As houses get older, there will be possibilities that things get older too. The most common components around the house that get much of the wear and tear include the shower faucet. This can be very noticeable as water leaks frequent these areas even when shut tightly. The sad thing is when water leaks can get from bad to worse as the flow can also be varied depending on the type of problem you are having.
Take note that not all single handle systems are the same. They may have the same parts but some components can be difficult to find just like the Price Pfister shower faucet. Even if you have bought the whole thing from a particular shop, there are times that its components are sold separately. Here are some of the things that you can do if you have a similar problem for your Price Pfister system.
Remember to shut the water supply off first so that you can avoid getting those tiny parts to get to the drain.
1. Dealing with the Leaks
Leaks often come from busted or worn out components such as O-rings or rusted particles that can get in the way. So, when these get stuck in such complex systems of valves, your faucet can get pretty screwed up which leads to your leaky faucet.
2. Removing the Handle
You can notice a tiny hole underneath the handle. This has a hex head screw that has been installed on purpose so that you can’t easily pull off the handle. This is when a hex wrench come in handy. You can purchase a set of these tools if you want as other faucets may require other measurements.
After getting the handle off, you can see a small piece having a Phillips head at its end. You can unscrew this using your fingers, so you carefully take off that piece if you can. Just put everything aside to avoid losing them. If possible, try to get a quick photograph particularly on the piece of plastic that should determine the water temperature. This will ensure that you will put everything back in place as correctly as possible. Now, you can pop off its trim ring and manage to put that aside.
3. Clear the Path
Try to determine if your faucet has four screws that you should remove in order to take out that huge gray piece of plastic. There are also water shut off screws that you can notice in the pipes which will make things easier. However, if you don’t see them, you can just go on and shut them down. A flathead screw can also be present for some which you can use to shut off water. Otherwise, you can go to your main pipe and shut the water from there.
4. Handling the Internal Cartridge
The cartridge is more than what you can see as it is a complicated piece. You should notice at the bottom that there are clips that are held in one place. These clips should be removed so that you can remove the inner guts as well. They will just slide out after carefully removing the screws. Take note that there are plenty of tiny components in this area. Therefore, you should have a good memory which parts go where. One way of doing this is to take photos of the complex components so that you will not be confused the moment you will return all of the parts in place later on. So after disassembling, it will be a lot easier to return them all.
5. Check for Damages
Once the components are let loose, you can check if there are damages around them. The O-rings can get pretty banged up at times due to the wear and tear. So, make sure that there are no cracks around them. Again, taking pictures as you go along can really help a lot. This will ensure that you can put everything back in place without any problem.
Simply remember that if you have an expensive shower faucet, you will likely have to buy expensive components for replacement as well and vice versa. However, waterproof grease can be cheap to acquire especially if your O-rings are not damaged at all.
So, before reassembling the components, try to lube everything that moves and that are made of rubber. After doing this, you can now reassemble the components and slide them back into the holder. Simply ensure that the clips should be securely holding them in place.
Accordingly, you can now install the component back into the pipes, then tighten the four screws that you have taken down earlier. Likewise, securely return the temperature adjuster back into place.
By this time, you can turn on the water supply back and run the faucet to get rid of the dirt and air that may have been stuck after the task. Just avoid turning on the shower immediately after the job to avoid getting rust into the newly cleaned parts. Otherwise, you will have to take them out and start over again if you do. Just make sure that the burping sound of the lines have settled before turning on the shower. Do this on a repeated manner until you have ensured there are no more leaks from the faucet.
Simply remember that things can be a lot more challenging as it may seem. This might take you a while to get all the pieces back together in the correct order. So, it pays to follow the guidelines as strictly as possible, just like taking photos of the said pieces generously.
Take note that components of the Price Pfister shower faucet can be a bit expensive to consider replacing. However, the quality should be more than enough to speak for itself. Just inform the shop personnel to provide you with the right components when you are looking to purchase replacement parts. This will ensure that you have indeed acquired great value for money.