2 Very Common Shower Problems - SOLVED

[@avivscrewvalla]

Very good to see you visiting households to solve issues Roger! Wonderful stuff!

[@SkillBuilder]

We would like to do a lot more but it is time consuming and expensive to set up

[@kedwards67ke]

When i saw the video heading i thought you would be talking about leaking shower screens, ive been to no end where they havnt put a bead of silicone between the tray and the post before installation, such a small virtually free thing that can cause so much damage. The reversible cartridge is something i never knew about, i learn something every time i watch you Roger, thank you.

[@Xaltae]

Ive had a problem with a screen ive just fitted. My first time, followed the instructions and siliconed right along the bottom of the quadrant enclosure (between tray and enclosure, not the edge), and up the wall profile. What the instructions dont mention, and i think im right here?, is dont silicone the bottom of the enclosure where it meets the wall profile. Water runs down the glass and into that profile, and should run out the bottom to the inside of the shower if only siliconed on the outside at that part. But instead siliconing the bottom seems to trap the water in there, and it eventually comes out to the outside. Managed to scrape the silicone out of one side and its leak free, but on the other wall it still leaks to the outside sometimes, so must be some silicone squeezed up inside the profile blocking it from draining. Im considering drilling a small hole at the very bottom of the profile on the inside as a drain point. Such a small thing, but so annoying after everything else being fine.

[@nonoyorbusness]

I have exactly the same shower plumbed in the wrong way in our new house, I got all excited about the reversing cartridge, but you dashed my hopes! The toilet flushes😳 hot and all the hot and cold taps are wrong, I'd like to get my hands on the plumber who did it but the previous owner claims he's out of business, but I suspect he did it himself!

[@Palo-jm7xc]

Surely if everything is the wrong way around you could just find the pipes before they come in to the bathroom and switch them around. Saves smashing any tile etc.

[@therealdojj]

when we had our extension done the builders did some pipe moving and we ended up with only hot water downstairs, from every pipe, including the toilet flush 🤦‍♂

[@nonoyorbusness]

@@Palo-jm7xc Yes I'm going to have to take the floor up in the immaculately done laminate flooring in the hallway, but that's a job for the summer! Fortunately the ensuite is plumbed properly!

[@harveysmith100]

I agree with Palo. If you know a good plumber or ever a good handyman, get them to have a look, if the guy did it himself, I bet he used plastic pipes and fittings so it won't take a lot to swap them over.

[@nonoyorbusness]

@@harveysmith100 Yes that's what I thought but they tapped into the underfloor copper which is connected to the kitchen so swapping them at a point I can easily reach them in the old airing cupboard will make the washing machine feed 🔥 hot and reverse the kitchen taps!

[@serverstatuscouk]

"The plumber will come back and fix it" - good luck with that one!

[@Daninashed]

Is there a loft space? Worth checking if the pipes are accessible before they drop down to the shower, never know - might be able to switch feeds up there

[@SkillBuilder]

I traced the pipes and there is some boxing by the W.C where the pipes go through. My concern was that they were teeing off down to the kitchen sink which is below but I found they are supplied from the airing cupboard so the plumber has a very easy way of swapping those two pipes over and the problem is solved. It could have been a lot worse.

[@TheStevenWhiting]

Thanks

[@SkillBuilder]

Thank you Steven

[@m4inline]

That was bloody brilliant!!

[@hodgey7183]

The thing about the smell and the seal on the plug cover. I always just pop it in after cleaning. Great tip

[@nickmartin884]

Once again, some invaluable solutions!

[@alllifematters7080]

Short and sweet, top man 👍🏼

[@kieranokeeffe1363]

Brilliant summary

[@paulcooper2944]

Hi Roger,just watched this video and learned something which had been concerning me since we had a shower cubicle and tray installed.It was the waste pipe cover,I didn't know that this just lifted off and then I would find a filter inside.I had been concerned about this since it was installed and didn't know how I would clear the hair that would build up like it did when we had a shower over the bath.Thank you.

