Before and after
What the customer called about
A Broken Arrow homeowner called because the hallway tub and shower only ran hot.
What our plumber found
The valve was a discontinued Kohler Fairfax tub and shower valve. Since the part is no longer made, the valve itself had to be replaced inside the wall.
How we fixed it
We cut the drywall on the back side of the wall to get to the valve, so the tile stayed untouched. We removed the old valve and installed a new Delta 1400 series tub and shower valve, connecting onto the existing copper lines with PEX, and installed a chrome trim kit. The homeowner's shower head and wand combo stayed in place. Then we turned the water on and tested for proper operation.
Keeping the shower head and changing the valve
Trystan and Kagen were assigned to the replacement visit. The affected fixture was the hallway tub and shower, and the customer's reported symptom was that it only delivered hot water. The valve was identified as a discontinued Kohler Fairfax. The replacement scope was therefore focused on the valve inside the wall, not on replacing the tub, the tile surround or every fixture in the bathroom.
The access plan was to cut the sheetrock on the back of the wall to reach the old valve. The existing water lines were copper. The new Delta 1400 series tub and shower valve would be connected to those existing lines with PEX and the appropriate transition fittings. A chrome trim kit would finish the new valve on the shower side.
The material notes list three half-inch press adapters, a half-inch press elbow, two half-inch expansion elbows, ten half-inch expansion rings and PEX pipe. The new tub and shower valve and chrome trim kit are also specifically identified. These details tie the visible trim replacement to the less visible connection work behind the wall.
The homeowner already had a combination shower head and handheld wand. The scope explicitly said that this existing shower head would remain. The job was not an opportunity to replace working accessories unnecessarily: the new control valve and trim could be installed while keeping the shower head and wand combination the homeowner already used.
The final step in the work description was to turn the water back on and test for proper operation after the valve, connections and trim were installed. The start and completion timestamps fall on October 15, 2026. They do not establish the age of the house or the original valve, so those details are not being guessed.
For this home, the important distinction was between the visible shower accessories and the valve that controlled the water behind the wall. Keeping the existing shower head did not mean leaving the failed control in place. The documented work replaced that control, adapted it to the existing copper supply lines and retained the accessory that did not need replacement.
What this means for your home
When a shower runs only hot or only cold and the cartridge for your valve is discontinued, replacing the valve is the fix. Getting to it from the back of the wall can save the tile.
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Straight Answers
Why does my shower only run hot?
On this job the old tub and shower valve had failed, and its parts were discontinued, so we replaced the valve.
Do you have to tear out tile to replace a shower valve?
Not always. On this job we reached the valve by cutting the drywall on the back side of the wall.
Can a new shower valve connect to old copper lines?
Yes. On this job we connected the new valve onto the existing copper lines with PEX.
