Labor of Love, Well Maybe . . . .

Judie complained yesterday that the shower in our bathroom was "dripping."  Like I was to immediately cause the shower not to leak.  That is her logic sometimes, not irritating just expecting me to make it stop - now.  Of course I can not do that.

I turned to the computer and asked a question, "How do I fix a leak in shower valve?"  And I got about four or five answers.  Of course it depends on the brand, but I knew what that was as I had replaced the shower head a couple of years ago.  It is a Delta shower control valve.  I was surprised to learn it had a life time warranty.  But of course, we did not have the original purchase receipt so that free replacement stuff went out of the window.

I went to Lowe's and found a replacement.  There were a couple of models but I chose the one with the lowest series model number figuring it was the oldest design.  I was right.

The job is not hard to do but it is wise to listen to the fellow on the computer give his expert advice.  I learned for instance to be sure an use plumbers grease, a product I had never heard of before.  Luckily I heard him say it was silicone based grease.  And I found a little container of such silicone grease on the shelf in the plumbing department.  Expensive grease, I am guessing about an ounce of the stuff cost over three dollars.

The control unit was not cheap either.  If I got the Delta brand valve, it was $39 plus change, but the substitute brand, Danco, was ten bucks cheaper.  We now have a Danco control valve.  It does exactly the same job, looks the same, etc. for ten dollars less.

It seems technology has changed a bit since the original Delta control valve was installed.  It mixes the hot and cold water and positioning of the valve handle controls the water temperature.  However the new control unit, one can change the mix manually on the control valve to sway the water temperature.  I learned that watching the video.  And sure enough the new control did indeed have such an capability to make that kind of change.

At first I left it set as it was and found the water all the way on the hot side was rather cool.  It was not at all like the mixture of the leaking valve.  So I had to disassemble again and make the adjustment toward warmer water bias.  Now it runs like the old control valve, all the way counter clockwise is full hot and all the way clockwise is full cold.  There is a balance sorta in the middle.  Works for me!

Unlike faucets on the sinks, there is no accessible turn off valves down below somewhere.  So to do the job I had to turn off the water outside coming into the house.  That takes a special tool but our two "Old Handymen" were next door working on our neighbors bathroom.  I had seen them use the tool.  And they showed up about 9:00 AM to work and I walked over there and asked to borrow the tool.  "Sure, they said," and pulled lt out of the back of there old jalopy."  I was now in business to get the job done.

It all worked just as the video said except, the old valve did not come out as easy as theirs did.  But I got it out.  And sure enough, when I turned on the water again, no leaks. 

Wonder of wonders, Chip had done his magic once again.  I am sure the two old handymen could have done it, or a big time professional plumber but at a tremendous cost.  I would have expected a plumber charging a couple of hundred dollars to do the job and the two old handymen probably a hundred bucks plus parts.  I did it for plus parts or about $34 which included my 10% discount from Lowes.