[@SkillBuilder]

It is a real shame that the plumber didn't give you a quick demonstration

[@paulcooper2944]

@@SkillBuilder Thats right especially as he spent over 2 weeks doing my bathroom but he did show me where all of the isolation valves were but he may of thought I would have known all about the waste cover and it would have been obvious what to do.I must be honest a couple of times when showering I caught the cover with my foot and it wobbled and I thought I may have damaged it.After watching your video I went straight to it and cleaned it and the filter.Great .Keep the videos coming because there is always something to learn.I spent my entire working life in the motor trade as a mechanic so I never learnt anything to do with building/carpentry or plumbing so this channel has opened up a whole new world to me.

[@robthomas7232]

In my house which was built in 1997 they have got the hot and cold the wrong way around and used 110mm centres. Without major changes I found that only a Mira miniduo would handle this and can be fitted either way around. I plan to change it to 150mm centres when I redo the bathroom and I may swap the feeds in the airing cupboard around.

[@farukadam1696]

Excellent Roger Regards Faruk

[@windleshamwanderer3728]

I value this guys opinion and certainly would research any other major project I undertake on his channel.

[@roberts1159]

I had the reversed hot and cold lines on my shower valve. Heard about the reversing cartridge years ago and problem solved !

[@julianthornton9076]

well stated Rog by not slagging off the plumber, its obvious that its just an oversight as it takes just as long to connect wrong as right, a cowboy cuts corners to save time.

[@michaelkinder5144]

The fitter would have known immediately after fitting the valve that he'd crossed the pipes. How poor to take the money and do one. Pretty likely that removing tile and backer board is the only option.

[@ToraKwai]

as roger said, everyone has bad days, i've done it myself. having said that after doing it once i always check the shower once i've fit it. likewise as i do a lot of remedial work as well as fresh installs i like to leave access panels to water isolation on a shower like that so fingers crossed this plumber has done the same and it'll be a quick fix

[@SkillBuilder]

Peter Yes it turned out there is an easy swap in the box work by the W.C. I wish I had been that lucky when I have done stuff like that

[@ToraKwai]

@@SkillBuilder yeah, that's why we put isolation on everything, easy repairs and swap overs for the future, also allows customer to keep as many services running as possible if something does go wrong. and saves then a chunk of change if there's a leak in the middle of the night hopefully, no need to get an emergency plumber out

[@fazerstorm-oap]

Our bungalow is on a slope, which meant I could get in under the floorboards via a door we made in the wall and run all the pipework and electrics. Now have the bonus of a huge void as a log store 😃

[@dacyphaa]

@@ToraKwai it's a combi so literally as easy as shutting off the mains and job done. I hope you install full bore on Allyce gravity fed systems you've worked on!

[@jameshurst3279]

Great little video 👍

[@Reachoman]

I've just installed one it had blue dot on wrong side marked on back. Always check by blowing through it to test operation first

[@ronniewilson6597]

Roger, can you do a video on bathroom extractor fans. I’ve had three now and they have all been crap. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@UberAlphaSirus]

have you got enough gap under the door?

[@IronmanG74]

put a mixed flo fan in the loft if you can mf100t i use all the time

[@SkillBuilder]

There is no loft but those fans are the best

[@m4inline]

I use the MHRV to vent on max when I am in the shower and didnt bother with extractors

[@UberAlphaSirus]

You know, there must be a market to invent a recirculating dehum fan with a cold plate to just drip moisture into what ever drain off there is. It would be pricey, but given the price of extractors now it wouldn't be much more and the obvious costs of ducting in the fabric of the building, plus the benifit of actual dehum rather than just air exchangeing. I know there are dehum units that do this already just to maintain basement flats etc. Just needs a bit of invoative minds to rearange the aplication of the hardware.

[@chrisholt2474]

Great film, thank you.

[@thomascoyne157]

Very interesting volg and good advice 👍👍👍

[@moonshinepz]

"chuck it down the loo.... the contents, not the whole thing!" 🤣

[@stuartday1876]

I did that once, but I've never done it again since! Thankfully, I had access behind the shower to switch them around.

[@shawnylew69]

Morning, quick question. Our shower all of a sudden seems to be running hot and cold but also its not as hot as it used to be and the little red thermostat button foes not seem to do anything. Is there a quick fix? Im quite handy and capable of some DIY i just dont always know the answers. Thank you

[@gogee8510]

Brilliant video again.

