Special Tool Needed to Remove Price Pfister Handles?

[dvdchance]

I'm trying to repair a leaking Price Pfister bathroom facuet. It's about 2 or 3 years old.

Do I need a special type screwdriver to remove the handle? It doesn't look like a phillips and a small width flathead isn't doing the trick either and I don't want to fudge up the screwhead.

Thanks for any help. Sorry for the I'm sure easy question, my first post here :)

[Service Guy]

If you have new stems and handles ready, then you can cut the handles right off... :D
http://images.oldhouseweb.com/stories/bitmaps/13034/sawzall1.jpg

[Devine Plumbing]

Go underneath and loosen up the supply tube nuts, then remove the basin nuts. Then you can throw the thing in the trash. Might even consider using a framing hammer. Just make sure your next faucet is a Moen.

[toolaholic]

Junk , junk, and more junk

[plumbworker]

haters..!!

[JCsPlumbing]

Hex Allen screw on the backside probably. I'd like to get my hands on the designer and beat him with his CAD program.

J.C.

[Devine Plumbing]

haters..!!

I am not a hater, I love taking out Price Phister, Aqua Source, Glacier Bay, Premier, etc. faucets.

[PLUMBER RICK]

I'm trying to repair a leaking Price Pfister bathroom facuet. It's about 2 or 3 years old.

Do I need a special type screwdriver to remove the handle? It doesn't look like a phillips and a small width flathead isn't doing the trick either and I don't want to fudge up the screwhead.

Thanks for any help. Sorry for the I'm sure easy question, my first post here :)

well lets answer your question.

a price phister faucet is like general motors. meaning that you can get the basic chevy trim or move up to the cadillac line.

customer service is very good and parts are typically lifetime warranty.

i have no complaints with price phister. sure their hydro seal stems were a flop, but their ceramic stems are great, reversible and lifetime guarantee.

now getting back to your question.

it should be a #2 phillips. both the 4'' center-set and wide spread use the same screw.

once the screws are off, then either pull, rock, or if needed a handle puller. i doubt on a 3 year old lav faucet you need a handle puller.

the stem is easiest to remove with a 5/8'' box wrench so you don't scar or crush the hex. depending on the faucet model. you might have washers or ceramic stems. if the handles only turn 90 degrees, they're ceramic and there is no fix other than replace the stem. if they are multiple turn, then they are washers. (00flat) make sure to change the washers, seats and o-rings 3/8'' x 9/16'' x 3/32''. grease the stem and o-rings.

if this is a widespread faucet, be very careful that you don't spin the entire faucet and do more damage to the water lines below.

now for the best advise. if you don't know how to remove the handle screw, do you think you're ready for the big repair?

a dripping faucet is better than a broken faucet:rolleyes:

have a handy friend or local plumber help you if your not sure. it's a 15 minute job with the right knowledge. 5 if you do it all the time;)

hope this is what you're looking for:clapping:

rick.

[dvdchance]

it should be a #2 phillips. both the 4'' center-set and wide spread use the same screw.

once the screws are off, then either pull, rock, or if needed a handle puller. i doubt on a 3 year old lav faucet you need a handle puller.

the stem is easiest to remove with a 5/8'' box wrench so you don't scar or crush the hex. depending on the faucet model. you might have washers or ceramic stems. if the handles only turn 90 degrees, they're ceramic and there is no fix other than replace the stem. if they are multiple turn, then they are washers. (00flat) make sure to change the washers, seats and o-rings 3/8'' x 9/16'' x 3/32''. grease the stem and o-rings.

if this is a widespread faucet, be very careful that you don't spin the entire faucet and do more damage to the water lines below.

now for the best advise. if you don't know how to remove the handle screw, do you think you're ready for the big repair?

a dripping faucet is better than a broken faucet:rolleyes:

have a handy friend or local plumber help you if your not sure. it's a 15 minute job with the right knowledge. 5 if you do it all the time;)

hope this is what you're looking for:clapping:
rick.

Thanks Rick, that is indeed just the info I'm looking for.

So it is a phillips after all, I guess I was just being too careful with it in that the 2 Phillips drivers I tried didn't fit well on the screw.

