OT single handle kitchen faucet

[otismotis08]

Any DIY plumbers out there?

I've had a long-term problem with my single handle pull-down faucet in my kitchen.
Moen "Lindley" Model No. CA87012SRS

I installed it about 3 years ago and it's been an ongoing issue pretty much since day 1. The problem is very low hot water pressure, and also fairly low pressure on the cold side as well. Being in the KC area, we have hard water and I suspect that there is calcium buildup somewhere (although we do have a water softener). I'm guessing that I might be able to simply replace the single-handle cartridge inside the handle, assuming that is the culprit. Odd thing is that I'm pretty sure that I already tried replacing this about a week after I first installed it thinking that the initial install delivered some calcium chunks to the cartridge. If I recall correctly, the new cartridge didn't improve things.

I'm pretty sure that it's not the pull down handle/screen as it looks pretty clean. I've also thought about disconnecting the faucet at the supply lines, hooking up a hose to each supply line to fill a bucket and see if the pressure/flow rate are decent. Everything else in the house seems OK.

Any other suggestions?

 

[H8FULLGR8]

My single handle has an adjustment that can be made to increase the range of the handle allowing for more hot and cold water. The handle must be removed to see the adjust lever. Additionally, on the faucet I have the head of the faucet has a special tool that is needed to remove the inner screens in the head in the event they need to be cleaned. My single handle is a three hole, meaning there is a hole for the faucet, the handle and the sprayer. Lots of double entendres in that sentence.

Hope this helps, I am not a pro plumber.

 

[k9_r]

Homely little brute.

 

[otismotis08]

My single handle has an adjustment that can be made to increase the range of the handle allowing for more hot and cold water. The handle must be removed to see the adjust lever. Additionally, on the faucet I have the head of the faucet has a special tool that is needed to remove the inner screens in the head in the event they need to be cleaned. My single handle is a three hole, meaning there is a hole for the faucet, the handle and the sprayer. Lots of double entendres in that sentence.

Hope this helps, I am not a pro plumber.

Thanks. I don't think mine has such adjustments. Since the cold and hot have different flow rates coming out of the faucet (hot much weaker than cold), I suspect that my problem is not at the faucet head but somwehere between the shut off valves and the cartridge. Sure hope it's not further upstream (in the shutoffs themselves or worse yet, in the lines!

 

[Kato]

Thanks. I don't think mine has such adjustments. Since the cold and hot have different flow rates coming out of the faucet (hot much weaker than cold), I suspect that my problem is not at the faucet head but somwehere between the shut off valves and the cartridge. Sure hope it's not further upstream (in the shutoffs themselves or worse yet, in the lines!

Did the old faucet have the same problem? If so are the shutoff under the sink partially clogged?

I had a similar problem a while back, turned out to be a piece of the old rubber seal had dropped down in the pipes when I was removing the old faucet. Once the new faucet was installed and the water turned on, it force the hunk of rubber up into the new faucet. Chased the problem for over 6 months before I discovered it. Worked great once removed.

 

[otismotis08]

Did the old faucet have the same problem? If so are the shutoff under the sink partially clogged?

I had a similar problem a while back, turned out to be a piece of the old rubber seal had dropped down in the pipes when I was removing the old faucet. Once the new faucet was installed and the water turned on, it force the hunk of rubber up into the new faucet. Chased the problem for over 6 months before I discovered it. Worked great once removed.

It could be something like that. How did you ever find it?

 

[TheBeav815]

Did the old faucet have the same problem? If so are the shutoff under the sink partially clogged?

I had a similar problem a while back, turned out to be a piece of the old rubber seal had dropped down in the pipes when I was removing the old faucet. Once the new faucet was installed and the water turned on, it force the hunk of rubber up into the new faucet. Chased the problem for over 6 months before I discovered it. Worked great once removed.

Something along these lines was my first thought. Sometimes you break a chunk of mineral sediment loose when you turn the water off and back on again and it gets stuck up against the screen.

