How to Upgrade to a Pressure Balanced Shower Valve | Ask This Old House

[@TheBritishPatriot]

This was unbelievably impressive, Richard did a phenomenal job and the homeowner was quite the help too. The fact that the pipes were right behind the kitchen cabinet was such a great convenience and the "I can do it for maybe 2500" joke was hilarious. Probably the best segment so far this year!

[@ralanham76]

I would done for nothing, I mean not doing it

[@plasmac9]

A professional plumber wouldn't let the homeowner help with this project due to insurance liabilities. So it would have taken two plumbers about 4-5 hours to do this work. With materials you're easily looking at $1500. When we had our tankless hot water heater installed years back that was a 3 hour job with just one guy doing the work and it was about $1000 just for the install. The actual unit was another $1000. National Grid gave us a $500 rebate for installing it so that softened the blow.

[@Sryously]

I'd like to see them respond as to why the other guy would have said $3,000 and how much this job was with Richard instead. Was the other guy a con man or what? Because the customer said it was just going to be replacing the valves and ripping the surround, that doesn't sound like a $3,000 job.

[@plasmac9]

@@Sryously The other guy was charging $3k because of the labor costs associated with the job; it's not unreasonable. With what Richard did it probably would have been about $1500.

[@TheOtherBill]

@@Sryously He said the other guy wanted to rip out the fiberglass surround. That would have required replacing it. Still, 3K is still way too much.

[@MandoFettOG]

Now THIS is the kind of "this old house" I love

[@deucez323]

@Corat ppppl

[@XPStartupSound]

I think this was one of Richard's (and TOH, by extension) best videos. Really informative, dialogue was great, homeowner was helpful, and the results were awesome! Great job Richard.

[@XPStartupSound]

@Joe Kinchicken woops! :) Meant TOH but I like it! Lol

[@AdityaMehendale]

Amen. The perfect balance between pragmatism and craftsmanship.

[@RogerWakefield]

Richard is fantastic!

[@RoastBeefSandwich]

Agreed, great intuitive problem solving in the moment and the debrief afterward goes into depth and answers questions

[@nathanielrodriguez6553]

@@XPStartupSound my B

[@JesusJuenger]

This clip had everything: - Good explanation of the situation - Showing how to get around the wall situation problem with the kitchen cabinet - Quality banter from Richard - Insightful questions from Kevin at the end (the same ones I was wondering)

[@RogerWakefield]

Very well done

[@slowshadow1]

@mak 10 he's gonna find out later if the soddering was right or not 😂😋

[@zekeabercrombie3583]

Been watching TOH for so many years. Richard is my favorite.

[@younglee4666]

I love Richard. He is a real man who is improving the plumbing industry.

[@robs1852]

That was the cleanest, nearly rust-free galvanized pipe I ever saw after being in service all those years. They usually are 3/4 clogged with rust

[@bigpjohnson]

Considering the age of the house, that valve and pipes have been replaced at least once. Or they just have really, really good water. Galvanized sucks, copper all the way.

[@toin9898]

my galvanized pipes in my 1940 were a horror show!! they looked like drain lines they were so gross

[@Revlemmon]

That was a really cool idea to use the sink plug like that to cover the old shower head hole.

[@HollywoodCreeper]

Great thinking.....like it is so hopeless without someone like Richard there!

[@master9894]

he did have a name for it ........

[@RichardC5568]

This was one of the more clever fixes by Richard on Ask This Old House. Very cool.

[@chestermicek]

I appreciate how smart the craftsmen are who think their way through a problem to a viable solution. That's another way of stating that "These old guys are good."

[@horatiobeaker]

Richard is an artistic mechanic, and it’s fun to watch him apply his considerable talent and experience.

[@cmliphone]

Rich makes it look so easy, but that's why he's so good.

[@Mind69420]

I'm never going to attempt most of the things Richard does to my own house but I sure do enjoy learning about it from him. I wish more teachers were like him.

[@krisone5253]

I love how Richard Trethewy comes in the people's house and Saves their day with Plummer Profesional advice and Repair. Super Nice Guy!!!❤

[@Arieeeee]

Richard is my favorite guy on the show because he's always pulling rabbits out of his hat and going way beyond what a typical plumber does. I understand that in real life there are customers who don't appreciate guys like him and might complain if their cabinet doesn't go back exactly the way it was but he's my type of contractor that finds the most cost effective and safest solutions.

[@bigmike2000mb]

This show inspired me to learn a trade. I’m a master plumber now and I follow your show regularly. Great job on this install.

[@timg11765]

Rich is one of the best I have ever seen. I’ve took a lot of his installation videos and done the installs myself. I now use propress instead of soldering much quicker and can be done with water in pipe.

[@hotbam37]

Richard is a plumbing God!!

