means that the seat washer at the bot-tom of the spindle is worn and needs repair. If the leak doesn’t stop, the seat may be damaged and in need of replacement. Also, check the spindle and bottom gasket for damage. Handle – Leaking here indicates worn packing that needs to be replaced. Remove the bonnet nut to replace. Base of the bonnet – The top gasket is most likely worn out and will need repair if a leak occurs at the bonnet base. Nozzle – A nozzle leak indicates that the O-ring needs to be replaced. Coupling flange – A leak here is a sign that the coupling gasket needs to be replaced. Most of the time, a faucet can be repaired to fix a leak. However, sometimes the body of the fau-cet will have to be replaced altogether. This typically happens when the threads of the faucet are worn down through repeat-ed repairs. Replace the faucet when it no longer functions properly or when repairing it will not fix the leak. When considering a new faucet, there are important features to look for. First, look for a faucet that is made by a manufacturer with a quality track record. Buying a brand name faucet will help ensure that replacement parts can be found quickly when the faucet does begin to wear. If cost is a concern, consider the long-term effects of buying a lower-quality product. While it may cost less upfront, it will likely require more repairs and earlier replace-ment during its lifetime. Installing a faucet that is a reliable, quality product will almost always cost less in the long run. Additionally, when purchasing new or replacing existing plumbing fixtures, it is important to consider low-flow models. There are many faucets and toilets on the market that can save thousands of gallons of water — a financial and environ-mental gain. Additionally, for those facilities that are looking to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, many toilet and faucet models can help obtain points needed for certification. It is easy to ignore a small leak, but the longer it goes without repair the more water and money will be wasted. Make a plan to track water use and iden-tify any leaks. Stopping a leak before it gets too severe will help avoid higher bills and unnecessary waste. CM Linda Seigler joined T&S Brass, a leading manu-facturer of commercial plumbing and foodservice equipment, in 1984. With over 25 years of experi-ence in the plumbing industry, she currently serves as the company’s Northeastern regional sales manager. Seigler is a member of the Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI), the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) and the Manufacturers’ Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry (MAFSI). She can be reached at lseigler@tsbrass. com. For more information on T&S Brass, visit www.tsbrass.com. Innovating since 1974 IS THIS HOW YOU “DEEP CLEAN” STONE AND TILE FLOORS? Your Commercial Flooring Specialists • Better Products • Better Training • Better Support www.hydroforce.com 800-637-3789 Distributor inquiries invited. Stone and tile loors are a huge invest -ment. Cleaning them with inadequate tools and chemicals is placing those loors at risk. We can make your job easier and faster with a complete line of stone, tile and grout products that are not only safe for your loors, but actually clean them too. VIPER s St one ion & Tile Care Solut VIPER Circle Product Information no. 215 on page 32 www.cmmonline.com 37
CMM – Archives Apr 2011: 37