[@cannonfodder6654]

i dont know much about plumbing but is that a mains fed shower from a combi boiler? we have an electric shower, a mira sport, and the water pressure is rubbish from it ..could i get a plumber to install this shower looks better pressure

[@billwong7420]

You have very good manner and polite conversation though your repair is simple. Good people. Did you charge fee from the old man?

[@rapido2962]

Apparently the 'old man' wanted £150 to appear in the KZbin video!

[@SkillBuilder]

No we didn't charge him and he didn't ask for a fee. He was in show big but that was just me joking. I don't think he will like being called 'the old man' . He is the same age as Joan Collins.

[@Bari_Khan_CEng_CMarEng]

Great guidance as routine!

[@BigBoxy]

Need ya round mine for a bathroom refit I’m new to diy love your channel roger have you done a vid on insulating a floating floor ?

[@SkillBuilder]

Hi Martyn Welcome to the channel. We have a search bar on the home page to take you to our videos. Unfortunately I don't think there is anything on insulation a floating floor. Hopefully we can add that to our ever-growing list

[@paulbaldock6313]

I’m going to guess Roger that was a Mira shower., where they don’t seem to have a stop to stop you from turning the soaker on instantly from the normal shower .We have just bought one!! Still a very nice shower. Slightly off the subject finally found why our shower would not drain, where it joined the main stack it was literally fully blocked with seemed like very hardened scale. Had to be chilled out!! All works a treat now. Always great videos Roger.

[@SkillBuilder]

I have come across the blockage at that point many times. I have a powered snake to move it. Like you say, hardened scale

[@henrycarlson7514]

Interesting , Thank You. Good to know

[@karldenning1893]

Vent Axia used to do a black hole vent kit that was installed from the inside out so no need for ladders

[@samuelsmith5796]

I like this format of videos hopefully more like this to come.

[@SkillBuilder]

They take a lot of setting up.

[@rapido2962]

@@SkillBuilder In that case, you should have charged him £160 for your useful advice. Some people ......

[@SkillBuilder]

@@rapido2962 Sorry mate it was only a joke and in poor taste

[@rapido2962]

@@SkillBuilder My mistake - no problem!

[@tinytonymaloney7832]

I have heard of the Hot on Left rule but never seen an example of it plumbed in wrong. Good vid that. Shame about your drenching 😂

[@bakedbean37]

I have. Only it wasn't "wrong" because the cartridge must have been replaced as Roger said here. The annoying thing was I had to relocate it to another wall and I didn't twig that it was piped up wrong originally so I piped it up with hot on the left and it wouldn't work properly :-) Ended up fitting a new one rather than source a right way round replacement cartridge.

[@tinytonymaloney7832]

@@bakedbean37 Cor, I bet you were cheesed right off, 😂😂

[@bakedbean37]

@@tinytonymaloney7832 Confused more than anything. And then relieved that I wasn't going mad. It wouldn't have made sense to pipe it up wrong again as it would cause issues for any future replacement. The customers were fine and paid for the new one.

[@markoreilly7321]

I have had to change ballvalve in tank no electric shower has no power and it is cold, is it just because there is not enough water, i bent the ballvalve?

[@GD-qu9hr]

Thats why after you have finished the work always test

[@BEN10TO10]

I've never seen a window in a shower before, is that often the way showers are installed and is it correct ? I ask because I redoing our bathroom and having the window in the shower would sort certain problems as our bathroom isn't very big.

[@SkillBuilder]

It happens a lot and a sometimes the tiler will a slight slope on the cill.

[@LloydBrodrick-ne5ei]

We had the same problem with the shower plumbed the wrong way. I simply swapped the value with a manual mixer.

[@andyskelton7223]

Roger is there anything you don’t know… clever bloke 💪

[@SkillBuilder]

As Donald Rumsfeld said There are known knowns and there are known unknowns and then there are unknown unknowns. Things you don't know you don't know.

[@straylightc4b]

Is there a reason behind hot on the left?

