Shower plumbing

[Carnegie]

I want to change the mixer valve and fixed shower head on my shower, which has concealed plumbing. I have exposed the plumbing to show that the hot & cold supply (in plastic piping) comes up from under the floor and is correctly fixed to the mixing valve. The shower head supply then rises vertically from the valve but by-passes the shower head and disappears into the ceiling alongside which is another pipe which comes from the ceiling and affixes to the shower head. I cannot see into the ceiling to see where each pipes goes/comes from and, indeed, it may be the same pipe with just a bend in the ceiling? Above the ceiling is a tiled ceramic floor so I can't see from there. The shower works fine but takes a few seconds for the hot water to come thro' as you have to turn the handle a few times for hot to flow, which, I think, is normal.
The area around the rear of the shower head is very tight and has had to be cut out of a concrete lintel - the back of the shower is where a door used to be! I have an unvented pressurised water/heating system and can turn off hot supply to shower thro handle valve in cylinder cupboard and, likewise, the cold although this shuts most/all cold supply off. Because shower pipework is concealed behind tiles there are no isolating valves other than the two mentioned, in the cupboard.

Other than limited space, I cannot think why the shower head supply is not fixed directly from the mixing valve, rather than for it to go into/out of the ceiling before fixing to the head. I would appreciate any ideas, etc - I don't want to start altering the pipework & get a flood, etc when I turn on!!!.

Many thanks, in anticipation

 

[hammers4spanner]

morning

what shower valve is currently there (make)

what make are you putting in?

 

[Carnegie]

The shower head is made by Speakman and not sure the valve although the name 'Bensham Classic brassware' is printed on the valve handle

 

[PlumbBobBob]

can you put some pics up? they're worth a thousand words

 

[Carnegie]

Thanks, I'll try - I'm not too fussy about what replacements I'll use, if I can - thanks

 

[Carnegie]

Thanks, I'll try - I'm not too fussy about what replacements I'll use, if I can - thanks

1. Shower valve/handle with supplies in & single head supply out
2. Shower head - single pipe by-passes head & goes into ceiling (right hand pipe) 2nd pipe out (left) & to head
3.Rear of shower head - left pipe with bend goes into head - short piece of centre pipe only for screw fixing of unit to wall
4. Rear of mixing valve with pipe up towards shower head

 

[kay-jay]

i guess you will need to follow the pipe if you want to know where it goes. just looks like any old shower valve to me

 

[Carnegie]

i guess you will need to follow the pipe if you want to know where it goes. just looks like any old shower valve to me

Unfortunately I can't access the pipework from above because of a ceramic tiled floor - is there any 'plumbing reason' why the shower head supply pipe should be installed as mine i.e. not direct from valve to head? What would the supply pipe be connected to elsewhere for it to reurn to the shower head by another pipe - when you turn the mixer handle the water spray is immediate! Thanks

 

[Simon F]

possibly the pipework was sent up in the event that a shower rose be fitted from the ceiling???
who knows? could be that there is no logical reason for it.
Why not just disconnect the shower from the pipe and see what happens, the pipe might easily pull down?

 

[village idiot]

I have reason to believe the pipe can easily be disconnected and pulled off or removed.

 

[Carnegie]

possibly the pipework was sent up in the event that a shower rose be fitted from the ceiling???
who knows? could be that there is no logical reason for it.
Why not just disconnect the shower from the pipe and see what happens, the pipe might easily pull down?

Thanks Simon - as you say, although I'm not a plumber, there appears no logical reason and I may have to resort to your solution, disconnect & c what happens! Thanks for your interest

 

[Carnegie]

Thanks Simon - as you say, although I'm not a plumber, there appears no logical reason and I may have to resort to your solution, disconnect & c what happens! Thanks for your interest

Thank you to all who took the time & trouble to read my problem and look at the photos! I have, finally, managed to solve the mystery - I was able to remove the cover of the bathroom extractor fan and with the aid of a mirror on a pole and a bright torch, I could see that the shower head supply pipe went into the ceiling for about a foot and was then bent straight downwards to re-appear as the 'second pipe', to be fixed to the shower head - in other words it was the same pipe! I can only presume that it was installed this way because of space limitation accessing the rear of the shower head. I can now progress the new shower mechanism!
Again, thanks to all & what a great forum for someone like me, a non-expert plumber but a good/reasonable DIY'er! Really appreciated.

 

[Ray Stafford]

Thanks for coming back with the explanation.