[@AydenDevonny]

This was awesome. If I was the homeowner, I would have added a second shower head in the previous hole, lol. Great job and result.

[@joshuaychung]

The follow up questions were great. I had the exactly the same question about "why not PEX all the way?" I didn't even think to ask the second question about the length of the pipe that needed to be cut last, but that was another great question.

[@Imwright720]

That’s the kind of plumbing and wiring I do. Access holes that are hidden. The mess they made of my neighbors house was just embarrassing. It all could of been easily hidden. They paid more for Sheetrock repair than the plumbing. I think that was the plumbers plan. He got the plumbing and his friend got the Sheetrock.

[@chrisjamz2206]

Nice to see you upgrade to a proper "cabinet mounting screw" when hanging the kitchen upper back in place. Amazing how many people use brittle drywall screws when mounting cabinets. I love the Symmons retro kits. I first saw them in use on TOH many moons ago and I have used them ever since when upgrading to a pressure balance valve in a non remodel job (retro fit). Thumbs up .

[@Scubamike4499]

I noticed that too. Drywall screws are for one thing and one thing only: drywall. Hate seeing them used outside or for framing, etc

[@liamhenry8164]

I never seen Richard work soooo hard. LOL....

[@jrelectrician4387]

Lol

[@sangkang6294]

I also bought a house made back in the 40's. The one problem is the drain wasn't a PVC but a large copper tubing going directly in to the concrete foundation. I ended up using a rubber gasket to connect a PVC drain on to the copper. Not sure what the code demands as there was no provision for a PVC to copper but it's been six years and no issues with the rubber gasket.

[@dgc940]

Richard I like watching you do master plumbing but most times your videos are quick easy repairs like a service call job but on this video you did a puzzle figure it out job and more in depth and I really enjoyed and hope to see more

[@josephkilleen7807]

This is one of the best, most thorough videos I've seen in a long time from TOH. Nice work!

[@zebra5591]

I remember when I was 10 I would get up and watch the show I'm 21 now time flies

[@shannonstewart5043]

Really informative! We're in an 1840 stone house with plumbing from the 1940s. We really want to preserve the fixtures in the one bathroom and have been told 'it can't be done' and we need to rip out the art deco corner tub and replace the whole bath with new EVERYTHING ($$$$) because no overflow on the tub and the fixtures in the tiled wall are out of date. These videos give us hope!

[@juliof970]

Rich explains things the best. This is a great video.

[@aug.jam.1]

Love Richard's humor haha, thanks for another episode!

[@Fkidd702]

Wooooo Richard Master plumber what a great job! Phenomenal! what a professional!

[@funtucsonman2838]

He makes it look easy, for sure. Interesting tutorial. I liked the history lesson too about the galvanized pipe.

[@venividivici4253]

Man the war effort changed the American housing and way of life. Can’t imagine how life was back then.

[@MatanuskaHIGH]

Turn in your gold! Wait that was a few years before during the depression... imagine your government confiscating your gold. Freedumb! Welcome to America land of lies and deception.

[@bigpjohnson]

Galvanized pipes had been used far before WW2, it was cheap and a lot of labor to install, but labor was cheap too! Probably really fancy houses may have had brass pipes. That house has button-board drywall and plaster. It made plastering much easier, and soon enough was developed into modern drywall which needed no plaster at all.

[@ChakatNightspark]

That Shower valve looks just like the ones from our 1973 Winnebago RV. So if Im right, Yes the Shower Valve is from a RV. Old one to boot.

[@bigpjohnson]

The galvanized pipes on that house were fairly clean inside, so it was surely replaced at least once since built. My galvanized after 60+ years was almost completely clogged.

[@jeffreyplumber1975]

yea maybe 1973 but Richard says its 70 years old come on they didnt have Rv 70 years ago Im thinking maybe 1980 or newer. no way 70 years ago fiberglas probebly wasen invented . And BTW with good water and good Galvie pipe it can last a long time the stuff in some way was pretty good some of the plastic aint lasting so good

[@alirashid21111gmai]

TOH has marked it as a “moderate skill” .... LOL 😆

[@mrNoBody_no]

Excellent video. I don't know if I will ever get into that situation but something kept me hooked up till end. Enjoyed it.

[@timothy4664]

I love the OGs. When I see them I think of my dad. I then think about my college roomate and oldest friend, a guy who loved This Old House and New Yankee as much as I (classic Doctor Who too) I was a transfer and we were paired. Never could I imagine a better friend and roommate.

[@thesinfultruth7697]

This man is remarkably educated...without a doubt he’s a master plumber

[@PatrickPoet]

The creativity of this makes this my favorite plumbing repair/upgrade video in all the years of This Old House, and of course it was from Richard. Is he married? lol!