[@SkillBuilder]

If there is, it is long gone. Maybe because most people are right handed and houses used to have on cold tap. When they brought in the hot they just put it on the left to stop you turning it on by accident. Do you turn the hot tap on with your left hand though?

[@paulw4904]

@@SkillBuilder I was always told at college that it was hot on the left so blind people knew which was which.

[@jamiematthews7079]

I used to do a lot of work in northern England lots have hot on the right, don't know if this was the norm at sometime

[@SkillBuilder]

That is interesting, it seem we now have another North South divide, maybe from the Humber to Liverpool where the taps change sides. All the shower manufacturers follow the hot on the left rule so I will stick with that, otherwise it is confusing. Another job for the levelling up minister.

[@pstanyer1]

the earth spins differently up north

[@ricos1497]

4:36 - That'll be £600.

[@Stop..carry-on]

As a kid I instinctively knew which side was the hot tap in our cold Victorian house 😂 so that cemented it in my mind

[@adambarnsley6875]

Ex plumber here now a technician manager at a bathroom manufacturer both these issues are so common its not funny, and its always the product at fault according to the installer.

[@SkillBuilder]

I agree totally

[@sergiofernandez3725]

Maybe need better training video and instruction manuals. Only good if they read or watch them. You can never fix stupid

[@dineshgordhan4783]

Hello Roger. How to find a good plumbers in London area. Thanks

[@m4inline]

By asking the subscribers of Skill Builder

[@julianthornton9076]

their all in the grave yard😆

[@jimmorris5700]

Please answer me this one question. How do you solve the problem of low mains pressure when it’s the fault of the water company allowed by law ???????????????

[@Ilovebrownbreadtoast]

02:25 RAARGHH!!! 😂🤣🤭

[@tedlahm5740]

Cold on the left side in the UK by accident?

[@SkillBuilder]

No it was God's design. The 11th commandment

[@kevinstanton8495]

i see this all the time the cold is off a tank in the loft and the hot is a combi

[@loafersheffield]

Cold shower in the morning? As it is, I've only got 1/2" and a dozen wrinkles. as for---> @02:12 ;-)

[@loafersheffield]

@Jamie W Go to 2mins 12secs. "Do you wanna....." (Tee-Hee!) I have a mucky mind

[@Hambini]

Pipes it up the wrong way. What a joke. How can the plumber sign off on an error like that.

[@zefallafez]

He was only aged 4 so cut him some slack.

[@markrobinson1458]

The shower was made by Canyon 💩

[@daddyfixit5188]

Do Not Buy replacement from b & q. They are £25. In screw fix under a tenner 👍👍👍. If the new one doesn’t fit unscrew chrome bit from old one and replace with new using the old white insert and rubber seal. 👍👍👍

[@spanishpeaches2930]

B&Q would never be my first port of call for plumbing : ) That said,I was in one six months back and their copper pipe did seem reasonably priced.

[@SkillBuilder]

I go to a plumber's merchant and it cost me £8.00 and they have free coffee

[@daddyfixit5188]

I know you know 😁 just wanted to help your viewers 👍👍👍

[@alistairmorrish8613]

Just turn the cartridge over - you need to change the adapters for the rain head and hand shower - just swap them, then the cartridge will be okay - you will have to turn the taps the wrong way though...

[@SkillBuilder]

I prefer to change the pipework where possible

[@alistairmorrish8613]

Yeah, but I was recently called into a new build - 7 Apartments...every one of them had the Hot outlet on the right...a main bathroom and an ensuite - that was my quick fix solution... a couple of hours work and all Apts had perfect showers.@@SkillBuilder

[@MASTER-uz2ed]

We had lets just say...sticky toilet bowl residue after every flush since new shower room setup. After several years embarrassment of family members blaming one another, we noticed during toilet water inlet valve change that all along the hot water pipe had been mistakenly connected which caused the good stuff to stick to the bowl. Problem solved after connecting cold water!!!!

[@craigwilliams6734]

Shocking!! Its been Hot on the left & Cold on the right for over 100 years!!!! Dear oh dear oh dear...

[@MereReef]

Lmfaoooo dont call me young man you need to go to specsavers mate hahahahahahaha

[@hoppy1970]

4" extractor fan on its own is pretty poor. The only way to keep a bathroom dry is heat and draft.

