I want to replace some rather ancient looking bathtub fixtures; namely the faucet, the mix handle and the shower head. Do these things unscrew or what? Can I do this myself or will I need to have a plumber come in to put the new parts on?
Bath, I think. Steel, I'm guessing, with a porcelain coat. Frick if I know. It has high sides and a drain and a thing that no longer works because the parts fell down into the wall when I tried to work it.
The faucet and the shower head unscrew, you just replace with the new ones. Easy DIY. I'd be nervous about the third part though. Likely have to turn the water off in the house while you work on it. That in itself is no issue, but my worry is the possibility of a leak developing behind the wall. My suggestion is to call a local plumbing supply store (not a plumber) and ask them. Even better, take a digital photo of what you want to remove, take the camera into the store and ask them. Best o' luck, Neil
Faucet: If you mean the spout that comes out of the wall and water comes out of it into the tub. This is an easy replacement which usually is threaded and will screw right back in place. Shower head will also screw back into place. Just make sure you use some plumber's tape and all will be fine. The mixing handle(s) are another issue. You will be limited on what or how you can upgrade and it will depend on what is in place today and who manufactured it. I would take in the actual steam that the handle is mounted to since these vary like leaves in your front yard. You will have to turn off the water and keep it off until you have replaced this piece. Go to a plumber's shop and not Lowes or Home Depot because they more than likely will not have what you are looking for or the variety if the do have something that will work. Hope it goes well.
Do this. One of my friends was trying to replace some nozels/knobs on the shower for some girls. Well the knob was stuck tight. When it finally loosened from him turning, it broke and water shot out for a good 15 minutes until we could get the water off. It was funny after all was said and done.
This is a bigger job than can be described here. Here's a good place to start: http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/ba_remodeling/ http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/shows_dbtr Image Unavailable, Please Login
easy fix !!!! Take a sawzaw and make an 18 inch cut around the faucet, then sawzaw the drain by making a 41 inch cut [ circular ],\. Super glue new faucet and drain in. Now you 'll have a gapeing hole left over, just fill in with caulk And make sure homeowners policy is paid up. Whe you want to put a new roof on let me know !!! I can do wonders with silicone.
You forgot to mention 'Duct Tape'; it's an essential element required in this project. Sometimes, peanut butter will be required too.
If you're only referring to the visible parts, (not the mixing valve inside the wall) those are referred to as "trim". Find out what tub/shower valve you have and order a new trim kit. Use a mechanic's mirror to look at the bottom of the faucet. If it has an allen head set screw, you just back out the screw and pull the faucet (industry name "tub spout") off of the 1/2" copper pipe it's attached to. If there is no allen head screw, your tub spout itself is threaded on. The copper pipe will have a threaded male adapter soldered to the end and that's what your spout threads onto. If it's pretty ancient, you may break it when removing it. You may even twist the copper pipe stub it's attached to, necessitating its replacement. Your shower arm (the slightly bent metal piece that the shower head is attached to) is threaded. Be sure to use teflon tape when you put on your new one. Same deal with the spout, if it's threaded. You can do it yourself. If you want an entirely new tub/shower valve, I would call a plumber. That involves cutting open the wall and replacing...well, everything. One advantage is all new parts with a warranty. I always recommend Moen; they have a lifetime warranty and they are really good about sending replacement parts. I'm guessing that the "thing that no longer works" is your lever-operated drain, a.k.a. "waste and overflow". If you remove the cover plate, you may be able to reach in there and pull out the parts that fell down. If your hands are too big, try pliers or a smaller set of hands. The lever connects to a brass stopper with a small nut and bolt. It's likely that the threads backed out or it just corroded. Lowe's and Home Depot sell Waste and Overflow kits. It's a DIY project, but you will need to adjust the length by using that nut and bolt. It's just trial and error. You have to assemble it, see if it holds water, then disassemble and adjust if it does not. You may just choose to get a Lift and Turn-type tub drain. Image Unavailable, Please Login
