Honestly, I’ve never bothered with labeling or photos—maybe I’m just too impatient. Usually, I just lay everything out in order as I take it apart and hope for the best. Hasn’t failed me yet, but maybe I’ve just been lucky? The reversed threads still trip me up sometimes though. It’s wild how something as basic as a faucet can have so many “standards.”
The reversed threads still trip me up sometimes though. It’s wild how something as basic as a faucet can have so many “standards.”
Yeah, the reversed threads are a classic headache. I get why you skip the labeling and photos—sometimes it just feels faster to lay things out in order. That method works until a pet or a gust of wind decides to rearrange your parts for you... happened to me once with a kitchen faucet and I spent way too long figuring out which washer went where.
As for the “standards,” there’s really no universal logic. The reversed threads on hot handles are supposed to prevent you from overtightening and cracking the seat, but honestly, it feels like every manufacturer has their own idea of what makes sense. I’ve even seen some newer models where both handles use standard threads just to keep things simple, but then you run into older houses and it’s back to trial and error.
It’s one of those things where experience helps, but even after years, I still double-check the direction before forcing anything. Saves a lot of cursing later on.
