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View Full Version : Replaced Shower Valves acting Strange


auballard
06-27-2008, 06:02 PM
I replaced the Hot, Cold, and diverter (not sure if that is the official name, but the item that diverts the water to the shower head) about 6 months ago.

About 3 weeks ago something strange has started happening.
1. I have to turn the Hot water handle about 1 revolution before the water starts coming out.
2. I have to turn the Cold water handle about 1/2 revolution before the water starts coming out.
3. After the shower, I turn the diverter 3/4 revolutions for the water to release. If I turn it all the way the water stops coming out. If I turn it back to the 3/4 mark the water will continue to come out.
4. Here is the strange one. After about 3 minutes in the shower there is a "knock" and the cold water appears to stop coming out. I can't tell if it completely stops coming out because I'm usually hopping around trying not to get burned by the VERY HOT water. :eek: When I turn the cold water handle it seems very sensitive, not taking much to make cold water come out again. When I release the handle sometimes the cold water starts coming out again. :confused:

Be assured, there are no other water usage in the house when this happens. It happens EVERY time.

Could I have possibly installed the valves incorrectly? Should the valves be set either to On or Off before installing? What about the diverter? Before I installed a new one the water would release when the handle was turned all the way.

DIY Guy
07-01-2008, 06:45 AM
I strongly suspect small bits o debris have entered the faucet and is causing all the symptoms you describe. It'll be necessary to remove the valve constrols and clean them to get the debris out.

auballard
07-01-2008, 03:08 PM
Thank you. I'll do that. More info though: If I turn on the Cold water first it comes out immediately, not taking 1/2 revolutions as described below.

Could it be a pressure issue of some kind? :confused:

BTW - thanks for getting rid of the junk messages.

DIY Guy
07-01-2008, 05:58 PM
With debris, the behavior can seem random. One day it works fine, the next it hardly works at all. The debris is odd shaped and the behavior varies with it's position.