Installation

You can use a strap wrench. But you still need to be careful not to scratch or bend the part.

Why, yes. It so happens we do. In order for both units to function properly, you’ll need to take the pressure balancing cartridge and flip it 180 degrees. Flipping the cartridge will reverse the hot and cold water supply lines, causing the faucet to work like a traditional hot/cold unit. You might also need to flip the cartridge to correct a hot/cold reversal (in case the supply lines were somehow connected to the incorrect sides of the valve).

Here are the steps to follow in reversing the operation of your faucet.

1. Before you begin, make sure that you shut off the water supply to the faucet.
2. Remove the handle. A clear knob will have a Phillips head screw located just under the plastic cap (which you can pop off with a flathead screwdriver). A lever handle usually has a small set screw located on its side.
3. Slide off the finished metal (chrome, polished brass, white or almond) sleeve that covers the valve.
4. Next, you’ll need to remove the bonnet nut. (It looks like a large brass ring.) You should be able to unscrew it by hand. But if it’s on too tight, wrap a towel around it (to protect the finish from scratches) and try rotating the nut counterclockwise (lefty-loosey) with a pair of channel lock pliers. But make sure that the entire valve body doesn’t start rotating when you do this. You don’t want that.
5. Don’t pry the valve cartridge out of the body with a screwdriver. Place the handle on the cartridge stem and rotate it counterclockwise approximately 1/4 turn after the stop has been contacted. Remove the handle. Grasp the brass stem in the center of the white plastic assembly and pull it directly out, away from the wall. The valve cartridge should slide out of the body.
6. Reinstall the cartridge after rotating the entire unit 180 degrees. Make sure that the raised plastic stop, marked "HOT", is on the right side of the valve.
7. Reattach the bonnet nut, trim sleeve, and handle.

Nothing makes you feel worse than inadvertently scalding a family member, roommate or guest. So here are some safety tips for you to observe with your shower.

1. To avoid dangerously hot temperatures, make sure your water heater is set at 120° F or below.
2. Install a pressure balance tub and shower valve.
3. Set the valve’s adjustable rotational limit stop to prevent the temperature handle from being turned to dangerously hot levels.
4. Test the tub/shower water with your hand before bathing.

We’re going to go out on a limb here and guess that you have an Americast sink by American Standard. To allow it to grip, you’ll need to put plumbers cloth between the bottom of the sink and the bracket. If we guessed wrong, and you have another brand of sink, try cleaning between the sink and bracket to get a good surface. Once you’ve got that, just tighten down on the bracket nut.

Some would blame mischievous water gremlins. But not us. We would theorize that mineral deposits have built up around the spool and sleeve (the part of the Scald-Guard pressure balance valve that blends the hot and cold water). And a buildup like that could interfere with the valve’s proper operation. To solve this problem, follow the steps below (based on your model).

Tools you may need before starting:

1. Shut off the water supply.
2. Remove the handle.
3. Twist and pull sleeve to remove it.
4. Unscrew brass bonnet nut.
5. Remove the cartridge.
6. Soak the cartridge in a solution of 50% vinegar and 50% water for 24 hours. This should remove any mineral deposits.
7. Re-install cartridge and other parts, cross fingers, and test.

NOTE: Unless both the hot and cold water supplies are turned on, the pressure balance valve will allow only a dribble of water to flow through the valve.

Good question. Plumbers typically flush the pipes before completing work on your home. Nonetheless, a small amount of debris may be flushed out of your pipe system during the first few days of faucet use. In addition, particles of solder, copper chips, Teflon® tape and other installation materials can get caught in aerators and showerheads. Occasionally, a chip might damage the valve seat that provides the watertight seal. The tips below will help you avoid problems like this. These procedures are a good idea to follow each time the water has been turned off for repairs in your home.

TO FLUSH A KITCHEN OR LAVATORY FAUCET:

1. First, place a towel over the drain so nothing falls down it. Next, remove the faucet’s aerator, unscrewing it by hand. You should also remove the black sealing gasket above it.
   
2. Turn the faucet handles to full on hot and cold mixed positions, and flush the lines for two minutes before turning the water back off.
3. Replace the aerator and sealing gasket.

