Shower Valve Repair in Chandler, AZ

Chandler water and the valves it feeds

The City of Chandler runs its own water system, blending treated canal water from the Salt, Verde and Colorado rivers with groundwater from city wells. The city says hardness ranges from about 5 to 20 grains per gallon depending on the area, with a citywide average of 16.5. That is plenty of mineral content to coat the moving parts of a shower valve, and it explains why so many Chandler cartridges start sticking long before the rest of the bathroom shows its age.

Chandler's median home was built around 1997, so the typical bathroom has a single-handle pressure-balancing valve from a major brand. Parts for those are usually easy to get. Houses near the historic downtown can be older, and an early two-handle setup may call for more searching. Remodeled bathrooms sometimes have a thermostatic valve with separate volume control, which uses its own parts.

Repair or replace?

Signs it is time to call

• The showerhead keeps dripping after the handle is closed
• Someone in the kitchen runs water and the shower turns cold
• The handle has to be forced or spins loosely
• Water shows up on the floor or wall outside the shower
• Hot water seems to run out faster at the shower than at the sinks

The last one can be the valve's limit stop or a water heater problem, and a plumber can sort out which.

Timing and seasonal notes

In the hottest months, the cold line in a Chandler house can deliver warm water for a minute or two, which some people mistake for a valve fault. Let it run before judging the mix. A valve that drifts all year, though, is worth looking at. The city's homeowner permit manual says plumbing work beyond ordinary repairs needs a permit from Development Services, so a plumber can tell you where a valve swap falls.