Shower and tub valve repair in Aurora, CO

Single handle showers usually use a cartridge that controls both flow and temperature. Older two or three handle showers use separate compression stems for hot and cold, with washers that wear out over time. Many modern valves also include a pressure-balancing or thermostatic part that protects you from sudden temperature swings when water is used elsewhere in the house.

We identify the valve brand and model from the trim, the handle and the cartridge itself. With the water off, we remove the handle and trim, pull the old cartridge or stems, clean the valve body and install new parts. We also check and adjust the limit stop so the hottest setting is comfortable rather than scalding.

Replacing the whole valve becomes necessary when the body is cracked, badly corroded or seized solid, or when the brand has stopped making parts. It also makes sense when an old two handle valve lacks pressure balancing and you want protection from scalding. That job requires access to the pipes behind the wall.

The cleanest approach is from the back, through a closet or bedroom wall that can be patched and painted. When access is only from the shower side, we remove as little tile as possible and often install an access panel or an oversized trim plate that covers the opening. We explain the plan and the patching before we cut anything.

Tub and shower combinations send water to the spout or the showerhead through a diverter. Worn diverters let water run from both places, which lowers the pressure at the showerhead. Some diverters live in the tub spout and are replaced by swapping the spout. Others are built into the valve and need their own parts.

If you are updating the bathroom's look, a new trim kit for the same valve brand can change handles and plates without opening the wall. When you want a different brand of trim, we check whether it fits your valve. If it doesn't, replacing the valve during a remodel avoids mixing parts that never seal quite right.