A lot of fixtures also have water saving features now as well. They're basically just inserts to restrict the flow, and they can get out of place.

If the aerator screen will come off, try taking that off and giving it a rinse. Had that happen once, called the landlord and he told me to do that. I felt like a dope when it solved the problem in about 30 seconds.

 

[meo1960]

Have you removed & cleaned the aerator? They often get clogged after a new install.

 

[Nate004]

Have you tried hitting it?

 

[JohnRossEwing]

Not sure if you have tried this or not but tonight when you get home, turn it on and off, a few times, then put your hands on your hips and take a deep breath but make sure it is loud enough so that everyone knows you are upset.

Now, mumble on purpose so that no one knows what you are saying and when they ask "What did you say" sort of get mad at them for you having to repeat yourself, this is important, DO NOT MAKE EYE CONTACT, just keep looking at the faucet like you are trying to figure out the next step.

Now, turn it on and off again and when someone mentions that you should just call a plumber, tell them "I don't need to call a plumber, I think I figured it out" you have to REALLY sell this part and remember, still no eye contact.

Go back to fiddling with it and ask for things that clearly won't help with the issue "Can you grab me a butter knife and a small hammer a flashlight and can you grab a bucket with like 3 towels and the vacuum"

Be noticeably upset when those things are brought to you BUT MAKE SURE NO ONE KNOWS IF YOU ARE UPSET WITH THEM OR THE PROCESS. That is so important, everyone should be on edge.

If you are lucky, someone in the house will be in a good mood and if you notice that, quickly reprimand them and let them know something like "Can't you see I am working on this, I don't really have time to hear about your day...also can you get me a 2x4"

If you get an offer of help DO NOT ACCEPT IT.

Mind you, you know that none of this will work but that is not important. What is important is that you have wasted a good 90 minutes. Start cleaning up and tell everyone to "not use the kitchen sink..." and then at work text your wife to call a plumber.

 

[TheBeav815]

Not sure if you have tried this or not but tonight when you get home, turn it on and off, a few times, then put your hands on your hips and take a deep breath but make sure it is loud enough so that everyone knows you are upset.

Now, mumble on purpose so that no one knows what you are saying and when they ask "What did you say" sort of get mad at them for you having to repeat yourself, this is important, DO NOT MAKE EYE CONTACT, just keep looking at the faucet like you are trying to figure out the next step.

Now, turn it on and off again and when someone mentions that you should just call a plumber, tell them "I don't need to call a plumber, I think I figured it out" you have to REALLY sell this part and remember, still no eye contact.

Go back to fiddling with it and ask for things that clearly won't help with the issue "Can you grab me a butter knife and a small hammer a flashlight and can you grab a bucket with like 3 towels and the vacuum"

Be noticeably upset when those things are brought to you BUT MAKE SURE NO ONE KNOWS IF YOU ARE UPSET WITH THEM OR THE PROCESS. That is so important, everyone should be on edge.

If you are lucky, someone in the house will be in a good mood and if you notice that, quickly reprimand them and let them know something like "Can't you see I am working on this, I don't really have time to hear about your day...also can you get me a 2x4"

If you get an offer of help DO NOT ACCEPT IT.

Mind you, you know that none of this will work but that is not important. What is important is that you have wasted a good 90 minutes. Start cleaning up and tell everyone to "not use the kitchen sink..." and then at work text your wife to call a plumber.

 

[TripleOption67]

Honestly if you call 1-800-buy-moen they will either tell you what's wrong, tell you what's needed to fix it and send you the part or possibly send you a new replacement faucet. For FREE.

 

[HUSKERFAN66]

Honestly if you call 1-800-buy-moen they will either tell you what's wrong, tell you what's needed to fix it and send you the part or possibly send you a new replacement faucet. For FREE.

Really? Must be a different moen than I've called.

 

[MITCH492]

Call a plumber. Repipe where needed, install a new water heater and get a water softener if you don't already have one.

All that will solve your water pressure problem.

 

[JohnRossEwing]

Thank you! I was laughing as I typed it out!

