How to Repair a Squealing Shower | Ask This Old House

Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner silence a shrieking shower. (See below for shopping list, tools, and steps.)

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Cost: $5 to $10
Time: 30 to 60 minutes
Difficulty: Easy. Requires only basic plumbing skills

Shopping List for How to Repair a Squealing Shower:
Mixing-valve cartridge [https://amzn.to/2LjEK6W] with new seats [https://amzn.to/383LRdi] and springs [https://amzn.to/2DDtGgK]

Tools List for How to Repair a Squealing Shower:
Pocket knife [https://amzn.to/35W4y0L], to pry off index from shower valve
Screwdriver [https://amzn.to/2Lip188]
Hex-key wrench [https://amzn.to/2rMJk6T], for adjusting the valve's safety limit

Steps for How to Repair a Squealing Shower:
1. Turn off the water to the shower at the water main or well pump.
2. Pry off the index from the shower handle with a pocketknife or narrow-blade screwdriver.
3. Unscrew and remove the handle from the shower valve.
4. Use pliers to loosen the retaining nut that secures the mixing-valve cartridge.
5. Pull the cartridge straight out of the valve.
6. Remove the old rubber seats and metal springs from the valve.
7. Install new rubber seats and springs using a Phillips-head screwdriver to guide them into the openings in the valve.
8. Press a new mixing-valve cartridge into the valve, then thread on the retaining nut and tighten with pliers.
9. Push the old handle onto the new cartridge.
10. Turn on the water and test the shower.
11. Remove the handle and use a hex-key wrench to adjust the safety limit on the valve to prevent scalding.
12. If the squealing sound returns, clean or replace the showerhead or tub spout with diverter.

About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook

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How to Repair a Squealing Shower | Ask This Old House
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