Best faucet stems according to redditors

I shut off the water going to the outside hose bibs and cover them with one of those styrofoam covers. The screen in the front door is replaced with the glass insert and I make sure all of the windows are shut tight and locked. The winter equipment is swapped with the summer stuff in the shed, and that's about it.

https://www.amazon.com/LASCO-0-4031-8-Inch-Sterling-Washerless/dp/B009XD3XM2

Lasco 0-4031

KISSLER 11-3269

are compatible stems that I have in my book

You'll have better luck searching with the Sterling # SRA-3269 (3270 for cold) instead of the Danco identifier since they discontinued it.

A3269/A-3269/SRA-3269

Looks like they have all brass as well.. but I don't know these websites. Just happened to come across them.
http://www.lockeplumbing.com/detail.asp?c=Faucet%20Parts%20S%20through%20T&s=Sterling%20/%20Rockwell&s2=&sku=STE-A-3269&r1=WHE-USS25C&r2=GRU-595916&r3=FEI-NL9-LED

https://homefixitparts.com/plumbing-1/faucet-repair-kits/plumbing-faucet-repair-kits-sterling-p2-50-499a.html

Possibly Kohler/Sterling OEM version is now all brass.

Just clean it, spraypaint it, and cover it with one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Frost-King-FC1-Outdoor-Faucet/dp/B001FG3C1C

They're cheap as hell from every hardware store and they'll keep the weather from screwing up the connection.

He needs some of these bad boys

I was thinking of something like this. Not sure it’s big enough, but it may work

I second buying a Perlick. I bought a kegerator on CL and cleaned the hell out of it, but it still had a cheap faucet on it. It poured ok but everyday it got sticky and was hard to engage the first few times per day. Don't even waste your time trying to clean the original faucet. Just get a Perlick and be done with it. <$30: https://amzn.com/B0063G7DIM

Obviously replace ALL hoses (co2 and liquid) as well as clamps. That should be less than $10-12. I have a $10 fridge thermometer that works well, but it's not a necessity. Toss a baking soda fridge pack in there as well to handle any smells.

https://www.amazon.com/BrassCraft-ST1280X-Ceramic-Pfister-Faucets/dp/B004Q01VM6

Ha, I know what you mean about the Aluminum tape. It just doesn't hold up as well as duct tape. I stuck with the aluminum, but covered it up with some gaffers tape.

I'm also considering switching to an outdoor faucet cover, particularly for shorter trips. It's much more voluminous but weighs <1 oz and is supposed to insulate much better.

[Yes, an insulated cap.](Frost King FC1 Outdoor Foam Faucet Cover, Oval 3 pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01251QDL6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_DJ-DCb97FHCTP)

https://www.amazon.com/Danco-18553B-3Z-13H-Grohe-Faucets/dp/B00JJXG1XY

They make it with out the top threads for an escutcheon also

Pfister 9103000 Roman Tub Compression Stem https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D5Z166E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_dM-nDb1820JB8

Here are some links to videos on how to turn off integral stops (even though the vids use single handle faucets) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnPNR6douzg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQmXAdFVyOg.

Additional links are for sources of replacement stems (OEM name was "Aquaseal", though I doubt very highly many home center employees will recognize it): https://www.griggindustries.com/page651.html
https://www.homedepot.com/p/American-Standard-072950-1700-AquaSeal-Right-Hand-Stem-130420/205603847
https://www.amazon.com/American-Standard-072950-1700-Side-Stem/dp/B0087U4F2Y

Though it illustrates a 3-handle faucet, this page shows an exploded view of your valve: https://www.azpartsmaster.com/american-standard-heritage-tub-shower-valve-schematic.aspx

And finally, a how-to rebuild an American Standard Aquaseal page from a reputable plumbing site forum: https://www.plbg.com/forum/read.php?1,281732

Any major difference between these faucets and these ones? It looks like the cheaper ones are 525's. Are they just as good at not sticking?

Do you know if I can upgrade the handles I have to tap handles or are they threaded differently? Would I need an entirely different tower to put them on or can I just replace?

This is what I have

I wouldn't mind moving to these or something similar

Good call! So something like this:?

EDIT: I can see there's lots of stem extension options online, I'm going to deep dive into this, looks like this shower stall faucet will work after all if I can rig up something.

EDIT 2: I am pretty sure I need 2 of these:

I can't justify the $70 on a $20 faucet. Can you buy these parts individually and save a ton?

https://www.amazon.com/Pfister-974-3750-Extension-Sleeve-Screw/dp/B005UNNFD6/ref=pd_sbs_60_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B005UNNFD6&pd_rd_r=2174c86d-b443-11e8-a8ea-092258445276&pd_rd_w=QbQ6D&pd_rd_wg=mWZsW&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=0bb14103-7f67-4c21-9b0b-31f42dc047e7&pf_rd_r=YXVGC355V7NNMT0PMP5Z&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=YXVGC355V7NNMT0PMP5Z#customerReviews

This is what's on there now...it's my mother's house so I'm not sure if she kept the old one that I broke so I can't get an actual picture yet.. This is the one that I replaced one with when I was desperate at night with the stores closing.

I spent some time in a mobile home where the plumbing is not well insulated. The pipes, especially the outdoor faucets, are susceptible to freezing unless additional measures are taken. We would cover the outdoor faucets with a foam cover for insulation, and use heat tape. The latter plugs into an electric outlet and has a thermostat to know when it needs to turn on to heat the pipe and keep it from freezing.

Those two items would provide decent protection at a reasonable price, but it wouldn't cost a ton to have a plumber replace the outside faucet with a length of pipe going into the basement where the shutoff valve would be more easily accessible. This is your permanent solution...

If this is your pipe, you may want to wrap it up so the pipes don't burst.



http://www.amazon.com/Frost-King-FC1-Outdoor-Faucet/dp/B001FG3C1C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416350603&sr=8-1&keywords=spicket+cover

Your pic looks a lot like my basement and we have a valve on the inside for the backyard faucet

We don't have an accessible valve for our front-yard faucet so we use a cover like this http://www.amazon.com/Frost-King-FC1-Outdoor-Faucet/dp/B001FG3C1C/

Yeah, they sell foam domes that attach to your hose bib and insulate it against the cold.

Cartridge: Delta RP25513
Seats & Springs: Delta RP4993

Thanks for the reply.

Sorry, but I'm not really following what you're saying. The faucet drips when I have the outside spigot closed, and the water valve on the inside of the house is open. Is the spring less check valve the valve seat for the end of the stem?

Regarding the filing, when I screwed the stem into the spigot, it didn't go in all the way and it felt like it didn't fit. I got the idea from other reviews on amazon where I ordered the valve stem. Not sure if I can link to amazon, but the reviews are here - https://www.amazon.com/Arrowhead-PK8004-Replacement-4-Inch-Hydrants/dp/B000PS8OE6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_sims?ie=UTF8

I basically used a dremel and ground down the back edges of the square part of the stem bit by bit until it eventually screwed in. When I compared the new stem to the old stem, the old stem had a much smaller square.

valve packing










how to

http://www.homedepot.com/p/DANCO-10Z-3D-Stem-for-Union-Gopher-17110B/202066399

http://www.homedepot.com/p/DANCO-10Z-5D-Stem-for-Union-Gopher-9D0015418B/204321611


https://www.amazon.com/Danco-15363B-7E-1H-Union-Gopher/dp/B000DZHCUI


If it looks like any of these, there is an o-ring not normal packing.

Better off replacing them then trying to rebuild them. You'll spend more time trying to find the right size o-ring only to find it still leaks since it was close but not exactly to the manufactures specs.