# plumbers help needed



## Woodchuck (Nov 1, 2012)

I have a bathroom shower with a lever operated anti scald valve...At hot or cold, it works fine, but at the perfect shower temp, the valve spool shuttles back and fourth and sounds like a machine gun...You can feel the pulsation in the shower head...

I changed out the spool, and it stopped for about half a shower.....

It is behind a thousand dollar slab of marble...

I am starting to think the standard hand held shower head might need to be changed to a pulsating model.......

I asked a friend who was an engineer at Kohler...He didn't have a clue....


----------



## Forest (Mar 29, 2014)

Not familiar with the anti scald stuff, but the pics I saw show it behind the wall, not on the head, is that your setup?

Could this possibly be a "water hammer" issue when the water is getting both lots of pressure from hot and cold inlets? A water hammer arrestor could help with that.

On the marble, I would surely hope the builder either caulked it in where it can be removed, or you've got drywall that can be cut on the other side if you have to get in there.

Lastly, can you just lose or break that "valve spool" so its no longer an issue, or would that upset your anti-scalding issues?


----------



## Woodchuck (Nov 1, 2012)

Forest said:


> Not familiar with the anti scald stuff, but the pics I saw show it behind the wall, not on the head, is that your setup?
> 
> Could this possibly be a "water hammer" issue when the water is getting both lots of pressure from hot and cold inlets? A water hammer arrestor could help with that.
> 
> ...


..

It is not a water hammer issue, I had that checked out. It is rapid back and fourth shuttling of the spool in the valve.....I have found the issue mentioned online, with several different brands of single lever anti-scald valves. I have considered putting a heavy spring on both sides of the spool, or even removing the spool altogether, I could care less about the anti scald feature...our hot water temp is too hot to stand under, but will not burn........First I am going to put on a massaging hand spray to see if it will absorb the impulses...


----------



## Forest (Mar 29, 2014)

Woodchuck said:


> ..
> 
> It is not a water hammer issue, I had that checked out. It is rapid back and fourth shuttling of the spool in the valve.....I have found the issue mentioned online, with several different brands of single lever anti-scald valves. I have considered putting a heavy spring on both sides of the spool, or even removing the spool altogether, I could care less about the anti scald feature...our hot water temp is too hot to stand under, but will not burn........First I am going to put on a massaging hand spray to see if it will absorb the impulses...


Is the anti-scald thing something required by a local code? This gadget sounds like something you could stand to lose.

I'm so glad I live in the sticks, and don't have to worry about that stuff. 

Sounds like a job for baling wire.


----------



## Woodchuck (Nov 1, 2012)

Forest said:


> Is the anti-scald thing something required by a local code? This gadget sounds like something you could stand to lose.
> 
> I'm so glad I live in the sticks, and don't have to worry about that stuff.
> 
> Sounds like a job for baling wire.


Go to Lowes and you will find most new single lever shower faucets are anti scald....In fact the 20 yo unit we took out was anti scald...


----------

