Plumbing Upgrade

1/4/2013 at 1:10:14 PM

It's very difficult to tell you exactly what you need without seeing the site. In most cases, upgrading your main water line into the house to 3/4" and installing a efficient hot water tank, solves a lot of these issues

I would recommend that you contact a qualified contractor in your area and have them look at this for you. Be sure that you check references.

Best of luck

The Team

At All Canadian Construction Ltd Victoria

1/4/2013 at 1:30:15 PM

Brian

I would recommend you install an antiscolding blender valve in your shower replacing what is there now. It is more than not the orginal valve assembly.

Today's products are much more advanced, you can purchase these valves at any plumbing supply store or Home Depot you may have to hire a Plumber to install if you can not.

1/4/2013 at 1:38:56 PM

Thanks John. I'm going to look into this solution.

1/4/2013 at 2:41:36 PM

The solution to this problem would be to change out your shower tap with one that has a pressure balance valve that will maintain water temperature. In most cases this will require access to the old valve through a small hole cut in the wall behind the tub or shower wall....the hole can be covered with an access panel that looks like a small grate that you would see for heating systems. Otherwise, the hole will need to be made in the front of the tub or shower wall but usually this wall either has tile or a tub surround so the better choice would be the back of the wall.

The cost would be for a new tub & shower tap (I suggest you install a quality tap), about 2 hours labour and any material needed for the installation. You can go the the Moen website and read about positemp and Moentrol valves....this will explain the function of a tub & shower valve.

Although this is a fairly simple job for a plumber, please ask around and get names of companies that others have used and are happy with their work!

Good luck with this project.

1/4/2013 at 4:42:00 PM

Hi,

More than likely a pressure balanced tub/shower valve shall solve this issue.

Pricing, removed and installed with possibly a renovator plate if you have a two handle installed now should be under 300.00. Depending on the valve you choose it may be higher.

Hope this helps.

Kaz

1/4/2013 at 4:48:17 PM

This the problem with these older homes they are not balanced.

This is a job for a pro plumber as needs new lines run to each of the appliances (tubs showers toilets).

This can be pricey as means opening things up to run new water lines.

I am not a pro plumber but that is where I would start.

1/4/2013 at 5:01:55 PM

Recommend replacing shower valves with pressure balance, and check pressure depending on your location. Also tankless water heater would improve temp fluctuation.

1/4/2013 at 7:58:23 PM

Hi,

You have to many water sources connected to the same water line or the water line is to small to carrying all of them. Ex. for 1/2 water line it's allowed 2 water sources to be connect.

1/4/2013 at 8:24:14 PM

A house of that age proably doesn't have pressure balanced shower valves. What is happening is when you take a shower and someone say flushes a toilet, the presure (flow) of the cold water to the shower is reduced and therefore the temperature fluctuates.

All you need to do is replace the shower faucet with any new one that has a pressure balance feature, almost all do now a days. They compensate for any water pressure fluctuations and maintain a constant temperature in the shower.

There are two ways to replace the shower faucet, one is from the front and then use a renovators plate to cover the hole. That's the cheapest way but does not look very attractive. The second is to cut the drywall directly behind the shower valve and replace it from the back.

Once the drywall is repaired and painted, you'll never know anything was done.

1/4/2013 at 9:54:17 PM

Temp Control Shower Faucet, you may already have one that just needs to be set right.