When I take a shower at my girlfriends house, adjusting the valves for the correct level of hot and cold is rather akin to opening a combination safe.  I have to turn the valves back and forth repeatedly-sometimes just a tweak and sometimes a considerable amount-and a turn from one seems to affect the flow rate of the other.  It's always an exercise in frustration.  I've never experienced this anywhere before.  I even went so far as to replace the valves-thinking that would fix it.  But nooooo, it's still a pain in the butt.  Can anyone tell me what causes this?  And, more importantly, if it can be done, how to fix it?

 

Thanks in advance!

Valves? As in 2? How old is the bathroom?

Probably plaque built up in the lines. Assuming they are copper lines. Could be build up in the brass body where the valves connect too.

Probably plaque built up in the lines. Assuming they are copper lines. Could be build up in the brass body where the valves connect too.

In my experience, it's usually more on the hot water side than cold.

The easiest fix would be to break up with her. 

In my experience, it's usually more on the hot water side than cold.

and what experience is that Mr. GC?

 

Probably plaque built up in the lines. Assuming they are copper lines. Could be build up in the brass body where the valves connect too.

What do you know about copper pipe? Is that what they're making EMT out of nowadays?

 

I'm not a plumber, nor do I play one on TV. I am a pipefitter though. The best advice I can give you. Is to forget about showering and make your girl give you a sponge bath. 

Just sell the house and buy a new one. 

 

Next question?

and what experience is that Mr. GC?

 

What do you know about copper pipe? Is that what they're making EMT out of nowadays?

 

I'm not a plumber, nor do I play one on TV. I am a pipefitter though. The best advice I can give you. Is to forget about showering and make your girl give you a sponge bath.

EMT nothing. I run Rigid. Aluminum Rigid as of now.

I've ran copper and stainless tubing. Part of doing instrumentation. Thank ya very much. Which I might add is electrician work. Not pipe fitter work.

and what experience is that Mr. GC?

 

What do you know about copper pipe? Is that what they're making EMT out of nowadays?

 

I'm not a plumber, nor do I play one on TV. I am a pipefitter though. The best advice I can give you. Is to forget about showering and make your girl give you a sponge bath. 

I had my own home improvement television show.

 

For Raider Nation Fisher & deaknh03, I'm Jigfishn10, for this old house.

I had my own home improvement television show.

 

For Raider Nation Fisher & deaknh03, I'm Jigfishn10, for this old house.

Figured you more as a Tim "The Toolman" Taylor kinda guy 

Figured you more as a Tim "The Toolman" Taylor kinda guy 

A little older

Figured you more as a Tim "The Toolman" Taylor kinda guy

me too, minus the Tim and Taylor.

How is the pressure when the water comes out of the tub spout ? Is your shower head clogged ?

me too, minus the Tim and Taylor.

and the man

How is the pressure when the water comes out of the tub spout ? Is your shower head clogged ?

Advice coming from the guy who froze his pipes this winter....

How is the pressure when the water comes out of the tub spout ? Is your shower head clogged ?

We're all here having fun and your gonna spoil it by giving "real" advice..

The easiest fix would be to break up with her.

Unless she's hot, can you post pics of her in the shower?

Unless she's hot, can you post pics of her in the shower?

good point. post the pics and start a poll.

Advice coming from the guy who froze his pipes this winter....

A little heat trace goes a long way.

I'm a plumber here in England, probably not going to be quite the same type of systems, but it sounds like you are regulating the temperature manually by adjusting the hot and cold taps. If you can replace the shower with a thermostatic unit it will take care of the temp regulation for you. If you can get consistent volumes of hot and cold water out of the bath tap the flow is probably fine but anyone using other taps in the building will alter the amount of flow you are getting in the shower, which may be why you have to keep tweaking the taps. Fit a thermostatic shower.

 

If you don't want to do it yourself, I'll pop over and do it for you. Only the price of an air ticket and a few days taking me fishing, probably cheaper than most plumbers!

 Only the price of an air ticket and a few days taking me fishing, probably cheaper than most plumbers!

 

This is probably true.  I'll be happy to take you fishing if you ever come to central Illinois-if the bloody weather ever warms up.

 

No one uses water in other parts of the house when I'm "tweaking" the valves.  The house is probably 50 years old.  It's the darndest thing.  I feel like I'm trying to open a safe-moving the dial (valves) back and forth.  The water pressure does not seem to be evenly incremental (as I'm adjusting the valves open or closed).  I cannot simply turn the hot to the proper flow rate and then adjust the cold to make the average temperature appropriate.  It's seldom that simple.  If I "over-adjust," it seems like I have to start all over again.  I cannot simply back off one or the other.

 

.

In all seriousness, it sounds like your mixing valve. Pain in the butt, think about hiring a plumber and have him install a single arm control while he's got it opened up.

I'd use a left handed cresent wrench to take the valves out and dump them in a bucket of steam for 2 hours. If that didn't clear it you can open a can of compressed air into the pipe or maybe a copper magnet to loosen the clog.

We have whats called a mixer valve in our basement. Go to Home Depot or Lowes and ask someone in the plumbing dept. about them.

What kind of pipes? Old galvanized steel are particularly notorious for build up. How far from the HWT is the shower? Right now I'm thinking the line on the hot side is a different size than the cold, and close to the HWT and main feed, can't regulate because of the pressure drop when even the slightest adjustment its made. Also check the HWT safety pressure valve could be opening on u, especially if old.