drg
New Member
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.
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.