# classic DIY call.



## service guy (Jun 26, 2008)

*I got the CLASSIC DIY call tonight. Caller tried to repair his Delta shower-valve himself....need I say more?*:laughing:

I am going there tomorrow morning because he had to shut the water off and ruined the ceiling. "Pipes are leaking in the wall now!":laughing: "You can do it, we can help!":no: *If he had called me in the first place, it would have been a cheap faucet repair, now I have to replace the entire shower-body in the wall AND charge extra for Sunday work....DOH!*
DIYers really do make us extra money sometimes! Maybe this movement is not so bad, I'll take a shower-vlave replacement sale over a simple Delta rebuild sale anyday!:stupid: :laughing:


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

One word (monitor), he twisted the valve and made it leak, what a idiot.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

service guy said:


> DIYers really do make us extra money sometimes! Maybe this movement is not so bad, I'll take a shower-vlave replacement sale over a simple Delta rebuild sale anyday!:stupid: :laughing:


I Tell ya let em go to town...
It's like fishing in a barrel!

I bet it was a simple as walking in the door an naming your price....
He was just glad that he got a plumber to show up that will take care of his problem...


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## pzmember (Sep 20, 2008)

its funny those calls always come in on a saturday or friday at 5:00. the part i find funny is i usually deal with the wife while the handy homeowner husband hides in the garage looking through his ace hardware tool box for his pride. the best part is what they wrestle with for 8 hours we show up and take care of in 30 minutes. so are plumbers really that expensive? whats 8 hours of your life worth.


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## 22rifle (Jun 14, 2008)

Ron The Plumber said:


> One word (monitor)


You know it.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

I've also had those Saturday calls early in the day where a DIYer had been redoing a bathroom and had a new valve still in the unopened box. He had th the old valve cut out, the back wall opened for access, all the fittings & pipe needed and a few extras just in case, and had a strip of cement board with some tiles glued on it to go between the valve and the spout to gauge the depth....

I get greeted at the truck and am told "just bring in your soldering kit... I'm pretty sure I have everything ready for you, I just don't think I can do this myself.":thumbup:

Does it get any better than that? Just sweat in the valve and connect to the shower riser, then plumb the spout and set the depth... The customer will install the trim after the tile job is done. Git R Done!

Can't complain about that! Yea there was a discount! Wouldn't you?

You never know what you will run into when you work Saturdays but one thing for sure it will involve DIYers...


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## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

I always like when they say something really stupid like ,,,, " I'll pay you ANYTHING to get me out of this mess " ,,,,,,

Oh Yes you will 

Cal


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## service guy (Jun 26, 2008)

Well, it wasn't a monitor, it was an old ball type.

















:laughing:


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Thats what I don't like about delta, the monitor is the same way, pour design all around.


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## service guy (Jun 26, 2008)

Ron The Plumber said:


> Thats what I don't like about delta, the monitor is the same way, pour design all around.


Yeah, one time I had a monitor cap that was so badly frozen on, I had to cut it off with a sawzall and replace the trim along with the cartridge. I always grease the cap threads to save the next service plumber from a headache.:thumbsup:


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## Proud Plumber (Sep 15, 2008)

I love how the nice super fine thread design on the cap seizes up tighter 
than a weld. We push for replacement anymore. If we have to knock a big azz hole to get the valve out.... well we do tile also.

:w00t: Please tell me you didn't see the big dog channel locks on the vanity top. Next to the wet vac.:boat:


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## Wrenchboy (Oct 4, 2008)

*Hello gang*

Be very carefull with the Delta stuff,,,

It can be very fragile,,

On a rebuild it pays to drill a 1/8" hole in the round chrome shroud/bonnnet ,of the shower valve,spray "Quickbreak" or "liquid Wrench"

Tap it a while ,lightly and wait,,,

Then try and spin off the bonnet and proceed with the rebuild,,

Otherwise you could snap that sucker right off at the tubing,,[Yeah,it happened to me,,,,but it'll only happen once,,,I had to sell them a change out]

Dave Doyle:whistling2:


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

A little heat applied and they come right off!
If they tried squeezing and crushed it I usually use 2 pairs of channel locks squeezing from 4 sides to get them off.


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## Double-A (Aug 17, 2008)

Tubular fernco, tighten the hose clamp and then use channel locks on the hose clamp... 

I used to try tightening a touch before loosening.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

service guy said:


> Yeah, one time I had a monitor cap that was so badly frozen on, I had to cut it off with a sawzall and replace the trim along with the cartridge. I always grease the cap threads to save the next service plumber from a headache.:thumbsup:


:thumbup: Ive cut one loose before as well. Hate those Deltas


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## Mike Jessome (Aug 7, 2008)

I had a guy before try to change the line to pex in his house before and cut below the main shut off I actually laughed when I got the emergency call


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## Jake The Snake (Oct 28, 2008)

Remove handle, squirt wd-40 in front and around cap, tap,tap,tap, go out & organize truck for 10 min. go back in, tap,tap,tap, 9 times out of ten, comes right off


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