Categories: Bathroom

How to Replace a Clogged Shower Valve | Ask This Old House

This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey replaces a clogged shower valve that would not allow hot water into the shower.
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Shopping List for How to Replace a Clogged Shower Valve:
– New shower-valve cartridge, used to replace old cartridge
– Rag, used to cover tub drain
– Waterproof grease, used to lubricate new valve
 
Tools List for How to Replace a Clogged Shower Valve:
– Screwdriver
– Pliers
– Pocketknife, for removing the retainer clip
– Plastic shield, used to prevent water from dripping behind wall

Steps for How to Replace a Clogged Shower Valve:
1. Cover the tub drain with a rag to prevent any dropped parts from falling into the drain.
2. Unscrew and remove the handle and escutcheon plate from the shower valve.
3. Close the hot- and cold-water shutoff valves to the shower.
4. Use a pocketknife to carefully pry the retainer clip from the shower valve.
5. Hold a plastic shield beneath the valve to catch any water, then use pliers to pull out the old shower cartridge.
6. Smear waterproof grease onto the O-rings of a new shower-valve cartridge.
7. Push the new cartridge into the shower valve, making sure you correctly orient the hot- and cold-water indicators.
8. Press the retainer clip onto the valve to secure the cartridge.
9. Open the hot- and cold-water shutoff valves.
10. Reinstall the escutcheon plate and handle.

About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we’re ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O’Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.

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How to Replace a Clogged Shower Valve | Ask This Old House
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View Comments

  • Hi.

    My wife and I have been having trouble with hot water in our apartment. We have hot water in our kitchen, but nothing but cold water coming out of our bathroom sink and our tub when we turn the hot water all the way on and leave the cold water off.

    Our landlord refuses to hire a licensed plumber and either looks at it themselves or send a maintenance person (none of which are licensed plumbers) to look at it.

    All they do is go to the boiler room in the building and look at the boiler.

    They come back with: the pilot light was out and we relit it, there was condensation on he boiler so we put insulation on the pipes, no one else has complained about the hot water but you.

    We never had a problem until this new management company took over.

    All I know is we have now been without hot water for a week now and are getting the run around. If we were a week late with our rent, we would be out on the street.

    We tried to hire a plumber ourselves; however, they won’t come out because we don’t own the property. Our landlord will not let us hire a plumber on our own, nor will they to resolve this problem.

    Does anyone have an idea as to what is causing us to have no hot water in our bathroom ?

    Unfortunately, we cannot afford to move somewhere else or we would.

    Thank you.

  • I have a plugged hot water . Thanks for the video I will now try to fix my shower . I hope it goes as well as yours.

  • Open the valve and run the water without the cartridge in it to blow out whatever is in the line.

  • He is obviously not a plumber any plumber would have known there was not going to be a shut off what alone when you could shut off behind the plate. Maybe I should remake the video a actual plumber telling you how to plumb

  • These cartridges need a puller. Most times you will not get a 1222 out with groove joint pliers.

  • I was satisfied with the quality of the faucet.σσσ>allmy.tips/DeltasValve?ss I had to return the item because it did not come with some piece required to complete the installation. That’s no fault of the seller as it was disclosed. I just didn’t understand the disclosure (the piece that was required). Besides that, I would have kept the item. I would recommend confirming if you will need that piece (which from my contractors explanation, everyone would need it)

  • Man this is so easy a plumber tried to charge me 150 for this job so glad I came to this channel first

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