Best way to grease/lube inside of faucet handles that get crusty?

[RickFlorida]

Hi everyone. Until I can replace this 4 year old Moen Eva bathroom faucet that keeps getting crusty on the inside of handle to where it's hard to turn, is there a recommended silicone/grease that will buy it some time?

I installed this Moen Eva bathroom faucet in my guest bathroom about 4 years ago and on only the second year, the handles became hard to turn. When I took it apart I found that the inside of the handle body (the red marked part in image) had lots of corrosion and crust already building up. So I cleaned both of them up and reassembled. I used a silicone grease that you get in plumbing area but it is very watery so I wonder if that type of silicone grease just doesn't last. Is there a better silicone grease I can use that will last inside these handles until I get a new Delta faucet or better? This problem is with Moen and not my water as I have no problems with my other faucets (we are on city water that is definitely not perfect but our city water never causes big problems like this on my other faucets and showers).

I will no longer be buying Moen. Moen used to be good as I always pulled old Moens out of these 60 year old homes and they held up but new Moen stinks as the quality of the metal finish should not fail this early. The brass body Moen shower valves are bullet proof, especially with the stainless steel trim finish. Nothing breaks on those. But Moen allows cheap finishes to go on their bathroom and kitchen faucet bodies or at least cheap finishes on the inside that fail early.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Those handles have many pieces to them.

Take it completely apart a grease with Silicone grease. I use Danco stuff from Home Depot, works fine for me.

The metal handles are cheap zinc crap metal.

Delta makes some that are solid brass.

 

[RickFlorida]

Those handles have many pieces to them.

Take it completely apart a grease with Silicone grease. I use Danco stuff from Home Depot, works fine for me.

The metal handles are cheap zinc crap metal.

Delta makes some that are solid brass.

Thank you, sir!

From the images, it looks like the Danco grease is thicker than the silicone grease I last used from ACE. So I think it will last longer this time and then I'll get a nice Delta. Appreciate you. I think you are right about the zinc, that explains why it crusted up so fast/bad.

Why are there no commercial grade faucets that are just solid bronze with no plated metals? I know from pool supply that you can purchase solid bronze pool pumps that last forever near chlorine and salt. Are there any faucets that are just solid bronze without chrome plating and have ceramic catridges/valves? That would last foreverr! The bronze or brass would change color but it would never have major crust/delamination issues.

 

[SHEPLMBR]

Have you had your water tested?

 

[RickFlorida]

Have you had your water tested?

No but that's a waste of time for me. I'm very familiar with the city water here and how it works with these old beachside homes. Between me, my brother, my parents, my uncle, and my in-laws who all have condos and homes here on the same city water with the same copper piping we never have problems from hardwater with faucets like what I'm seeing with this piece of crap Moen Eva faucet. Twowaxhack mentioned already that the part I'm seeing crust is made of Zinc. The salt and the humidity in the air by the ocean is probably destroying this crappy faucet, not the water. I simply can't buy home depot or lowes grade faucets here. I have to start buying higher end Delta. Years ago, the quality was not an issue for faucets but American companies are getting greedier and cutting costs when they make stuff.

 

[GReynolds929]

Moen has a lifetime warranty, they'll send replacement parts as needed.

 

[Jeff Handy]

Some manufacturers make two versions of a faucet, and sell a cheaper version in big box stores, with cheapo construction.

 

[RickFlorida]

Some manufacturers make two versions of a faucet, and sell a cheaper version in big box stores, with cheapo construction.

Moen has a lifetime warranty, they'll send replacement parts as needed.

Thanks. I just called Moen and after telling them how bad the inside of the handles degraded to where I can't turn them they agreed to send me whole new handle kits for free and without me producing a receipt. They are back-ordered though so it will take a while. I also bought a Moen kitchen faucet last year and it came with a bad cartridge and needed immediate replacement so I will no longer be buying Moen products. Delta or better from here on out is what I'm going to do. I noticed that the beach-park bathrooms that are right on the ocean with no AC (to reduce the humidity) are all commercial grade Delta's and since my house is nearly the same conditions I will be going with Delta.