Shower Valve Repair in Mentone, CA

Mentone at a glance

Mentone is an unincorporated foothill community east of Redlands, on the south bank of the Santa Ana River, with SR-38 running through it as Lugonia Avenue, Mentone Boulevard and Mill Creek Road. Its north-south streets are named for gemstones. The City of Redlands has provided water to the Redlands and Mentone area for more than 90 years. Some unincorporated parcels receive Redlands water and sewer through out-of-agency service agreements approved case by case, so service can vary by address. Redlands water blends Mill Creek and Santa Ana River surface water, treated in part at the Hinckley plant north of Mentone, with groundwater from wells in Redlands, Mentone and Yucaipa, plus State Water Project water when needed. The provider's water quality report lists Mentone's hardness, and supplies like this do leave mineral deposits that slowly roughen cartridges.

Repair or replace

Signs to look for

• A drip or trickle after the handle is off
• Temperature shifts when another fixture runs
• A handle that grinds or spins without effect
• Staining or soft drywall near the shower

Timing and seasonal notes

As a foothill community, Mentone sees colder winter mornings than much of the valley, and a worn hot limit stop shows up then as a shower that never quite gets hot. Exposed pipes in garages or on outside walls can also get very cold, which slows warm-up at the shower. A drip can wait for a scheduled visit; a shower that will not shut off cannot, so close the house shutoff. Because Mentone is unincorporated San Bernardino County and the permit office depends on the job, check with San Bernardino County about whether a valve replacement needs a permit. Your plumber can help with that question. Older Mentone homes may also have aging supply piping at the valve, and its condition becomes clear once the trim and cartridge are out.