I was actually embarrassed to ask such a seemingly trivial question, especially since I installed the faucet along with the entire vanity without issue:)

[Devine Plumbing]

i have no complaints with price phister. sure their hydro seal stems were a flop, but their ceramic stems are great, reversible and lifetime guarantee.

Would you bid a job with a price phister faucet knowing that you would be responsible for doing warranty work on the faucet (parts and finish) for a period of time? If your customer asked you for a recommendation, would you feel comfortable telling them to purchase a high-quality Price Pfister as opposed to another brand?

[PLUMBER RICK]

Would you bid a job with a price phister faucet knowing that you would be responsible for doing warranty work on the faucet (parts and finish) for a period of time? If your customer asked you for a recommendation, would you feel comfortable telling them to purchase a high-quality Price Pfister as opposed to another brand?

considering that over the years i've personally installed somewhere between 10-15 thousand price phisters. i have nothing bad to say about them.

a price phister comes in different trim levels, but the internals are pretty much the same. unless you get into the single handle units.
of all the companies that i repair. price phister is the best for customer service. i installed all price phister for my parents house 20 years ago and have only replaced 1 avanti tub cartridge in that time. (pre pressure balance days)

the moen kitchen faucet has had a new spout and cartridge.
the kohler 1 pc. toilets have had their share of pricy ballcocks and lousy flappers.

the biggest problem i have with any faucet repair is trying to i.d. and get parts for the designer/ decorator supplied faucets. faucets that i never installed and have no clue who's it is and where it was made.

once again a price phister is faucet with good customer support and parts are very easy to get. where else can you get a $3.00 stem, a 25 cent seat and have it last 5-10 years without touching it again. (4'' center-set)

their ceramic stems are reversible and inexpensive if you need to buy them.

nothing wrong with a price phister.


rick.

[Masterplumb]

What in god's name is a pfister anyway?

[Masterplumb]

considering that over the years i've personally installed somewhere between 10-15 thousand price phisters. i have nothing bad to say about them.

a price phister comes in different trim levels, but the internals are pretty much the same. unless you get into the single handle units.
of all the companies that i repair. price phister is the best for customer service. i installed all price phister for my parents house 20 years ago and have only replaced 1 avanti tub cartridge in that time. (pre pressure balance days)

the moen kitchen faucet has had a new spout and cartridge.
the kohler 1 pc. toilets have had their share of pricy ballcocks and lousy flappers.

the biggest problem i have with any faucet repair is trying to i.d. and get parts for the designer/ decorator supplied faucets. faucets that i never installed and have no clue who's it is and where it was made.

once again a price phister is faucet with good customer support and parts are very easy to get. where else can you get a $3.00 stem, a 25 cent seat and have it last 5-10 years without touching it again. (4'' center-set)

their ceramic stems are reversible and inexpensive if you need to buy them.

nothing wrong with a price phister.


rick.

For someone who has installed 10-15 thousand Price Pfisters you should be able to spell it properly! :lmao:

[PLUMBER RICK]

For someone who has installed 10-15 thousand Price Pfisters you should be able to spell it properly! :lmao:

you're right. on my invoicing program i have it spelled both phister and pfister. even thier 1-800-pfaucet # throws me sometimes.

it's the pfaboulis pfaucet with the pfunny name. i think that's right:nyaa-nyaa4:

rick.

[NHMaster3015]

Personally i would not sell or install Price Pfister but that's only because my supply houses don't sell them. As for quality, like Rick says there are different grades just like most faucets. My favorites are probably Delta but only because I stock parts and so do the supply houses. Next would be Kohler for the same reason. Unlike Devine I'm not a huge Moen fan. We have a lot of service and warranty problems related to hard water conditions with them, but to be fair Symmons is also on that list.

[DuckButter]

Personally i would not sell or install Price Pfister but that's only because my supply houses don't sell them. As for quality, like Rick says there are different grades just like most faucets. My favorites are probably Delta but only because I stock parts and so do the supply houses. Next would be Kohler for the same reason. Unlike Devine I'm not a huge Moen fan. We have a lot of service and warranty problems related to hard water conditions with them, but to be fair Symmons is also on that list.
SACRILIDGE!

