How To Adjust A Pfister Shower Valve
There are times when you may need to make minor adjustments to your Pfister shower valve. If you have difficulty turning the water on and off or if the water is coming out in sprays instead of a steady stream, it may be time for some adjustment.
While there are several different variations of Pfister shower valves, many of them require similar adjustments based on the same principles. In this article, you will learn how to adjust a Pfister shower valve that won’t shut off completely or won’t turn on fully.
Whether you have a single handle or multiple, the steps should be quite similar. You can also follow these steps if your shower valve is leaking or not functioning properly. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to adjust a Pfister shower valve so that it functions correctly again.
How To Adjust A Pfister Shower Valve
Step 1: Confirm There Are No Leaks
If there is a leak, adjusting the shower valve may not fix the problem. You may need to replace the washers on the cartridge to stop the leak. You can confirm there are no leaks by shutting off the water supply to the house and then checking for leaks at the water shut-off valve and at the shower valves. If you find a leak, you may need to call a plumber to make the necessary repairs. If there are no leaks, you can proceed with adjusting the shower valve. The first thing to check is the adjustment screw on the rotary disc. It may need a slight adjustment or it may be completely loose. If it’s loose, you can turn it with a screwdriver to tighten it back up.
Step 2: Turn Off The Water Supply
You’ll need to turn off the water supply to the house before you can proceed with any adjustments to the shower valve. This will prevent you from getting sprayed with water while you’re working on the shower valve. It will also keep the water from flowing through the shower and flooding your bathroom floor. Before you turn off the water, make sure you have a bucket or a drain pan to catch any water that may splash out of the pipes. While you may have an idea of where the water shut-off valve is, you may not know exactly where it’s located. If you don’t know where it is, you’ll need to do a little searching for it. It will likely be in a wall or in the floor near the water source. If it’s in the wall, you may be able to see it if you look behind your water fixtures. If it’s in the floor, you may need to take off a panel to find it.
Step 3: Loosen The Rotary Disc
Once you’ve turned off the water and found the water shut-off valve, you can proceed with adjusting the shower valve. To begin, you’ll need to loosen the adjustment disc on the rotary disc. You can do this with a screwdriver or wrench. Once it’s loose, you can turn it with your hand to tighten it back up. When you turn the adjustment disc, you should feel resistance as you turn it. If you turn it too far, you will feel the disc hit the inside wall of the shower valve. If it’s loose, you can turn it slightly tighter to feel resistance when you turn it. If it’s too tight, you won’t be able to turn the disc with your hand.
Step 4: Adjust The Shower Arm
If the water pressure is low, you may need to make a slight adjustment to the shower arm. You can use a wrench to turn the screw on the shower arm to increase the pressure. Just turn it slightly until you get the water pressure you’re looking for. You don’t want to turn it too tight or you could damage the shower arm. If the water is coming out of the shower head in sprays instead of a steady stream, you may need to make an adjustment to the shower head as well. You can do this by loosening the screws on the shower head and rotating it so the holes face in a different direction.
Step 5: Re-tighten The Rotary Disc
When you’ve adjusted the shower valve and the shower arm, you can re-tighten the rotary disc. You can do this with a wrench or a screwdriver. You want the disc to be tight enough that it doesn’t spin freely, but loose enough that it turns easily. You’ll want to test the shower to make sure the water is coming out in a steady stream and the water is off when you turn the knob all the way to the off position. If everything is working properly, you can re-close the wall panels and turn the water supply back on to finish up. If you’ve made adjustments to your Pfister shower valve and are still having issues with it, you may need to call a plumber to have the shower valve replaced. There may be damage to the valve that can’t be repaired by adjusting the shower valve.