 

[TripleOption67]

Really? Must be a different moen than I've called.

I work for a plumbing wholesale company that sells Moen and they have always taken care of our customers. And it's always at no charge to the customer. Buy it for looks, buy it for life.

Now with that being said, if it's a "box store" product they may treat them differently as most are of different (lesser) quality.

 

[HUSKERFAN66]

I work for a plumbing wholesale company that sells Moen and they have always taken care of our customers. And it's always at no charge to the customer. Buy it for looks, buy it for life.

Now with that being said, if it's a "box store" product they may treat them differently as most are of different (lesser) quality.

Don't/didn't buy at box store. Bought from wholesaler and billed through my plumber. I've had to pay for anything I've gotten. Installed a shower with side sprays and a rain head. Man, what a nightmare that was.

Not bashing Moen. Kohler sounds like even worse to deal with. Maybe because they're Canadian, correct?

 

[TripleOption67]

Don't/didn't buy at box store. Bought from wholesaler and billed through my plumber. I've had to pay for anything I've gotten. Installed a shower with side sprays and a rain head. Man, what a nightmare that was.

Not bashing Moen. Kohler sounds like even worse to deal with. Maybe because they're Canadian, correct?

Yeah, we don't deal with Kohler cuz they are a pain in the azzz.

Sorry to hear about your issues with Moen. That should NOT happen especially if it was a product defect or product failure.

 

[dinglefritz]

It could be something like that. How did you ever find it?

I've got bad news for you bud. The Obama administration passed an edict that mandates flow restriction on all new faucets sold in the U.S. I just got a replacement end for a Kohler faucet and I have the same issue. My plumber said that's just the way it is. Whatever you do if you have any other faucets have problems do your best to fix them because I can piss a better stream than the new faucets and I'm an old man with a bad prostate. Frickin green nut jobs in the government. I can see water restrictions in desert areas but I literally can throw a rock to the Missouri River from my house where our water comes. All it does is make me take twice as long to fill the water glass or sink to do dishes.

 

[jolley]

I've got bad news for you bud. The Obama administration passed an edict that mandates flow restriction on all new faucets sold in the U.S. I just got a replacement end for a Kohler faucet and I have the same issue. My plumber said that's just the way it is. Whatever you do if you have any other faucets have problems do your best to fix them because I can piss a better stream than the new faucets and I'm an old man with a bad prostate. Frickin green nut jobs in the government. I can see water restrictions in desert areas but I literally can throw a rock to the Missouri River from my house where our water comes. All it does is make me take twice as long to fill the water glass or sink to do dishes.

i wonder if blobama's faucets are restricted? and no, that's not racist. I am an equal opportunity denigrater of entitled, hypocritical politicians

edit: forgot to add self-centered to entitled, hypocritical politicians

 

[nebcountry]

I installed a new Moen less than a year ago. Called Moen, they sent me new cartridges, but cartridges weren't the problem. Yes, there was crappola in the pipes, flushed it out. The mechanism that allows pressure to the hand sprayer, takes a boatload of pressure drop during normal operation through the faucet.

On the old faucet, previous installer had altered the hand sprayer insert. The previous hand sprayer didn't work worth a damn. BUT, after I installed the new faucet, I understood why the hand sprayer insert was altered.

I never was able to get high flow through the faucet AND the hand sprayer to function properly on the new faucet.

 

[WoodRiverJennings]

Lololol

 

[WoodRiverJennings]

I've got bad news for you bud. The Obama administration passed an edict that mandates flow restriction on all new faucets sold in the U.S. I just got a replacement end for a Kohler faucet and I have the same issue. My plumber said that's just the way it is. Whatever you do if you have any other faucets have problems do your best to fix them because I can piss a better stream than the new faucets and I'm an old man with a bad prostate. Frickin green nut jobs in the government. I can see water restrictions in desert areas but I literally can throw a rock to the Missouri River from my house where our water comes. All it does is make me take twice as long to fill the water glass or sink to do dishes.