Can't get Mom out of my head. Would you replace this?

9 years ago

We are giving our guest bath a facelift, which includes keeping our tub tile but replacing the plumbing from the wall out, and reshelving our linen closet that backs onto the tub. We currently have an 18 year old Moen valve with no wall access. It is the most basic of Moen valves, but it works fine. No one has ever been scalded. We can buy a new Moen trim kit adapter, new trim, and move on.

However, our plumber suggests now would not be a bad time to cut a panel access since we are reshelving the adjacent linen closet. He says the valve is old and basic, and he would rather install Kohler or . . . Grohe, I think he said. What would you do? Money is not the issue. I keep hearing my Mom say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it -- or you will get worse problems." Do valves die of old age? We have a newly renovated kitchen smack under the guest bath, and I have zero interest in ending up with a leak. That is the most important thing to me. No. Leak. Ever.

Thanks.

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Comments (4)

Lars
9 years ago
If nothing else, get a removable panel while you are doing the linen closet - you can change the faucet later if you need to, but this sounds like the perfect time to create access to the plumbing.

I recently put a new faucet with new controls (Hansgrohe) in my master bathroom, but my faucet controls were not working properly, and there was a great risk of scalding. If you replace the controls, make sure that you have separate control over the water temperature. Mine has one lever to control temperature and a separate control for volume, which I like very much. Before, I had one control, and the water started out cold, but as I turned the lever, I would get warmer and then hot water. However, I was never able to get a slow volume of hot water - only a huge blast - and this was not great for the shower.

My plumber left a hole in the linen closet wall, and I put up a removable panel myself.

Lars
chiefneil
9 years ago
Valves do die. I'm surprised yours has lasted 18 years, that's pretty impressive. I just replaced the Kohler valve in my master shower and last year I replaced a valve in a guest bath. They were about 9 years old. Personally I'd go ahead and replace it while you're at it.

That said, I haven't ever had a valve leak inside the wall. They generally leak at the tap. In my case the valves just had too much buildup and weren't flowing very well, although in a previous house I had a Moen (about 8 years old) that started dripping due to the valve.
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MizLizzie
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks, guys.

chiefneil, I feel persuaded! Sounds like a new Delta valve for me. Which do you recommend?

I wonder if our old valve has survived because it is in the guest bath, and rarely used -- and by rarely, I mean maybe 6-8 times per month on average.

Now I am thinking about the master bath. And the beautiful wallpaper I have on the backside of our shower. And no access to the valve unless I cut it up. LOL. At least it is over the family room, which is due for a paint job.

Thanks.
aliris19
9 years ago
What chiefneil said... it's an easy quick thing to do now and boy will you be in for a mess later, potentially...