Temperature bar on shower stuck.

[LotKell]

I wonder if anyone is able to offer any advice please.

The temperature bar on our shower is stuck. We cannot twist it and it is stuck on cold at the moment.

Is it a fairly easy job just to replace the whole temperature bar or should I call a plumber in to do it for me ???

are you in a hard water area?

how old is it?

for some reason, bar shower mixers are cheaper, and not as good, as round ones.

it looks like yours has been fixed to a wall mounting adaptor bracket and will be easy to replace by new after turning the water off.

That's what I suggest.

Measure the distance between the centre of the two pipes that come out of the wall to be sure.

Thank you. Yes we are in a hard water area.
The shower is three years old.
Do I just turn water off at the mains, drain any remaining water in pipes and just unscrew old bar and screw new one on?
Does it matter if I replace with a round bar rather than a square one ?

It won't make a difference. Just make sure you check the centres of the pipes are the same. It should be 150mm as standard, but does vary occasionally. You can try and free it yourself otherwise. There will be a grub screw holding the protective/decorative cover on it, it will undo with a 1.5 or 2 allen key. Then if you have some grips, you can try turning the spindle back and forth to see if it will loosen

I’d just replace the lot. It’s a simple job (you can watch videos on how to do it on YouTube). As the others said first measure the distance of the pipes and buy one that fits that distance. I bought ours from screw fix (who are still delivering).

Great thanks that's what I thought but just wanted to check first !!!

On a side note, that shouldn't be happening with a 3 year old shower, so make sure you get a better shower. Bristan or Triton are generally good brands without the need to rob a bank. Also I may be a good idea to invest in a water softener or treatment. I would recommend a combimate www.combimate.co.uk/ as they are easy to get someone to install for you and you then can do the yearly upkeep yourself.

Is it worth descaling, just to check whether limes ale has caused to seize up, or is that not the problem?

@Muchlywrong
Unfortunately we can't really afford a new shower or a water softener at the moment. I agree tho it shouldn't have happened on a shower only three years old.

@PigletJohn
No don't think it is a limescale problem as it is stuck solid as if something has got in the way of it turning inside.

The water softener is something to look at further down the line. As I imagine like most, money is a real worry at the moment. If replacing the shower isn't an option, as I suggested, take the handle off the side and see if you can free it with a pair of grips. If you know the make of shower, then that will help with working out how to service it. Quite happy to talk you through a few ways to do it.

I know it's a stupid question to ask, but have you checked whether the temperature safety feature isn't just stopping it from turning? The grey button should just slide outwards to allow it to turn further towards hot if it's something you haven't tried?

@Muchlywrong
Thank you for your help. I may well get back to you in the next few days for more assistance !!

Yes it's definitely not the safety switch.