Shower valve... sideways?

[Joe B]

I just had a shower remodel completed and discovered that the hot/cold mix isn't right. So I followed the instructions to adjust the stopper, beginning with unscrewing the handle (Kohler Alteo Single Handle) and removing the escutcheon.

Here is what I see... and I have some questions.

Question #1 is: is this even right? It appears that the valve is installed sideways, which is why the retainer/seal plate is installed sideways. Does this matter? If it doesn't matter, then what about the big hole in the seal plate, won't water get into the wall? If not, why not? And if not the hole in the plate, then wouldn't water get into the bottom "weep" gap of the seal, which is on the right (instead of the bottom!) ?

The valve is the Kohler Rite-Temp 1/2" Pressure-Balancing Valve.

Lastly, the escutcheon was installed with a little bit of silicone sealant - is that typical? Because the installation instructions don't say anything about that.

Thanks for any insights, especially if you can guide me on how to rectify this.

 

[Joe B]

Here's the plumbing behind the wall, showing the old valve that has been replaced.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[John Gayewski]

I don't have the patience to look this up, but a call to Kohler would give you the answer to how they want their valve installed. They should know the effects if installed incorrectly. Maybe someone here has installed one of these recently.

 

[Joe B]

Perhaps my first question is: if the seal plate / gasket is installed sideways, does that mean that the valve is installed sideways? If not, then why the heck might the seal plate be installed sideways, and is that going to allow water to intrude into the wall?

I will definitely be asking my plumber about this.... hope to hear some second opinions, thanks.