Stiff shower valve - how to proceed?

[Jennie]

Hi all,

My customer has a Mira Gem 88 mixer shower. It's 12 years old, and has recently become tight to turn (most likely scaled up). It runs from a combi boiler, and has isolation valves on the pipework.

How best to proceed? (I'm new to shower repairs).

I suppose my options are:

1-Take it apart and soak the cartridge overnight in white vinegar, and see if that frees it up
2- Replace the cartridge (costs about £90 for the cartridge)
3- Replace the entire mixer shower (about £181)

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts,

Cheers,

Jennie

 

[Chalked]

I think it's a plastic cartridge. So impossible to clean.

I would just replace the cartridge.

 

[townfanjon]

12 years , my vote is to change the lot

 

[ShaunCorbs]

strip down and re grease and new cartridge

 

[moonlight]

New cartridge best option, and a good clean inside the valve.

 

[Paulplumb]

As townfanjon suggests replace. You could try calling Mira and seeing how much a fixed price repair will be. Ive found they can often do the repair cheaper than i can buy the bits for. Their number is 01242 262888

 

[moonlight]

National shower spares. Not too bad for price. Quick delivery. Don't know what your merchants would charge

 

[jtsplumbing]

Cartridge replacement is best option ! but depends what customer wants to spend !!

 

[Welder]

Whilst it's occasionally possible to descale a cartridge the cost involved should it not work is difficult to justify as it's not guaranteed. By far and away the best option is to buy a replacement cartridge. Just make sure it's a real Mira and not a fake and be sure to properly clean up around the entry ports.