Replaced cartridge in Shower Water still leaking

[stevebdenver]

I have a price pfister shower unit that was leaking out of the head with the water in the off position. I replaced the cartridege last night and the water still leaked. The flow was much slower but still leaking. I talked to a local plumber and he said the city may have increased my water pressure and its causing the water to blow past the shut off. He reccomended a $400 with parts fix. Is this sound plausible? Or is there anything else i can try.

 

[Jadnashua]

No, not in my opinion. Unless your water pressure is exceptionally high, a new cartridge should not leak. It might wear out faster, but when new should work. The simple thing to do is stop at a plumbing store (the big box stores like HD carry them too) and get a water pressure gage. Get one with a max pressure needle. Stick it somewhere in your house and let it sit for 24-hours (pressure can rise a lot overnight as they refill the towers and use is low). You can buy them with a hose bib connection. Or buy adapters and put it where you want. If it is over 80#, you should probably have a pressure reduction valve AND expansion tank installed. Otherwise, your valve may be worn out of you used a generic, rather than OEM cartridge, and you need a new one again.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Terry]

If you have the Avante valve, make sure it's made by Price Pfister, and not a knock off.

 

[hj]

leaks

Which PricePfister valve do you have. NONE of them will leak unless your pressure were beyond any normal limits, but then you would have a lot of other problems also. He is trying to sell you something you do not need. Either you did not replace everything that was needed, or you did it incorrectly.