A La Mesa shower that drips, shifts temperature or has a handle that sticks usually needs new valve parts, and in older homes sometimes a new valve. Hard, chloraminated water and decades of use wear the seals and cartridge. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in La Mesa.
Telltale signs
- The showerhead keeps dribbling after the handle is off
- You get a jolt of heat when the dishwasher fills
- Hot and cold handles that must be cranked hard to close
- The handle turns all the way and the water is still lukewarm
- A stain spreading on the ceiling under an upstairs bath
Why La Mesa showers wear the way they do
La Mesa has one of the older housing stocks in East County. The median home was built around 1970, so many bathrooms still hold an original two-handle valve or an early single-handle unit, sometimes behind tile that has been redone around it. Two-handle compression valves use washers and seats that can be renewed. Some early single-lever brands have no parts left, which turns a quick fix into a full valve change.
The water adds wear. Helix Water District serves the city, and its report puts its treated plant water at an average of about 12 grains per gallon of hardness. Calcium settles on cartridge discs and seats, and the chloramines Helix uses in its pipes can stiffen rubber over time. A valve that drips today has usually been working against both for years.
What affects the cost
- Rebuild or replace: washers, seats or a cartridge cost far less than a new valve body soldered in.
- Old supply pipe: in homes of this age, the pipe behind the valve may be galvanized or old copper, and fittings sometimes need replacing too.
- Getting into the wall: a closet behind the shower is easier to open than tile.
- Trim: a new valve may need a matching handle and plate.
- Permits: the City of La Mesa Building Division says simple fixture repair or replacement normally does not need a permit, while changes to the existing system may. Call 619.667.1176 to confirm for valve work.
What happens when you call
You will reach an independent plumber who serves La Mesa. Tell them the symptom, the number of handles, and roughly how old the bathroom is. If the shower is running nonstop, close the house shutoff first. Helix handles problems on its side of the meter at 619-466-0585. A drip that has just started can usually wait for a scheduled visit; water reaching a ceiling or wall should not.
Shower Valve Repair questions in La Mesa
What kind of shower valve does an older house here usually have?
Is a permit needed to replace a shower valve here?
The shower keeps dripping after I turn it off. Is that the valve?
How can I tell whether the valve is leaking inside the wall?
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