Cold Stem Washer question

Over 698,000 strictly plumbing related posts

Plumbing education, information, advice, help and suggestions are provided by some of the most experienced plumbers who wish to "give back" to society. Since 1996 we have been the best online (strictly) PLUMBING advice site. If you have questions about plumbing, toilets, sinks, faucets, drains, sewers, water filters, venting, water heating, showers, pumps, and other strictly PLUMBING related issues then you've come to the right place. Please refrain from asking or discussing legal questions, or pricing, or where to purchase products, or any business issues, or for contractor referrals, or any other questions or issues not specifically related to plumbing. Keep all posts positive and absolutely no advertising. Our site is completely free, without ads or pop-ups and we don't tract you. We absolutely do not sell your personal information. We are made possible by:

Post New

How to Show Images

Newest Subjects

Cold Stem Washer question

Author: bulldogman3 (TN)

Hey guys....one last question and I promise I will leave you alone.....I wrote earlier about putting the cold stem on the hot water side of the faucet and everyone said that it would make the handle turn the water off and on in the opposite way, which is fine.....and that the hot and cold stems were pretty much the same other than the thread direction....well, my next question is about the washer...I went to the local hdwre store and had a look at the hot stem and it appears that the washer is thicker for the hot stem... and the cold stem I installed has a thinner washer...I have checked for leaks and there are no leaks...we put the thinner washer that came with the cold stem on it when we installed it on the hot side...Is the thinner rubber washer that was installed with this going to make a difference. the original stem that came from my faucet didn't even have a washer on it and it didn't leak....I have no idea what name brand this faucet is...it has been used for years....I have checked for any leaks now and there is NO LEAKING....I just don't know what to do.....leave well enough alone....I'm afraid if I put the hot stem and thicker washer on there that the thick washer could make it leak....due to the fact that the original stem didn't even have a washer on it.....Anyway, guys....I'm telling you, that is a big, thick washer in the pack with the hot stem.....plus, the stems in the store look the same as my old one, but they are really for a Union Gopher brand...would you just leave well enough alone??? it has the thinner washer installed...if it were going to leak, would it have already leaked? I hope I can just leave well enough alone....the guy who installed it, told me it wasn't going to leak.....would you leave well enough alone? thank you so much!

Post Reply

Re: Cold Stem Washer question
Author: North Carolina Plumber (NC) Thick or thin, it makes no difference as long as the washer screw is engaged well into the stem.
Post Reply

Great! Thank you so so so much!!!
Author: bulldogman3 (TN) Great! Thank you so so so much!!! Edited 1 times.
Post Reply

Re: Cold Stem Washer question
Author: hj (AZ) Washers are washers. The thickness, and sometimes the color, depends on the manufacturer, NOT whether it is hot or cold water.
Post Reply

Thank you guys so so so much!!!
Author: bulldogman3 (TN) Thank you guys so so so much!!! Words cannot express my gratitude! Have a great evening! Edited 1 times.
Post Reply

Please note:

Inappropriate messages or blatant advertising will be deleted. We cannot be held responsible for bad or inadequate advice.
Plbg.com has no control over external content that may be linked to from messages posted here. Please follow external links with caution.
Plbg.com is strictly for the exchange of plumbing related advice and NOT to ask about pricing/costs, nor where to find a product (try Google), nor how to operate or promote a business, nor for ethics (law) and the like questions.
Plbg.com is also not a place to ask radiant heating (try HeatingHelp.com), electrical or even general construction type questions. We are exclusively for plumbing questions.

Search for plumbing parts on our sponsor's site:

Plbg Advisor List Common Plumbing Terms Find A Plumber Plumbing Manufacturers Directory theplumber.com

Special thanks to our sponsor:

to FAQ's - to popular subjects - to plumbing books - to Tankless 101 - to plumbing history - to helping charities - to contact us