On one sunny morning, California Plumbing received a call from a client in Bay Park, San Diego about an ongoing leak from the wall of their hallway shower.
We arrived, shut off the water supply, and explained that, in order to locate the source of the leak and fix the damage, we would need to open up the wall. For the safety of our clients and technicians, before we cut open walls or floors, we require asbestos testing or a liability release waiver from our clients acknowledging the risks of asbestos.
Our client promptly approved what was required to search for the leak. To create access to inspect the leak inside of the wall, we carefully cut open the drywall while ensuring that the tile of the shower walls remained untouched. Cutting through the drywall instead of the tile ensured that the client would only need to have their drywall repaired after our job was done.
We discovered broken parts of what should have been a watertight seal of the crucial connection between the copper pipe and shower valve. When you turn on your shower, water flows from the supply lines through the copper pipes to the shower valve, which regulates the water flow and temperature based on what you set the shower handle to.
The copper pipe had separated from the shower valve completely, either due to improper installation by the previous plumbing company or a hard water issue that left visible mineral deposits around the deteriorated copper joints.
Replacing Copper Pipe & Shower Valve
The cracked copper pipe, damaged fittings, and shower valve needed to be replaced to establish a properly functioning, leak-free connection behind the shower wall.
With soldering, cutting, and California Plumbing magic, a new copper pipe and fittings were installed and connected to the hot and cold water lines as well as the newly installed shower valve. When it comes to plumbing fixes like this, there is no question that the safest bet is to call a reputable, licensed plumber near you to correctly fit and secure a solid connection between newly installed and existing parts.
We turned the water shut-off valve back on to test and confirm that there were no leaks. In fact, we ran the shower for 10 minutes and made sure that there were absolutely no leaks!
Furthermore, we tested the water pressure, which was 80 PSI. We made the client aware that this level of water pressure was a bit higher than the appropriate range of 55-70 PSI.
We cleaned up the work area and caulked around the shower trim kit. Our work was complete with a beautiful shower looking as good as new!
California Plumbing is trusted to fix plumbing emergencies of all types. Due to the urgency of this leak, our client booked us at our earliest possible availability and arranged their schedule so that they could be at home briefly to open their home for our technician that day. The client had to leave for work shortly thereafter, entrusting our technician to close the front door of the home with a lock once the job was done.
A leak can cause anyone to panic. It’s the last thing you need in the middle of a busy week! Leave it to our licensed plumbers to repair the damage and stop leaks. We’ll save you the time and headache of fixing a plumbing problem in your bathroom, kitchen, water heater—anywhere in your house.
Call California Plumbing today for peace of mind.
Call Us Today: (619) 787-3443
Email Us: info@californiaplumbingsd.com
