ONLY showers not hot

[Danhome]

Will you be in California to help me? Lol so knowledgeable. Thank you!!

 

[Danhome]

So the plumber came and said we have thermostatic valves and both showers need them replaced. Is it likely that changing the main line would cause both showers cartridges to go bad at the same time???

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Smooky]

It could happen very easily if there was any rust or corrosion in the line or if dirt got in there etc. Any time you are working on the pipes this type of debris can come loose and get stuck in things like shower cartridges, faucet aerators or toilet fill valves etc.

 

[Danhome]

Dang that sucks. He said cartridges can go upwards to 400 each. Also we have idea what type of valve it is cause there's no brand labeling on if at all. any ideas anyone?

 

[Jadnashua]

Sometimes, you need to remove the cartridge to then try to determine what brand and model it is. With the large quantity of brands and trims available, it's hard to be able to recognize who made the guts without seeing them.

There are generally three types of shower valves:
- single handle
- two handles: volume and mixed temp
- two handles: volume and thermostatic control

Most of the thermostatically controlled ones literally have marks or sometimes numbers on them to give you an indication of the temperature. The other two types will each have an internal limit stop that limits the amount of hot water you can mix in. A thermostatically controlled valve will have a calibration adjustment internally so that it will match the markings on the outside. From your picture, I do not see the normal markings I'd expect on a thermostatically controlled valve. In the list above, the cost of a cartridge generally goes up as you go down the list. The two-handle job in the middle should not cost $400, but the bottom one could, depending on the brand and model. Also note, some brands have a life-time warranty on the cartridge, so if you can identify it, they may send a cartridge for free, but they are also very willing to let you buy a new one, too!

 

[Danhome]

The plumber who redid the main line checked our showers and said we need you replace both our thermostatic cartridges. I just find it odd that they both went bad just cause the water was shut off then on. It was determined our valves are from a company called Altmans who are no longer in business. But replacement cartridges can still be found for $270ea. Sounds so pricy.

 

[Smooky]

If you had done it yourself, you could have saved a few hundred dollars. You hired a plumber and he is not going to work for free.
Also he is not going to sell the cartridge to you at his cost, it will be marked up.

 

[Jadnashua]

There's a potential big gotcha when choosing items from even some well-known brands, but it's especially risky with less well known brands. Plus, there's also a limit on how long any company will keep repair parts available for their older stuff. This is not limited to the lesser known brands. Some tend to use the same, or compatible design on many of their products. Some, like Kohler, seem to have a design of the day, and finding repair parts is much harder, so it isn't just limited to lesser known companies...it's also tied to the design philosophy of the company involved. It depends on how many were ultimately produced as to whether it's reasonable for an aftermarket company to make parts. When a design is changed frequently, there's much less volume, so the benefit of trying to make a clone is far less to any aftermarket company.

 

[Danhome]

Jadnashua that makes a lot of sense. I was mad that the previous owners chose such a high end lesser known brand like Altmans but I guess even the known brand could run into this issue. I was gonna put off changing the cartridges but maybe it's a smarter to change them now while cartridges can still be found.