Moen cartridge, How do I turn off hot water flow to house?

Users who are viewing this thread

drg

New Member
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Houston, Texas
Novice here, obviously. I want to replace a leaking cartridge in my shower faucet. I figured out how to do this in the bath upstairs but there were shutoff valves at the tub. I hoped I would find shutoffs behind the shower faucet escutcheon but the screw is mangled and the caulking is rock hard.

SO. I read two different things: One said that the cold water inlet shutoff valve to the water heater, when turned off, relieves pressure enough that it also stops the flow of hot water into the house. Is that true? I would just try that, except for the fact that I read in my water heater manual that the inlet water valve must never be closed while the heater is running. NOW I can't find that sentence again. My heater is gas and I will not turn it off / restart it myself.

I am hoping some of you will help me understand all this. I HOPE I can simply turn off the water to the house, turn off the water to the heater, drain the shower piping and replace the cartridge. If something goes wrong with pulling the old cartridge - it looks pretty ancient in there - it could be hours or the whole weekend before a plumber would come to bail me out. Little old ladies shouldn't attempt this, but stubborn ones might try with the right advice.
 

Terry

The Plumbing Wizard
Staff member
Messages
29,942
Reaction score
3,459
Points
113
Location
Bothell, Washington
Website
terrylove.com
If it's a gas water heater, you can turn it down to vacation mode, turn off the water, do the repair, water back on, run some hot from the faucets, reset the temperature.
But really, if it's just a little while, it's fine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: drg

Smooky

In the Trades
Messages
2,299
Reaction score
152
Points
63
Location
North Carolina
Normally when you shut the valve to the whole house off, it turns off both the hot and the cold. I just turn the breaker off to the pump, drain everything down and that does it.
 

drg

New Member
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Houston, Texas
Thank you Terry. I am soaking the valve body and clip in lemon juice and baking soda. Have used toothbrush lightly. It is looking better. The water company is coming to turn off the water as both my shut offs are stuck. So new research to be done to replace cut off faucet at the house. Learning. I love your site. Thanks again.
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,798
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
I am soaking the valve body and clip in lemon juice and baking soda. Have used toothbrush lightly. It is looking better.
For removing deposits, I think you don't want the baking soda. It will neutralize the lemon juice.

The water company is coming to turn off the water as both my shut offs are stuck.
You want to get those replaced with quarter turn ball valves. They are more reliable.
 

drg

New Member
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Houston, Texas
For removing deposits, I think you don't want the baking soda. It will neutralize the lemon juice.

You want to get those replaced with quarter turn ball valves. They are more reliable.

Yes, I made progress when I switched to just the lemon juice, thanks! Verdigris and I guess calcium had crusted up over the pin and was rock hard. I can grip the top of the pin with pliers now, but it is not budging. I have soaked it in vinegar for hours and now am trying wd40.

Thank you also for the advice to get quarter turn ball valves. I definitely would not have known they are better.
 

Master Plumber Mark

Sensitivity trainer and plumber of mens souls
Messages
5,533
Reaction score
354
Points
83
Location
indianapolis indiana - land of the free, home of
Website
www.weilhammerplumbing.com
You have not said what kind of faucet you have... I suggest if it is a delta to be very careful not
to twist the whole thing out of the wall..... If it is a Moen you might find it impossible to remove..and you could pull the whole faucet out of the wall

proceed with caution




call a plumber
 
Last edited:

drg

New Member
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Houston, Texas
Thanks Mark. I am thinking I need to replace the entire valve due to the corrosion. It is a Moen. Photos attached. I definitely need a new retaining clip. Last night I saturated cotton balls with vinegar and taped them over the top of the clip with medical tape. The tape absorbed a lot of the verdigris, which surprised me. I was able to remove the clip this morning. The water co. rep did not come to cut off my water as promised, so I can't try anything - cautiously OR foolishly. The plumber who was last here quoted almost $300 to replace a cartridge and $97 for a flapper for the toilet tank. Wow. That is when I learned how to replace the Moen cartridge in the upstairs bath faucet. I am probably not going to try to replace the whole valve, but if the cartridge comes out I will try that.
 

drg

New Member
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Houston, Texas
Thanks Mark. I am thinking I need to replace the entire valve due to the corrosion. It is a Moen. Photos attached. I definitely need a new retaining clip. Last night I saturated cotton balls with vinegar and taped them over the top of the clip with medical tape. The tape absorbed a lot of the verdigris, which surprised me. I was able to remove the clip this morning. The water co. rep did not come to cut off my water as promised, so I can't try anything - cautiously OR foolishly. The plumber who was last here quoted almost $300 to replace a cartridge and $97 for a flapper for the toilet tank. Wow. That is when I learned how to replace the Moen cartridge in the upstairs bath faucet. I am probably not going to try to replace the whole valve, but if the cartridge comes out I will try that.
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,798
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
Maximum file pixel count is 800 max for width and height. Maximum file size is 199.99 Kbytes. Saving as a JPG may be sufficient if the file size is the problme. You might need to use a program that can resize or compress.

