- Always surprises me how many oddball parts are hiding behind those handles.
- I get the nostalgia, but sometimes I worry about safety—old washers or seals can leak and waste water, or worse, cause mold if you miss a slow drip.
- Anyone ever run into a handle that spun the “wrong” way and accidentally left it running? Makes me wonder if there’s a standard for which way is “off” or if it’s just random depending on the brand...
Anyone ever run into a handle that spun the “wrong” way and accidentally left it running?
Oh man, yes—had a guest bathroom where the cold turned clockwise to open. Threw me off every time. I think older houses are just a grab bag of whatever was on sale that year. There’s supposed to be a standard (righty-tighty, lefty-loosey), but in practice... not so much. And yeah, those old washers are sneaky—one slow drip and suddenly you’re hunting for mold behind the vanity.
Had the same thing in my old place—one of the bathroom sinks had the hot tap turn left to close, right to open, but the cold was the exact opposite. Drove me nuts, especially when I was half-awake in the morning. I read somewhere that it comes down to how the plumbing was set up behind the wall—sometimes they just flip a cartridge or use whatever parts fit. Honestly, I think some of these “standards” are more like suggestions in older homes... makes you appreciate modern fixtures.
Yeah, the whole “standard” thing seems pretty loose in practice, especially in houses that have seen a few decades (and a few handymen). I’ve always wondered why they didn’t just make both handles turn the same way—how hard could that be? Makes me question if there’s some deep plumbing wisdom I’m missing, or if it’s just random chance depending on who did the install.
I had a kitchen faucet once where both handles turned outward to open... felt like I was cracking a safe every time I wanted water. Never could get used to it. Is it really just about which cartridges they have on hand, or do older valves force you into this weird setup? Sometimes I think these quirks are half the charm of old homes, but man, they can be annoying first thing in the morning.
I totally get what you mean about the “charm” of old houses—sometimes it’s more like a test of patience, especially before coffee. I’ve run into the same thing with bathroom sinks where one handle turns up and the other down. Drives me nuts, but I guess you just get used to it after a while.
I’ve always wondered if swapping out the cartridges or stems would fix it, but then I worry about messing something up and having to call in a plumber. Has anyone actually tried to “standardize” their handles on a budget? Curious if it’s worth the hassle or if you just end up chasing leaks and spending more than you planned.
