The recessed Delta faucet cartridge.
The Jacuzzi technicians had fixed the leak by converting the drip behind the tub into a drip into the tub. Now all that was needed was to fix the leaking faucet handles, a task every homeowner has encountered in their tenure.
In principle, it involved removing the decorative handle, and replacing an O-ring, or in the case of more advanced designs, a “cartridge”, and then reassembling. There are plenty of references online. Just type “how to…”, and select “fix a leaky faucet”, it will be near the top of the offered choices.
Yet, my situation did not seem to be among the links offered. I finally found an example that seemed similar, a Delta faucet. All I had to do was replace the cartridge with the one I acquired at the local hardware store.
It took me a while to figure out how to remove the old cartridge. It is held in place by a retaining ring, a hex nut that any socket wrench of the right size could unscrew. I didn’t have that size, but I obtained one at the same local hardware store (those large sockets are expensive!). I had everything I needed and headed home with confidence.
But the socket did not fit. It might have been the right size, but it was too “fat”. It would not fit into the cylindrical recess containing the faucet cartridge.
I continued my research. It turns out there are specialized plumber tools designed for just such a situation. They are called “stem sockets”, thin walled socket wrenches for removing faucet stems just like the one I was working on, and one could even find them at a Home Depot center. There are complete sets of such stem sockets, so not knowing what size I had exactly, I bought an entire set.
But it was for naught. I tried every one and they either were too small to fit on the hex nut, or too fat to fit in the hole. Once again, the amateur installers had failed to consider subsequent maintenance, assuming that a faucet valve would stand the test of time, blocking every last water molecule forever.
I realized that I had reached the end of my personal resources. I made one last attempt, an appeal to a professional, the team that had installed my new boiler. I described the situation, sent a photo of the faucet, and begged for advice. The response I got was not encouraging. The professional plumber recommended “getting at it from behind.”
So it appears that some excavation and demolition of wall sections will be the next step in fixing the Jacuzzi drip. I’m living with it for a while until it gets a little higher on the renovation priority list.