You could also save to some service and just put the link into your post.
 

drg

New Member
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Houston, Texas
After many soakings, clip came out. I don't know if I can salvage the rest.

moen_1200_old.jpg


Moen 1200 cartridge photo added by Terry Love
 

Attachments

  • 102_0392 in paint.jpg
    102_0392 in paint.jpg
    79.9 KB · Views: 328
Last edited by a moderator:

Dj2

In the Trades
Messages
2,611
Reaction score
258
Points
83
Location
California
Now your picture is finally on. From the picture, don't waste a minute on this faucet - replace it, get a new body and trim.
 

Master Plumber Mark

Sensitivity trainer and plumber of mens souls
Messages
5,533
Reaction score
354
Points
83
Location
indianapolis indiana - land of the free, home of
Website
www.weilhammerplumbing.com
I am not too worried about the faucet as I am what the
hell is that faucet poking through??

Is that some sort of granite?? Or is this some sort of black trim face plate that
I have never run across before.....


If that is a positemp moen faucet, I have actually had to melt one out
of a wall before ........It would not budge and the internal rubber gasket on
the hot side was wedged into the brass body...

I took a blow torch and basically
a heavy duty screwdriver and made a branding iron out of the end of it and had
to melt it out piece by piece.......

that was fun and the customer was in awe of my
plumbing prowess..........or I scared him shitless....

Proceed with respectful caution
 
  • Like
Reactions: drg

Terry

The Plumbing Wizard
Staff member
Messages
29,942
Reaction score
3,459
Points
113
Location
Bothell, Washington
Website
terrylove.com
pasco-7040.gif


The new cartridge comes with a plastic part that lets you turn the cartrige body left and right to help break it loose.
Then maybe you can pull it out.
Looks like standard Moen 1225 or 1200 cartridge there.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: drg

drg

New Member
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Houston, Texas
I am not too worried about the faucet as I am what the
hell is that faucet poking through??

Is that some sort of granite?? Or is this some sort of black trim face plate that
I have never run across before.....


If that is a positemp moen faucet, I have actually had to melt one out
of a wall before ........It would not budge and the internal rubber gasket on
the hot side was wedged into the brass body...

I took a blow torch and basically
a heavy duty screwdriver and made a branding iron out of the end of it and had
to melt it out piece by piece.......

that was fun and the customer was in awe of my
plumbing prowess..........or I scared him shitless....

Proceed with respectful caution


HI MARK. I definitely will be respectful..... more like fearful actually. That is just a normal stainless steel escutcheon. It looks black in the photo but it is silver. The white stuff on it is impossible to remove calcium or such. I have used everything I ever read about to get it clean. I used MAAS cream in many former homes and ended up with perfectly new looking faucets and trim. Not this one.
 

drg

New Member
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Houston, Texas
The new cartridge comes with a plastic part that lets you turn the cartrige body left and right to help break it loose.
Then maybe you can pull it out.
Looks like standard Moen 1225 or 1200 cartridge there.

Terry, thanks for sending the photo of the wrench. I watched some videos on using a tap and a bolt if just the stem pulled out. This looks better. I bought a 1225. I saved that plastic cap from the first cartridge replacement I did, so I won't have to open this one until I'm sure it is the correct one. I managed to get the water shut off and also managed to get the mangled screw unstuck. Tuesday I will have all day free so will see if the cartridge will come out that morning and have time to run to Ace Hardware if I need to.
 

Terry

The Plumbing Wizard
Staff member
Messages
29,942
Reaction score
3,459
Points
113
Location
Bothell, Washington
Website
terrylove.com
They make replacements for the old style Moen like that for trim. Moen TL182 comes with the lever handle in chrome. Plate, handle, shower head, shower arm.

moen_flemming6.jpg


Moen TL182

moen-tl182.jpg
 
Last edited:
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks