Shower valves, magnets, containing pipe dope spills

Tool Tips — March 2014

Removing shower valve cartridge

Anyone in the plumbing business knows how difficult it can be to remove the diverter/flow control cartridge on the Symmons S96 shower valve. This is especially true if you live outside a city where the water quality is not very good and the valve has been in for a long time.

My son came up with this great idea. He took a metal drill bit that is just under the size of the opening where the diverter is inserted and, with a cordless variable-speed drill, he slowly removed the plastic diverter by shredding it to pieces. On the last part, he put the drill in reverse and out came the rest of it. Then he flushed it out by turning on the valve, greased up the new part and it was done.

John H. Tripler
John H. Tripler Plumbing and Heating
Block Island, R.I.

Magnets and multimeters

I attached a small magnet to the back of my multimeter. When I am troubleshooting the wiring of a boiler or furnace, the meter can be placed in many convenient places and is easy to read. Also, when the meter is closer, the leads are better able to reach the terminals I am testing.

Joe Gosselin
Queen City Plumbing & Heating
Manchester, N.H.

Containing pipe dope spills

When working under a kitchen sink, I have gotten into the habit of putting all my tools and fittings in the bottom of a kitchen sink faucet box. The box has a 1-in. lip around it and is great for catching pipe dope and ABS cement spills. If a spill happens, it is contained and easily disposed of, saving time, money and embarrassment.

Bruce Borkowski
Borkowski Plumbing
Coleman, Wis.

Send Us Your Tool Tips

If you have an idea that has saved you time and money, Plumbing & Mechanical would like to share your tip with our readers.The first-place winner each month will receive a RIDGID Prize Package worth $200. Read here for more details.