Plumbing service
Shower valve repair and replacement
Behind the trim plate, the mixing valve does two things at once: it meters the flow and it holds the temperature where you set it. When it drips or swings from hot to cold, the cartridge or the whole valve needs attention.
- Pressure-balance valves: Protect against sudden temperature swings
- Thermostatic valves: Hold a set temperature
- Common repair: Cartridge replacement through the trim
- Full replacement: Needs access from the back or through the tile
- Licensed, insured trade work (details confirmed when you call)
- Diagnosis before anything is cut
- Emergency calls taken
- Etobicoke and the west end
At a glance
- Pressure-balance valves
- Protect against sudden temperature swings
- Thermostatic valves
- Hold a set temperature
- Common repair
- Cartridge replacement through the trim
- Full replacement
- Needs access from the back or through the tile
Diagnosing from the front
Most repairs start with the handle and trim removed. A dripping shower head usually means a worn cartridge or seals. A sudden scald when someone flushes a toilet means the pressure-balance spool is stuck. Both are fixed by replacing the cartridge.
- Two- and three-handle valves in older Etobicoke bathrooms have individual stems with washers and seats, which we rebuild or replace.
When the valve must come out
If the valve body is cracked, the brand is obsolete or the connections are leaking inside the wall, the valve itself has to be changed. We look for access from a closet or bedroom behind the shower first. If none exists, we cut the tile in a pattern that a cover plate can hide.
- A new valve gets a proper stop limit set so the hottest position cannot scald.
Checking the rest
While the wall is open, we check the shower arm, the tub spout connection and any visible drain joints. A slow leak behind tile shows up as loose tiles, cracked grout or a musty smell long before it shows in a ceiling.
- We test the valve at full hot, full cold and mid positions before closing up.
Signs to watch for
- Shower head drips after shut-off
- Water turns hot when a toilet flushes
- Handle hard to turn
- Loose tiles or grout near the valve
- Low flow from one side only
How the job runs
Remove trim
Handle and escutcheon come off.
Inspect cartridge
We identify the valve and condition.
Repair or replace
Cartridge, stems or the valve itself.
Set limit and test
Temperature limit set, valve tested.