[@harveysmith100]

4" fans do work but not cheap ones.. quality ones are double the price so rarely get fitted. I agree with you about heat. Trouble is you fit a radiator and they cover it with towels.

[@hirmetrium1]

Had the whole reversing cartridge thing in my first flat with a Grohe. Couldn't understand why the water was the wrong temp and the thermostat didn't work; my dad figured it out and ordered the special reversing one. My next place, had the same shower with a shot cartridge that poured out boiling water; simply put the one I'd pulled out the previous shower in there and fixed it!

[@SkillBuilder]

Great result and good ol Dad

[@danielbuckner2167]

Problem #1 Homeowner DIY showers Problem #2 Inexperienced shower remodelers

[@naturesvibe1735]

RISING DAMPPP!!!!!

[@chrisholland5965]

Did wonder what Teddy Sheringham has been doing since retirement.

[@clonie9963]

Shouldn't the shower be trapped?

[@UberAlphaSirus]

the waste is a trap.

[@richardlewis5316]

Classic mistake!! The installer obviously hadn't checked his (Her?) H and C feed before they took out the old - schoolboy error!!

[@shaun2049]

Mine hot is on right not all on left

[@SkillBuilder]

Yes but the standard is for hot on the left. It is just the way it is but that doesn't mean everyone gets it right. Your plumbing was probably done by the milkman.

[@cliveclapham6451]

Roger your a right shower ☔️☔️☔️

[@samtheoutdoor]

When two old cowboys talking and one doesn't know it :P

[@TheStevenWhiting]

Forgot your shower cap.

[@jasonantigua6825]

Richard,our Liz asked,why do you have cold showers? So she did

[@SkillBuilder]

Wim Hoff Look him up. It raises your immune system and toughens you up. Unfortunately it also lowers your sex drive so it isn't for you young man.

[@UberAlphaSirus]

@@SkillBuilder is it because the plumbs get sucked in with the cold water.

[@m4inline]

@@UberAlphaSirus nah its cuz it makes your nipples stand out like a womans

[@UberAlphaSirus]

@@m4inline 20 years ago my womans nipples could take your eye out. Nowa days they don't even come out for a glancing look and probably need shaving.

[@m4inline]

@@UberAlphaSirus Funny thing about womens nipples...you know those dots women have around em? The little bumps dotted around the sticky out parts? It's Braille that says "Suck Here"

[@vic6820]

Is that a Skill Builder Buff you've got there?

[@SkillBuilder]

That is my covid mask. I just wear it in case the customer is nervous but he was fine.

[@vic6820]

@@SkillBuilder Good idea, much better than wearing the ridiculous blue paper things. Buffs are the bees' knees.

[@robertgreenaway5166]

Wrong way round hot and colds

[@SkillBuilder]

Are you O.K?

[@robertgreenaway5166]

@@SkillBuilder yeah, hot and cold wrong way round. Dot and dab tile

[@SkillBuilder]

@@robertgreenaway5166 Ah O.K, just stay away from crowded spaces

[@nicks4934]

My plumber did the same. Basic check to spot it.

[@UberAlphaSirus]

My bosses cleaner used to strip down to the nuddy when she cleaned the shower.

[@nonoyorbusness]

Exciting if she was under 40!

[@SkillBuilder]

Hey don't be ageist. When you get to my age you shift your horizon

[@UberAlphaSirus]

@@nonoyorbusness 25 at the time, I was 17. So you know, that was kinda interesting :D "I am going to clean the bathroom now" wasn't sure if that was an invite or not. I was a bit of a harry enfield kevin back then, so it was " Ohh Ok hur hur" She was very noice.

[@rapido2962]

So important to have a good man on supervision in such cleaning matters.

[@garytango]

👍👍

[@normanboyes4983]

Well you could have turned the bar over for him as a quid pro quo.😉

[@SkillBuilder]

No need to do that because the swap is an easy one.

[@jimmorris5700]

Main problem an no fix ! Mains pressure low Ie 2 bar legal min ! Making maintaining boiler pressure an bleeding rads a nightmare . No changing of shower heads fix crummy flow . Notice no one talks about it lol