You may want to replace the shower valve as you are facing some problems from it such as- water leakage, lime and dirt in water etc. you should replace the shower valve as soon as possible because it could cause serious problems by leaking water behind the wall and also mold grows due to this reason.
If you are concerned enough to fix this problem immediately, you need to call in a plumber. However, you could also do it yourself following some steps carefully. In this article, I am going to give you all the details about replacing a shower valve.
Materials and tools:
2. Pliers
3. Screwdrivers
4. Mini hacksaw
5. Allen wrench
6. Utility knife
Step 1: Blocking the shower drain:
You have to cover the shower drain using a cloth when you are replacing or removing the shower valve. Blocking the drain prevents screws from getting lost or falling off. You should keep screws and all necessary parts together to find them when needed.
Step 2: cutting off the water supply:
You need to turn off the water supply to stop water flow in the shower. Catch the handles which control the water flow and stop the water supply by turning the handle clockwise. Sometimes, you may find screws to cut off the supply. turn the screw to the left using a screwdriver and stop the flow of the water. it is common to find two handles of hot and cold water and you should stop both of them. if you don’t find any way to stop the water flow, just turn off the main source from where water is coming.
Step 3: Removing the handle:
Remove the handle of the faucet using a hex. Different showerhead models require different keys of the hex. You could remove other parts with the help of a screwdriver. You should lose the parts while replacing a valve. Do the work attentively and if you are facing problems from the inside, go outside and make a big hole to work from the back of the bathroom. The big hole is for uninstalling the old and installing the new one.
Step 4: loosening the trim plate:
You have to unscrew the trim plate on both sides and keep the plate in a secure place where you could easily find them when fixing it again. Let the handle and the trim plate soak in white vinegar for some time to remove the dirt and look like a new one once again.
You may see a coating of caulk around trim plates and screws. You have to remove them properly because it may be glued to the trim plate. You could buy caulk from online and other stores to use them while replacing the shower valve.
Step 5: Removing the old shower valve:
You would find an opening in your wall that is about 30 cm but you have to widen a little bit. You could cut the wall till you get the proper size of the hole. You may get confused about the size of the hole. So, you could ask a plumber to cut the hole for you or you could cut the hole according to the size of the trim plate. Because the trim plate and handle should shield the hole.
After that, you would find a clip that holds the valve in the right place. Remove that clip using a needle nose plier and keep in a secure place. You could also use the clip to install the new valve but usually, a new shower valve comes with clips. If you found any nuts to keep the valve in place, unscrew them using a wrench and remove the old valve. Use the plier to grip the metal while removing. After removing, you could throw it away if you don’t want to use them again.
Step 6: Fix a new shower valve:
Grip the metal of the new valve cartridge with a plier and glide it in the place from where you removed the old one. for holding it in place, you could wiggle it a little bit. Put the clip in place where it was with the old one. Attach the water-pipe to the new shower valve and test if the connection is right.
Step 7: Turn on the water supply:
You should use Teflon tape to install the threads. Connecting the threads with the PEX tubing and soldering is important while attaching copper pipes to your new shower valve. Clean and dry the pipes properly and connect female and male thread using the tape. After setting all things, you could turn on the water supply to test if there is any leakage. If everything is alright, turn the handle inside the bathroom.
Step 8: put the trim plate and handle in place:
Attach the trim plate and handle back to the hole by screwing it in place and apply some caulk around it. After that uncover the drain and let the water flow for some time to remove any leftover in the pipe.
Replacing a shower valve is not so difficult, all you would need to do is keep patience and follow the steps carefully.