Moening and Groaning about Plumbing

When we returned from the Boston trip Felicia remarked that our shower was dripping. We had the shower head and controls a long time and we wanted to get a newer style so in addition to replacing the valve cartridge, I decided to replace the white shower head and trim pieces. This is how simple plumbing jobs become very complicated.

I went to Home Depot and picked out a new brushed nickel shower head and trim kit. I picked the same brand, Moen, as we previously had, knowing that this should make replacement easier. The new shower head went on easily enough. The old trim and cartridge came off OK, although things were a little sticky because they were in place for 22 years. The new cartridge was went in OK but I learned later that Moen guarantees the cartridges for life and that I could have gotten a new one free if I'd taken the old one into a plumbing supply store. When I tried to install the new handle trim kit, I discovered that nothing about it fit.

Apparently federal regulations were put in place regarding new shower faucet installations that require the new valves to limit the water pressure/volume and temperature. Our house was built in 1995 using Moentrol valve technology (pull to turn on). New ones require Moen's Posiflow valve technology (rotate to turn on). All the new trim kits offering spot-free brushed nickel at Home Depot are Posiflow. Posiflow has a different bolt pattern for the trim, a bigger diameter valve, and the handle turns 270 deg instead of 180 deg with Moentrol. Since the shower head was already in place, I wanted to make my $129 trim kit work without special ordering a Moentrol brushed nickel trim kit for over $230.

New shower head and handle trim

I ended up ordering a bolt hole adapter plate that I had to force to work and I ordered a handle adapter that I had to use my Dremel on to make it fit. I had to get extra foam gasket material to fill the gap between the smaller diameter Moentrol valve body and the larger diameter hole in the Posiflow trim kit. Finally I got it to work as shown in the photo above. I tried so many things that I have enough extra pieces to install 2 more trim kits.

I ordered a $44 commercial Moentrol trim kit from ebay for the tub. This is the kind they use in gym locker rooms. Not as decorative but it is sturdy.

New Tub Trim

Next to replace are the white trimmed bathroom faucets.

Also, after years of parking by Cody's Beef 'n Beans to visit Winterhaven at Christmas, Felicia and I finally went to the restaurant. We enjoyed it.