Knackered (confessions of a plumber, part 2)

The next Saturday, 10am, I rocked up – toolkit in hand once again – but this time I had the full service kit for the shower.

I was determined to succeed, this had become a point of honour; I had already spent four hours of the previous Saturday on the shower!

Once in the bathroom, I followed the same process I had developed the previous week.

I shut off the water and then

 

 

 

I removed the faceplate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I removed the water flow control

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I removed the outer temperature control arm

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I removed and dismantled the mixer control gears

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I cut the waterproof sealant, and removed the backing plate from the wall.

 

 

Using the same BluTack and long screwdriver technique, I carefully removed the screws on the brass cover.

Then I worked the mixing cartridge out of its seat and through the tiny gap.

 

 

 

I took the cartridge in to the kitchen then broke it down to the 15 component parts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I removed the old washers and O-rings.

 

Then I installed the new washers and O-rings that came in the service kit.

 

 

Then I rebuilt the mixer cartridge, then reassembled the shower.

Really, I can’t tell you how much like a Mission Impossible scene inserting those screws, one by one, through that tiny gap was.

With everything back in place I switched the mains water supply back on, put water back in the system and…

Listened to the unchanged drip-drip-drip from the shower.

At least I was getting quicker.

This time I had only used two hours.

The service kit had been a fair stab, but it seemed I had to get a whole new mixer cartridge.

Bugger.

(to be continued)