[@rickjohnson1632]

Nice clean job Rich. The home owner got lucky having fairly easy access to existing plumbing and having a pro like you do the upgrade 👍

[@stephenmartin7907]

I got to give it to you TOH, that was a very creative solution to that nightmare shower valve problem. Nice work! Your experience DEFINITELY showed through!👍

[@josecordoba1757]

Richard the best plumber and ac tech

[@soyeljefe8502]

6:23 I really wish they would've showed that whole soldering segment. One of the toughest parts in a tight space like that.

[@brucesummers7448]

Code should require press balanced mixer valves in showers and anyone replacing an old mixer valve or doing a shower remodel should put in the balanced mixer valve as well. When someone flushes a toilet or start water in a sink the person taking a shower may notice a drop in water pressure but not a change in overall water temperature.

[@GlitchedPepsi]

Seeing 40s plumbing was cool. The support clips were still in good shape too. Most wear off and that’s why pipes move in walls

[@jeffreyplumber1975]

thats what Im Talking about it looked better than a rats nest of pex . and lasted longer too!

[@Hever73]

It would be nice if Richard make a video of the different types of pressure balance valves.

[@Lawomenshoops]

The bad thing about these videos is that they make everything look easy. The shower just happened to back up to the cabinet. There was access to the valves. Sometimes there is no access and the plumber has to create an access point. In other plumbing videos I've seen Richard easily take out a seat, but in other videos the plumber has a much tougher time getting out a seat. In another, he just put in a complete new valve because the seat wasn't coming out. I know this video didn't show Richard taking out a seat or cartridge. I would also like for them to give a range of price for how much plumbing jobs would cost. Sure, they can't give you an exact price, but a range- say $1000 to $1,500- depending on parts.

[@wesw3621]

I’d cut the wall for pipe soldering then waterproof and put on tiles. This video is really amazing.

[@HolyElkGaming]

Nice install, nice solder joints, nice to have a helper too!

[@MTSVW]

I like the funky old valve and would’ve tried to repair it. That’s the type of stuff that gives old houses their charm. It seems like the new valve only adjusts for temperature and not volume-I hate getting those at hotels! Sometimes I like just a trickle. Plugging the old shower head hole looks tacky. I would’ve installed one of those screw on devices that raises the height without having to do pipe work.

[@glasswinder]

How could anyone not love this show.

[@PatrickDeschamps]

Excellent video. And the clarifications at the end were exactly the ones I needed as I was questioning your decisions. Very professional work.

[@biffy7]

This is an extremely important video to watch. Excellent knowledge, technique, and creative thinking all the while keeping an eye on the budget.

[@RoastBeefSandwich]

fantastic work, really nice seeing the thought process with this one.

[@xsiner]

The home owner was really good at helping.

[@pb3033]

M. Richard Trethewey master of his trade. Great !

[@RainbowMedicine2000]

Great job. I might have gone one step extra for further future maintenance. The cabinet, I would have added a removable panel to the backside so if something happens you did not have to remove it again. Could easily be hid.

[@feras04]

Not a bad idea. It might look tacky on the inside though especially when you gotta open that cabinet up everyday. Rather unscrew and remove the cabinet for the once in a blue moon occasion

[@jrgarza87]

When i braze copper in the HVAC field in VERY tight locations, i will carry a piece of metal with a thin layer of heat trap to protect and surface from scorching on fire from the heat.

[@JArias2012]

Amazing!!! This was text book definition of a quality professional, a master in his trade. I am impressed once again.

[@JZ-tg1cm]

Richard. Mad experience plus outta the box thinking... coming to the rescue!

[@user-pe9wj7tl7n]

You ere thr guru of the plumbers! Thanks for the free lessons

[@Jesse-gv9tf]

This master plumber makes this look easy.

[@johnnyn2836]

First time homeowner and just learned how big of a joke home warranties are. The home I purchased had galvanized steel water lines in it. After four months of living in the home I noticed rust in my water. This inside of the lines were rusted out and was breaking off. Home warranty contract says it covers rust in failed systems...the company turned down the claim. It was cheaper to replace the lines myself than to fight AHW. Moral of the story, stay away from galvanized lines and home warranty companies!

[@TheObedh1227]

Best video Richard has made

[@russdrummond7292]

Good solution to a tricky problem. Nice job. 👍

[@BobsHomeServicesLLC]

Great job saving the homeowner thousands of dollars.

[@elmedia1532]

I’m glad my house was built on 2019!

[@gurtek08]

This guy is a real plumber

[@Czarina168]

He made it look so simple. Me, I would have burn the house down and the pipes would burst to put the fire out.

[@sharkysmachine9248]

Wonderful attention to detail and proper project planning. Great episode!!

