The 101 On Faucet Trims & Valves

Basic 101 About Faucet Trims & Valves

There is some confusion going on about plumbing terms and I’m here to help clean up this mess.  A client calls and the conversation goes like this: They “have a new shower faucet and would like you to come out and install it”.  When we get to the job site there will be a Delta valve in the wall with Delta faucet (trim) outside the wall.  The client has purchased a Moen faucet trim to put on the Delta valve.  That won’t work – they are not compatible.  All manufacturers of tub and shower valves such as Delta, Moen, Price Pfister and Kohler, to name a few, make their faucet trims to fit their valves.  They want you to buy their products.

If you are looking to spruce up the bathroom as far as the tub and shower faucet trim goes, here are your options:

• Change out the faucet trim that is compatible with the valve already in the wall which would consist of a new eschucheon, handles, spout, showerhead and getting that trim in a different finish.

or

• Remove some tile from the front side or drywall from the back side of the existing valve and install a new brand valve and matching brand trim.

If you are one of those people that have a 2 or 3 handle tub and shower valve, you are pretty much out of luck.  In the 1990s a new Plumbing Code was implemented stating all tub and shower valves will now be a Scald Guard valve.  This means, for the most part, that the valve will be single handle, rotate counter clockwise to turn on and will have a top limit for temperature.  The stop limit will be set by the plumber at the time of installation so that the temperature does not exceed 120 degrees to protect the little ones from getting hurt.  There are a few 2 handle scal guards on the market however most people don’t find them effective.