat/spring with a needle-nose and inserted them in the hole. I used the handle end of a small screwdriver to push the seat down into place.
Once the seat and spring were in, it was a simple matter of putting in the new valve stem and screwing down the brass ring. I was careful to tighten the ring, but stop when the whole thing started to turn — again not wanting to kink the copper tubing under the sink.
I screwed the handles back on, popped the “H” and “C” in making sure they were on the correct handle.
I turned the water back on under the sink and tested both faucets. No leaks!
