pasadena_commut
Well-Known Member
Last week the sink in our garage started dripping like crazy, the water was cold to the touch. It has separate hot and cold water valves which are joined by a an odd set of connectors outside the wall to the faucet. Anyway, this weekend pulled the cold stem, which is the only side we ever use, and found it needed an "OO 1/4S" washer. Of course I did not have any but was able to locate one without too much trouble locally. Replaced it and the faucet still leaked. So it had to be the hot side, even though the water was cold. Keep in mind that neither my wife nor I could remember the last time we turned that side on. Opened it up and it stank like gasoline, or at least some other petroleum based product. This is odd since it splits off from the hot water line to the washing machine, although I cannot say where since it is in the wall, and there is no odor in the washing machine (nor for any other water line in the house). Once the stem was out the water was turned back on briefly to clear the line, which spat out quite a bit of rust and rust colored water (the house still has original galvanized pipe), as well as a brass washer screw which had been in there who knows how long. There was still a washer screw on the stem, somebody must have dropped that extra screw in there ages ago. Replaced the washer, the leak went away, and the smell was gone too. Turned it back on hours later and still no smell.
The thing I don't understand is where that smell came from. Some odd chemical reaction between the rust, the water, the brass screw, and the rubber maybe???
The thing I don't understand is where that smell came from. Some odd chemical reaction between the rust, the water, the brass screw, and the rubber maybe???