There comes a time when a fixture isn’t worth repairing. Obviously some products last longer than others but nobody has invented the “forever” fixture. Many times when you factor in the costs and longevity of a repair, replacement is a better investment.

This Mixet shower valve was technically repairable but the cost to keep an old and inferior design going wasn’t a good investment for the homeowner. For a few hundred dollars more they were able to replace the old, non pressure balancing valve with a much better Moen.

Old and Outdated Mixet Shower Valve

The first step is to cut a clean and neat access hole behind the valve. This shower backed up to a bedroom but often times there is a closet that can hide the hole. Through this hole the old valve can be removed without damaging any of the tile in the shower itself.

Access Hole Made in Bedroom Wall

After the access hole is made, the old valve can be cut out. By making a good, workable access opening you can assure that there is plenty of working room.

Old Mixet Valve Cut Out From the Back

Old Valve Removed Without Damage to the Tile

After the old valve is removed from the wall, the new one can be soldered into place. Always keep in mind that there is a flame inside the wall. This can be a dangerous job to undertake yourself if you are not experienced soldering copper pipe. Take all precautions to avoid starting a fire and make the access hole large enough not to cramp the working space.

New Moen Shower Valve Installed

After the new valve is installed and checked for leaks, the new trim can be installed from the front.

All Done! No Drips, Easy to Use and Safer!!

Now that the new Moen valve is installed the customer can enjoy a trouble free shower for decades to come. Along with getting a new and easy to use shower valve they also received a safety upgrade at no extra cost. The new Moen valve is equipped with a pressure balancing cartridge to eliminate unwanted bursts of hot or cold water. This is especially important when installing in a bathroom used by children or the elderly. A loss of cold water pressure on an old style valve would certainly send an extra burst of hot water and could cause sever burns. Those concerns are a thing of the past and all you need to do is enjoy a relaxing shower and forget all of your other problems. At least your plumbing is fixed!

A.O. Smith, in joint venture with one of the nation’s leading design engineering firms, has developed a 76,000 BTU conventional tank-style water heater that promises a thermal efficiency rating above 90% and virtually “endless hot water.” We at Rocksteady Plumbing are extremely excited about its possibilities. Just imagine: the reliability of a tank style heater that just about every house is already plumbed for with the energy saving benefits of an on-demand heater. Not to mention the nearly endless supply of hot water that up until now only tankless heaters could provide.

A.O. Smith Vertex Water Heater

The development of the Vertex™ was part of a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) project. With an average 78 percent thermal efficiency, the conventional tank-style water heaters left some room for improvement. The Vertex™ jumps to 90 percent thermal efficiency and still provides an estimated 127-gallon first hour delivery and a 93 gph recovery rate. It’s like getting the output of a 75-gallon water heater without the gas bill you’d expect.

The Vertex™ gains by replacing the standard straight vertical flu tube with an internal helical heating coil. This increases the surface area over which heat is transferred to water in the tank and allows the unit to accept 76,000 BTU. “Higher input with more efficient combustion produces much more hot water, with lower operating costs,” A.O. Smith.

Vertex Coiled Flue

Another huge plus is the simplified install. When changing a conventional water heater to a tankless heater often times there are changes required to the plumbing of the home. Gas lines need to be changed, venting is sometimes a major consideration, water lines need to be rerouted, etc. With the A.O. Smith Vertex heater many of these existing systems can be used as is. This saves hundreds of dollars on the installation. Many times the price of a tankless heater itself is matched by the parts and labor to install it. Rocksteady Plumbing is experienced with the installation of these new heaters and can guide you through the process.

Often times a toilet will develop a small leak where it meets the floor.  Sometimes your only clue will be a wet rug, sometimes it’s much more obvious.  If there are no signs of leakage at the valve, supply line or tank area chances are good it’s the wax seal that’s leaking.  The wax ring that is used to seal the toilet to it’s mounting flange is not reusable and will need to be replaced with a new one. 

Toilet with a Leaking Wax Seal

All it takes is for the closet bolts to loosen up the smallest amount and allow the toilet to move for the wax seal to be compromised.   When this toilet was set previously, the metal washers were placed directly on the porcelain and they rusted.  When the washers rust they get weaker and flex, allowing the toilet to move and the wax seal to leak.

Rusty Hardware Causes Leakage

Once the toilet is pulled, the wax seal can be inspected.  Regardless of it’s condition, it needs to be replaced as they are not reusable.  This one was leaking due to the previously mentioned movement.   You can see the discoloration and moisture in the picture.

Old Wax Seal

After the old wax seal is removed, the closet flange can be inspected.  This one was in fine shape and mounted securely to the sub-floor.  If it weren’t in good shape, now would be the time to repair the flange.  If leaks go untended structural damage can occur.  Even small leaks can cause large amounts of damage to the sub-floor and joists. 

New Wax Seal

After the new wax seal is installed the toilet can be reset.  This time the plastic washers are installed under the metal washers.  This will keep the new metal washers from rusting and make sure this toilet doesn’t begin to loosen up and leak in the future.

New Hardware and Plastic Washer Installed

Now that the toilet is reinstalled, it can be tested.  After it’s been checked for leaks the plastic caps are installed over the hardware and a bead of caulking is run around the base.  While this toilet may look the same as it did earlier, it is now leak free and ready to use.

Reset with a New Wax Seal and Hardware

Rocksteady Plumbing can also help you with your water treatment needs.   Whether it be repair of a non-working unit, replacement of an old water softener or a new installation.  Rocksteady Plumbing has knowledge that most plumbing companies don’t have when it comes to water treatment.  Nearly any plumbing company can install a new water softener, filter or reverse osmosis.   Very few companies can correctly repair a non-working softener or R.O. unit.  Many times the economical choice is to replace an old and outdated unit but sometimes the better choice is repair.  We are able to determine which option is a more sensible choice.  Rocksteady Plumbing can service water softeners and reverse osmosis units made by such companies as Fleck, Autotrol, Northstar, G.E., Kenmore, Ecowater, Watts, Watersafe, and many more. 

Here is a Fleck 5600 Econominder water softener that needed a simple repair to keep it working 100%.

Fleck 5600 Econominder Water Softener

After the head was broken down the parts can be inspected.  What’s good will be reused and what needs replacement will be changed out for new parts.   Rocksteady Plumbing can offer recommendations on varying stages of repair and let the customer decide how they would like to proceed.

Fleck 5600 Econominder Head Broken Down for Inspection

In this instance, only the piston seals were worn and the softener was rebuilt with a new seal kit.  After everything is put back together the softener is again tested for proper operations.  If any further problems develop they can be dealt with now, rather than waiting for the customer to call days later saying it’s still not working.  This one needed no further work and went back into service with a clean bill of health.  The entire repair was less than $200 and saved the customer nearly $1000 over replacing the unit with a new one that wasn’t needed.

These pictures are from a customer in Atascadero.  His main sewer line was heavily impacted with roots and the only available clean-out was over 115 feet away from the blockage.  In order to allow the line to be properly cleaned we excavated the main line 80 feet from the house and installed a new full size clean out.  After the new clean out was installed we were able to clean the line better than it’s been for many many years.  Now the customer can have the line maintained easily twice a year to keep the roots at bay until a further repair can be budgeted for.

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