TO FLUSH A TUB / SHOWER FAUCET:

1. Remove the showerhead (if applicable).
   
2. Turn the handles to full on hot and cold mixed positions.
3. Flush the spout for two minutes without moving the handles.
4. If you have a showerhead, divert water to it and flush it for two minutes. BE SAFE! Make sure the cold water flows FIRST, and that the rotational handle limit stop is properly set. See information on setting the adjustable limit stop.
5. Replace the showerhead.

If problems persist, flush the faucet and lines using these instructions:

1. Turn off the water supplies to both hot and cold.
   
2. Remove all internal components.
3. Turn the water supplies back on and let the water run for 30-60 seconds. (For kitchen and lavatory faucets, turn a bucket or similar large container upside down over your faucet to deflect the water into the sink.)
4. Turn the water supplies off again.
5. Reassemble the faucet.
6. Turn the water supplies back on.

You mean, besides a godsend? A Scald-Guard valve is a Peerless^® shower valve feature that keeps you and your family safe from dangerous water temperature fluctuations in your shower and bath. These fluctuations may occur when a toilet is flushed, or when an appliance (a dishwasher, say) is turned on at the same time the shower is being used. When set correctly, the Scald-Guard valve will maintain your water temperatures within a pleasing ±3° F range (when the inlet water temperature is set correctly).

The adjustable rotational limit stop found on Peerless® valves allows you to set a maximum hot water temperature for water flowing out of the tub/shower. When set correctly, this safety feature will ensure that the handle in your tub/shower faucet never rotates beyond the set level—resulting in a safe bathing temperature.

It may need to be readjusted if the inlet water temperatures change. For example, during the winter, the cold water temperature is colder than it is during the summer, which could result in varying outlet temperatures. Typical temperatures for a comfortable bath or shower range from 90° F to 110° F.

See information on adjusting the rotational limit stop.

Some common tools include:

• Basin wrench
• Adjustable wrench
• Silicone sealant (we used to recommend Plumber's Putty, but now we don’t. No disrespect intended to plumbers.)
• Teflon^® tape
• Channel lock pliers
• Screwdriver (both Phillips and slotted)
• Flashlight

To make sure you have all the necessary tools, please refer to the Maintenance & Installation Sheet that came with your faucet. Incidentally, if you ever want to sound like an insider by dropping an acronym, you can refer to this as an "M&I Sheet." We do that, all the time. Because we’re insiders.

If you need a Maintenance & Installation Sheet for your faucet, visit the Support Information Search on this site to find installation and maintenance instructions for your specific model.

You can call us here at 1-800-438-6673 Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. CST or Click here to send a message directly to Customer Service. If you're reading this on Sunday, keep exploring this FAQ list. We've tried to put all the answers on here. And if you still can't find help, go wash your hands at the neighbors' house and call us on Monday.

Because we’re so darned modest. No, seriously, it’s because you’ve put it on backwards. No worries, though. This is easy to correct.

To correct an uninstalled faucet:

• Rotate the spout 180 degrees so the Peerless® name appears below the spout.

To correct an installed faucet:

• Shut the water off at the water supplies.
• Disconnect the faucet and remove it from the sink.
• Rotate the spout 180 degrees so the Peerless® name appears below the spout and it faces toward the sink.
• Reinstall the faucet.

We suspect your plumbing is suffering from a condition called "shower-rise," in which the water can’t get out of the spout as fast as it flows through the valve. This causes water to back up and come out the showerhead. There can be one of several reasons for this kind of nonsense:

1. The valve could be upside down
2. The length from the valve to the tub spout might be outside the 8" to 18" rule
3. There is more than one 90-degree angle
4. Something other than copper or galvanized pipe was used going to the spout
5. But the most common reason is that something is limiting the water flow to the spout. Solder, possibly, or something lodged in the pipe. Anyway, something is blocking the flow of water to the spout, causing it to back up and go out the showerhead instead.

If this is the cause of shower-rise, you can remove the blockage by first removing the tub spout; and then by feeding a plumber’s snake or speedometer cable up through the tub drop. The act of feeding the snake or cable will cause it to twirl and loosen the blockage. Be sure to flush the valve before reinstalling the tub spout—and also check for blockage in the tub spout itself.

If that didn’t do the trick, you may need to call a plumber. After the shower had been installed and the wall has been closed, there’s not a whole lot you can do to fix the first four possibilities yourself.