Shower tap servicing

[John Smith]

Embedded shower tap is dripping badly now from overhead faucet. Can anyone advise from pic what is required to fix it - I presume a replacement cartridge of some sort but will this only be apparent when I take it apart.

thanks

[Biggles]

That looks like a Mira shower. Replacement cartridge should fix it, as the cartridge contains all of the workings.

Cartridge replacement on mine (which looks similar, but has white plastic controls), turn h&c water off, switch shower on to drain, prise off the outer (temperature) control, then ease out the inner (flow) control, remove chrome trim ring, then remove screws securing cartridge (4 screws on mine). Pull cartridge out, fit new (with silicone grease on seals), reverse removal instructions.

Shower doctor can supply a cartridge (incl grease) and also have videos of how to do it:

About a 15 minute job to replace the valve. But when I did mine it took hours because the gate valve on the cold supply to the hot tank seized, then a piece broke off which blocked the supply pipe. I replaced the gate valve, and managed to coax the blockage into the hot tank, where it can sit at the bottom for ever.

You say "faucet" which suggests you may not be UK based? In which case you may need to find your own local supplier.

[Roger Hayter]

He says "overhead" faucet, which suggests idiosyncratic rather than transatlantic usage to me - probably means the shower rose/outlet.

[John Smith]

Indeed am in London - I meant the overhead shower head.

Thanks for the info. Some of the cartridges are pretty pricey.

Showerdoc has an identity system - ideally I'll take the old one out and send them a pic. I'll see if i can get the water off and controls off first.

I'm expecting similar isseus to you with the water taps - if indeed there are any other than the main one outside. My experience with these sort of jobs is they are never usually straightforward.

[John Smith]

HI - have taken knobs off and one circular bracket and a circlip - does cartridge pull out at this point? There is a large nut on catrtridge body but it turns with cartridge as on/off moves.

All i can see is a blue washer.

[John Smith]

Thinking now that I need to get a big socket on that nut and unscrew the cartridge... My socket set won't do this so will need something else - any recs?

[Mike Clarke]

Does the shiny metal surround prise off after removing the control knobs? That should expose the whole assembly and probably some fixing screws for the cartridge.

[Andy Burns]

You need to pull off the large chromed plastic surround, IIRC there are two fingers holding it ...

[Andy Burns]

four ... just grasp it and pull forwards, then you'll see the mounting bolts.

[John Smith]

It was just pushed on and came off easily. I'm down to this:

nothing on overall body to unscrew that i can see - only the nut on the cartridge

i presume the tiling was done last

I can get in behind it if I make a hole in the wall panel outside the bathroom but hope it can be changed without doing thsi or taking off the tile.

[Andy Burns]

A bit different from my built-in Mira Excel at that point, I have four bolts once the cover is off

yes, but cartridge should still be changeable after tiling over.

Identify your model and find manual, the built-in models tend to have "BI" in their names

[John Smith]

it isn't a Mira - had an answer from Showerdoc who have identified it as a Briston, and it does pull out (with a bit of persuasion I expect).

I'd like to reward Showerdoc by buying the part from them but they want nearly £30 more than Screwfix...