Most people probably never give a second thought to how they turn a faucet handle on or off. It's a programmed movement that is made without thinking about the best way to do it. The brain makes the super fast decision between turning on the hot or the cold faucet handle, and that's the extent of it.
These fixtures, so easily taken for granted, are an important part of the bathroom sink, shower, bathtub, kitchen sink, and outdoor water spigots. Their inner workings may seem simplistic, unless you are an experienced plumber who has replaced countless faucets and understands just how much wear and tear a faucet handle receives during its lifetime.
Avoiding Faucet Damage
Can you actually damage your water faucet handles by turning them on or off with too much force? The answer is yes, you can cause damage, and here's why.
Depending on the type of faucet you have—compression, cartridge (sleeve), ceramic disk, or ball type—rubber washers, seat washers, or cartridges may need to be replaced. The snug fit of the particular seal works as a barrier to prevent water from leaking from the faucet. The seal has the job of eliminating the drip, drip, drip of wasted water going down the drain. Wasting water makes your home less environmentally friendly, plus it puts an extra drain on your water bill.
Due to natural wear and tear, seals will deteriorate over time without using excessive force to manipulate the handle. In this case, new faucets or new seals need to be installed. When you put excessive force on the handles—for example, if you jam the handle back as far as it will go when you turn off the faucet, or push it to make sure it's off—you put undue stress on the handles. If the seals are working properly, treating the handle in that manner isn't necessary. In fact, if you aggressively turn the handle on with full force, this, too, can damage the seals.
Water pressure can also be a damaging element. If the pressure is beyond the norm, the stress on the seals to prevent leaks is increased. Eventually, the seals will not be able to hold the water, and the faucet will begin to leak.
Our experienced staff will be more than happy to check out the faucets in your home and replace any that are showing a sign of wear and tear before a broken faucet becomes a major issue.
For answers to your questions, contact the Pink Plumber today.