Unfortunately you have a point...the all brass stem & seats ain't so great with hard water.
Moen valves hold up well in those conditions, but I hate how floppy they are with all the plastic, the simple clip they use to secure the stem seems shoddy too.

[ridgidpipe]

I cant believe I am taking sides with Devine on this one . Moen is big in our area with corporate being in Cleveland. I am friends personally with the moen rep so if I have a problem I can usually have it taken care of that day. Price Pfister or Phister is not carried by any local suppliers other than your D I Y stores which we all know carry the cheapest line of faucets out there. Even Moen has a crappy line of faucets at Home Depot that I would never buy for a Customer. As for Delta Seems like one you replace the seats and springs you can count on doing it on a regular basis . I guess thats job security.

[dvdchance]

I know this is probably a too subjective question, but what exactly makes a faucet quality? I'm a total newbie to the plumbing scene, so please educate me.

Is it just reliability? Length of time between replacing the wearables? Smoothness of operation?

The faucet I have exactly is a Price Pfister Bristol model, not sure where that sits in their lineup. I did buy it at Home Depot, so does that put it in their cheap line?

It has only been 2 years next month that it was installed, and the hot water has the drip I'm working on, to me that seems too soon. Even with a teen girl using it:)

[PLUMBER RICK]

are you sure it's bristol? or bedford.

what happens a lot of times with the cheaper line of faucet for big box stores is they substitute brass for plastic. the pop up assy is plastic where ours is brass. the stems are plastic where are are brass with ceramic inserts.

i believe you have the cheap plastic stem and a brass one will substitute.

i've come across this once and i special ordered the stems to find that the brass ones would fit anyways.

basically it's the trim level you're paying for. the body is the same. in your case the stems and pop up were cheapened down.

i too like moen as my house is all moen except for the kitchen faucet.

i don't care for symmonds either. what were they thinking having the packing nut under pressure even with the valve off? i do own the seat wrenches. good luck if you don't.

delta is very popular, but at a certain point replacement parts stop working as the valve body and index pin are too worn.

rick.

[Devine Plumbing]

I will answer this one. A "good" faucet is one that a company will stand behind. One with copper and brass waterways is important. If I cannot get parts from a multitude of local sources, then it is no good, as in the event of needing a repair it is something that should be able to be accomplished that day. That is why I always recommend that customers stick with one of the big 3 (Moen, Kohler, Delta). Most service plumbers have repair parts for these faucets on their truck, or can obtain them immediately. If I have a problem with the parts or the finish on a faucet I want to know that the company will stand behind it either with free parts or replacement. Of all the three companies I have dealt they rank in order of Moen, Kohler, Delta.

[dvdchance]

are you sure it's bristol? or bedford.

what happens a lot of times with the cheaper line of faucet for big box stores is they substitute brass for plastic. the pop up assy is plastic where ours is brass. the stems are plastic where are are brass with ceramic inserts.

i believe you have the cheap plastic stem and a brass one will substitute.

i've come across this once and i special ordered the stems to find that the brass ones would fit anyways.

basically it's the trim level you're paying for. the body is the same. in your case the stems and pop up were cheapened down.

i too like moen as my house is all moen except for the kitchen faucet.

i don't care for symmonds either. what were they thinking having the packing nut under pressure even with the valve off? i do own the seat wrenches. good luck if you don't.

delta is very popular, but at a certain point replacement parts stop working as the valve body and index pin are too worn.

rick.

No it is the Bristol model #048CT0K. There was a tag under the cold water handle. I remember when I bought it at the Depot it was on clearence as a "Special order" item that the orderer didn't pick up or whatever.

But I just checked, and the stems and pop-up are indeed plastic. Yet if I search this model on the Price Pfister website, the description says the pop-up and handles are metal.

Did the make some specific for the Depot that have the plastic parts?

Would it be worthwhile to replace the plastic stems with brass since they are interchangable? It lists the stems as 910-024 (hot) and 910-025 (cold)

[PLUMBER RICK]

i would go with the 910-900 ceramic stems. these are interchangable for both hot and cold by flipping the clip/ stop on them. the ceramic stems should last 5 years without any issues.

rick.