Thread: Best tap washers

Hydroseal on a good seat and you can't go wrong.

You could always go for ceramic discs taps, no washes, no leaks.

I've used these successfully in a number of houses. In rental ones it is also an opportunity to install water saving dispenses spouts and shower roses.

I'd second the ceramic disks, we had taps in a new house that leaked all the time (Adelaide water) and tried all different sorts of washers with little success. I installed Dorf ceramic disk tap spindles @ $70.00 a set about two years ago and haven't touched them since.

Downsides are they don't fit all tapware as the spindles only come in two lengths (wall and basins), are expensive to start off with, and they're slightly harder to install. Once you get the hang of it it's not much more work than changing a washer.

They are also good for situations where the tap body or valve seat is worn badly provided there is still enough metal to get a flat surface.

I'd recommend you give them a try on at least one tapset,

Cheers Pedro )

Here in Southern California the water is hard enough that it bounces off the floor when dropped.

We have a single handle faucet brand, Moen. They use a cartridge as the mixing valve. The ones in the shower and tub havent needed the cartridge changed in at least 15 years. The ones in the sinks tend to get a little stiff in their operation after 5 or 6 years. I'll change the cartridge when the operation is stiff. Even then they don't leak. I only change the cartridge because LOML (female dog)<FEMALE dog>es about it.

A new Moen faucet costs $60 to as much as $300 and cartridges are about $12. I don't know if this brand is available there but if you'e paying a plumber to change washers, the Moen is a lot cheaper.

You could look at www.agdesigninnovations.com.au
Their life span has not yet been established - they've only been going for about forteen years. After nine years mine are still like new!

You could also check this thread: - same subject, a while back...

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ead.php?t=7463

Cheers,
Andrew

Originally Posted by Pulse

What does everyone think are the best washers. Its for a rental property so I want:

1. long lasting
2. firm closure - so people don't tighten the hell out of them
3. no sqeaks etc

I don't really like the dome black ones because they get over tightened. The hyroseal ones are a little sqeaky but seem good quality.

Any thoughts??

TIA
Pulse

I'm using a product that I saw at bunnings called dousstvalve. they come out of WA and seem to do the job well enough. A little bit more costly that the average washer. When I can afford it I will eventually put ceramic washers through the house.

Blue Gum, are those Doust tap jumpers (washers) the ones advertised as 'drawing themselves tight onto the tap seat to stop drips' or words similar?

Good idea in principle but-- I used to install them in jobs for the elderly but soon gave them away after realising with their habit of only turning on a tap slightly, the doust jumpers started a hell of a water hammer as it tried to attach itself back to the tap seat.

I have found the small but simple Doust water hammer arrestor excellent.