On 6/7/2011 12:24 PM, Jimmy wrote:
wrote:
I had a 10 year old Kohler "Rite-Temp" shower valve which became much
more noisy as it aged. I eventually replaced it both because it was so
noisy and also because it no longer maintained the set-point for the
temperature I chose.

When I opened the damaged, older valve up after replacing it with a new
one, it was obvious why it was so noisy. A rubber diaphragm inside had
worn-out / ruptured, allowing the torn pieces to flap back and forth,
making the water flow very turbulent.

The new valve solved the problem.

Perhaps a valve replacement is all you need? Can your landlord be
contacted with a complaint?
Thanks. That's the kind of thing I suspect might be the problem. (By
the way, if it's the same as my apartment, it's an American Standard
single-handle valve, about 25 years old.)

It's condos. I'd be happy to pay for a new valve even though it's my
neighbor's pipes. But part of the problem is his early schedule. He
had to be several hours late to work to be there for the plumber's
first appointment of the day. It took several months for us to
arrange that meeting.

And now that this plumber said there's nothing that can be done, I
might have trouble convincing him to have us get a second opinion.

Jimmy
Can't really be sure if your neighbor's issue is the same as mine, and
worse yet, it may cost hundreds of dollars to replace the valve, only to
find that the new valve is as noisy as the original. Sound deadening
insulation may, as was previously suggested, be a much safer and more
effective solution.

In any event, good luck!