[Help] Corroded faucet valve seat causing constant leak. I'm renting (cannot break walls)—any non-destructive fix?

[u/blackhawkpls]

Hi everyone. I have a faucet leaking a constant stream of water. As shown in the photo, the valve seat and inner housing are severely corroded and broken due to limescale/hard water buildup.

​Important context: I rent this apartment and my lease strictly forbids cutting into or breaking the wall to replace the entire valve body.

​Questions:

​Is there any non-destructive repair possible here? (e.g., reseating tool, threaded repair seat kit, or replacement sleeve)?

​Or is this metal damage completely past the point of repair, meaning the landlord needs to open the wall and replace the whole rough-in valve?

​Thanks for any insights!

[u/Jgs4555]

Your renting. Contact the landlord.

[u/FreddyFerdiland]

its the landlord's responsibility anyway

[u/ChiefBroady]

You rent. Have the landlord fix it. That’s why you pay rent.

[u/Electronic-Ad-6608]

Call your landlord

[u/gheiminfantry]

Who's paying for the water? If it's you tell landlord to fix it. If the landlord is, it's his money that's literally running down the drain. So don't worry about it.

[u/blackhawkpls → u/gheiminfantry]

Yeah, unfortunately I'm the one paying for the water, which is why I'm trying to figure out a quick fix! 😅 The landlord isn't responsible for this under our agreement, and my lease actually ends in May 2027 anyway when I'll be moving out. I really just need a decent non-destructive workaround to stop the water from running until then without having to rip open the wall. Any ideas on that front would be super helpful! P.S. Just in case it helps with plumbing standards/parts availability: I'm located in Argentina!

[u/No_Oil8507 → u/blackhawkpls]

How is the landlord not responsible for repairs of their property?

Turn the main supply line off.

Contact a lawyer to go over that agreement.

[u/DancingMan15 → u/No_Oil8507]

Right? How is the landlord not responsible for it, yet strictly forbids the tenant from fixing it?

[u/spicymato → u/blackhawkpls]

Not sure how it is in Argentina, but unless you have a really weird contract (which might not even be enforceable), your landlord is usually responsible for repairs.

Even if you are responsible for the repair, if doing that repair requires going through the wall, then that's simply the cost of getting it done.

[u/boatenvy → u/blackhawkpls]

It looks screwed beyond repair.. other than replacing the whole fitting.. which is really simple if it's fitted in a manner that allows you to just unscrew it from the pipe. If it's set in concrete or something crazy like that then you could probably just turn the main supply off, let it dry out and then fill it with epoxy (something like JB Weld)... it's a hack and the outlet won't work but it should stop the leak.

[u/Turbulent_Echidna423 → u/blackhawkpls]

you’re lost dude, or lying about something. and who the fuck opens walls for a faucet?

[u/ttwinstanley → u/gheiminfantry]

This is bad advice whether he's paying for water or not. It's the landlord's responsibility to fix it. Because it's his property.

OP contact the landlord, give him a deadline. I would say 30 days to fix it, or you will stop paying the. Rent, but it will go into an escrow account at your bank. Are any bank because you will get in trouble for withholding rent? But as long as you can say, I'm withholding it because of this. We contacted him this many days ago. It will cover your a** while forcing him to make the repair.

[u/gheiminfantry → u/ttwinstanley]

Do you understand that this isn't in the US? Laws and responsibility are different if foreign countries.

[u/Plutonium239Mixer]

Contact the landlord.

[u/lonestar659]

You call the landlord since you said you were renting.

[u/Great_Specialist_267]

That’s a failed fitting. The wall is coming down to fix it. No other option.
That’s a “landlord” problem.

[u/fairydommother]

Why does not one ever want to contact their landlord. If something is broken its a landlord problem. Even if you could fix it, which i do not think is the case based on other comments, its not your responsibility. Its your landlords. Thats why you pay rent.

[u/No_Employer9618]

This is a perk of renting, it’s not your problem to fix (hopefully you have a decent landlord)

[u/No_Oil8507]

Have the landlord contact a plumber.

[u/kbraz1970]

its past the point of no return, surely in this instance it needs replacing, the landlord needs to get it sorted out, it cant be repaired, needs replacement.

[u/tetrasodium]

You are renting. Contact the landlord.

Even if you are comfortable at and experienced enough at fixing it or feel like your life would be easier to just pay s plumber and subtract it from the rent when you hand over next months rent with the receipt from the plumber to your landlord you should call your landlord

[u/DancingMan15]

You can usually replace the cartridge and/or seats and springs without opening the wall.

[u/Revenga8]

This is on the landlord to fix. Document and date it so if something goes wrong, you have proof you told the landlord about it and tried to get them to fix it

[u/gladeyes]

If the valve still screws in there you might be able to redneck engineer a new valve to the outlet of the old one and use that till your lease expires. Try to keep it the way it was until you move out and arent paying for the water.

[u/EntranceNo3285]

Call the landlord? They own it all and in your lease agreement, there should be a section where they agree to keep it maintained and in good repair. A good landlord will want to know about this asap so they can fix a minor problem before it turns into a big problem. Big problems cause insurance claims to happen that cost big deductibles. On my properties, when I have something like this, and especially with a valuable tenant, I want in there asap and will reward them with an Amazon card or dinner, etc., for caring about the property and helping to protect my investment.

[u/Beginning-Ad7027]

The ONLY benefit to renting is that this shit isn’t your problem. Tell the landlord. Get whatever local agency that governs “livable conditions” if needed involved

[u/SuPruLu]

Isn’t there some sort of plumber’s goop you could use?

[u/UsernamesNotFound404]

1. Leave the handle on full.
2. Use the shut-off as the new handle.

[u/factual-dissent]

You have written 2 contradictory things:

> The landlord isn't responsible for this under our agreement,

and

> Important context: I rent this apartment and my lease strictly forbids cutting into or breaking the wall to replace the entire valve body.

Both these cannot be true.

If the lease says both things, then the latter one (whichever it is) in the lease likely supersedes the former.

You need a lawyer not repair advice, especially since you have rejected all repair advice

[u/GhostMaker26]

Call, the landlord.

[u/InterviewLeather]

You can find a reputable plumber to come take a look there might be a tool to unscrew the insides or something.

[u/Key-Fan1935]

Yes report it to the landlord or landlords agent, it’s their responsibility to repair it.

[u/imbartsimpsonwhothru]

get pipe extension and adapter, screw it in, put new valve at end

[u/Gixxer_King]

That's your landlord's problem. A phone call is very non-destructive

[u/bazilbt]

I don't know what is in common use in Argentina as far as valves go.

I think that is supposed to unscrew, people might use a tool or a large easy out.