Finally got that stuck shower valve out after 4 hours of wrestling

Spent all Saturday trying to replace a single handle shower valve in my 1998 house. The thing was seized up so bad I snapped two wrenches before I finally used a torch to heat the fitting just enough. Turned a 30 minute swap into a 4 hour nightmare but at least the water is hot again. Anyone else run into plumbing that seems welded together from the 90s?

3 comments

3 Comments

willow11413d ago

Dude those 90s fittings are the absolute worst, had to cut one out with a sawzall once.

josephbutler13d ago

Respectfully, I kind of disagree with you on that. The 90s fittings were tight but once you figure out the trick of a good torch and some patience they usually come loose without cutting. I've pulled more of those out of walls than I can count and a sawzall always felt like a last resort to me.

blake69113d ago

Torch is the only way honestly. I tried PB Blaster, impact driver, even stood on the wrench while holding the tub spout with channel locks. Nothing moved until I hit it with a propane torch for about 90 seconds and then it practically unscrewed by hand. My wife thought the house was on fire with the smoke coming out of the wall but sometimes you gotta pay to play lol. That 90s plumbing was built different, like the pipes were welded together at the factory.