[@richardglazer7813]

Nice job. Technically though, I'm sure they did this off camera, but fixture should be tested for leaks before closing everything in.

[@elmerochory]

Why dislike in this video im a plumber and this is amazing

[@squidboy0769]

He jokes about the $2500 vs $3000 but this happens every day. No wonder the average home owner is super cautious about dealing with contractors.

[@venividivici4253]

squid boy The “average” home owner would consider DIY after hearing a price like that maybe. When I was a kid my dad started me right in the trade. I’m now in my mid 20’s and feel confident in performing my own work. If I get stuck, I’ve made so many connections through my father that I may get the work done for free. 😏 Although I’ll repay them with any job leads and a 12 pack.

[@bigpjohnson]

By the time you get your plumber's license ($$$ yearly), taxes and fees, a truck, tools, office expenses, etc., its not cheap to be a professional. There are a lot of shady contractors, but there are lots of built-in costs for even honest ones. I can do a lot of this work myself, but then I've also gotten in over my head to where paying a few grand and being done faster would be worth it!

[@Andrew-rs7tp]

God bless this channel!!!

[@Nifty-Stuff]

Brilliant fix Richard!

[@sziltner]

Great and very challenging project simplified by Richard!!

[@pierreroy8124]

Impressive work, Richard.

[@mihaivancu9567]

Nice video. I recommend using the Ridgid pipe joining. It is faster and easier and works very well in tight spaces too.

[@JasonTaylor1]

I think as extra precaution I would have cut a flashing out of heavy gauge plastic sheeting (or even aluminum flashing stock) to tuck under the upper edge of the new oval hole, tightly fit around the stem and overlap the tub surround on the bottom and secured it in place with a poly urethane caulk/adhesive at top.

[@eaglevision993]

Great work. But to be honest if this is all the rust that built up in the past 70 years this galvanized pipe would have lasted another 150 years. We still have lots galvanized pipe installations in Germany and to see a leak is very rare. Unless the composition of the tap water changes the layer in the pipe will not grow very much. One problem is calcium buildup in hot water lines if the water temp is above 160F in hard water areas. But otherwise, pretty solid pipes. Yet not comparable with the "new" galvanized pipe you can buy in the hardware stores these days. The zinc coating had some lead in it on the old manufacturing process. This mixture adhered better to the steel.

[@NorthernChev]

“The shower head is really short”... I can’t tell you how MANY showers I see in homes this short. WHY on Earth do you guys install them like this. I see this EVERYWHERE!

[@moutrap]

3:42 the homeowner sound when he learns he need to remove cabinet and open the wall 😂😂

[@l337pwnage]

I didn't know steel was used for such a limited time. I thought it was more common. The downside of modern shower valves is you can't actually get hot water out of them.

[@sleepytan0730]

This video is awesome and makes it seem do-able for a non plumber person.

[@jettdad4507]

Excellent creative solution!

[@MeiklesAndDimes]

Definitely one of the best videos in a while. Thanks!

[@jeffreyplumber1975]

nice job Richard! that crimp pex seems kinda crappy Id rather drop the copper down to basement Im still running all copper.

[@perrymckinney6146]

Thats very familiar, we had that same valve on our tub when i was a kid. I remember the name on it, it was a Sears Homart faucet and valve

[@allanholiday1617]

Love this program. So well done.

[@sangkang6294]

The problem with the tub spout is that over time, it could corrode and would need to be replaced. Not all spout fit the exact length. Having done something similar. I ended up extending the spout with a coupler.

[@chenchen2895]

I liked that with the elbow spout idea tight fits👍👍👍

[@lukenovak1615]

I love this old house. Original offer is 1 man job by opening shower wall and then you install shower valve. The way they do it here is a 2 man job. Home owner wouldn't be helping. Price is right. Only thing I'm wondering is why No air chambers on the hot and cold running into the shower valve which prevents the water from hitting and making the banging sound. He is a great plumber. That's my only question

[@seanmorrison5081]

0:57 purple nurple!!!

[@thomaslevy9985]

WOW! Nice and clean job ..Excellent!

[@PRO4XKEV]

Great outcome.

[@vernoninteriano1287]

What a wonderful work !

[@joseocampo4645]

Wow! Outstanding job! My God!

[@al52269]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. I have an old shower/tub valves too. Mines has 4 handles two for shower and two for tub. Made by KOHLER

[@jeffburnham6611]

Never got scalded when someone flushed a toilet when I was in the shower, usually the opposite happened. A nice warm shower turned to freezing cold water lol.

[@stich1960]

This definitely is a workable repair although honestly in my opinion The light bath remodel would have been a better option. Although if they would have paid for this this probably would be closer to $1200 -1,800 versus the three grand but with the three grand you get a brand new tub surround that would look a lot nicer and no remodel plate or obvious repair.