Haha, I wish I'd read this thread before last weekend. I went straight for the cartridge swap thinking it'd be an easy fix—spoiler alert: it wasn't. Turns out my valve was ancient, like "probably installed when disco was cool" ancient. Ended up having to replace the whole valve anyway. Lesson learned: always check the age of your plumbing before diving in headfirst...or you'll end up showering at your neighbor's place for three days straight.
Haha, sounds like you had quite the plumbing adventure there. But honestly, replacing the entire valve isn't always necessary—even if your setup is straight out of the disco era. I've seen plenty of older valves still going strong with just a bit of TLC. Sometimes it's less about age and more about maintenance history or water quality. Hard water buildup or sediment can make even newer valves misbehave like antiques.
Next time, before you dive into replacing the whole thing, try giving it a thorough cleaning and inspection first. A good vinegar soak or some CLR can work wonders on stubborn mineral deposits. I once saved a client from a full replacement by just clearing out decades of gunk—though admittedly, it wasn't pretty.
Of course, sometimes replacement really is the only option (as you unfortunately discovered). But hey, at least your neighbor's shower got some use...hope you brought your own shampoo.
"Hard water buildup or sediment can make even newer valves misbehave like antiques."
Yeah, exactly this. My folks' house had the same issue—shower turned ice cold every time someone flushed. Turned out it was just years of mineral buildup. CLR soak did wonders...wish we'd tried that sooner instead of freezing mid-shampoo.
