Shower valve installations

[casademont]

I have a bathroom that's being renovated.

We've contracted a plumber to install a new shower, and they have embedded the shower valve in a solid brick wall, screwing it into the back of a chase and filling with cement so just the shower valves are visible.

From my reading this is against water regs. From a practical standpoint, how serious is this? If the valves are all accessible is it still serviceable / is the risk contained to a joint failure?

In your experiences, how frequent is this approach to installation / what are the consequences of covering the hot/cold inflow and outflows with cement?

Thanks!

 

[dilalio]

Photos?

 

[casademont]

@dilalio Does this help?

 

[Madrab]

Oh dear .... well bugger going out to fix that if it has an issue.

No self respecting plumber would make it that difficult to service the valves and pipework. Not best practice to bury all that in mortar, and certainly isn't the recommended practice when installing a concealed shower valve. Is it against water regs, well no-one is going to be beating your door down about it anytime soon.

 

[dilalio]

Doesn't look like it's been done with much care. Thread on the service port on the right has been filled with 'stuff' which will future service difficult. Is it neat cement? Not an issue covering inlets and outlets but not in cement - hardwall or bonding. Is it rapid cement so they could fix it in place quickly?
Looks rough to me, but I do my own making good.

 

[Pin 5]

Crosswater valve?

 

[casademont]

@dilalio Difficult to say if it's rapid cement. It's either that or sharp sand + cement, definitely not hardwall or bonding. Has set very hard. The piping underneath was covered with duck tape, I am not certain about the inlets.

Should I ask it to be corrected or would you live with this?

@Pin 5 Yes, Crosswater.

 

[dilalio]

Crosswater valve?

Definitely.

 

[dilalio]

Clean out the filter access so the threads are not full of cement. Other than that make them aware you're not overly impressed. Duct tape around the pipes is fine.

 

[Steelmasons]

Whether or not the shower mixer has been cemented in it makes little difference as the body would be inaccessible whichever way it was installed , unless of course access panels were installed behind the mixer.
All serviceable parts are accessible as are the iso valves so not worth worrying about.
Whichever way it's done without access panels at rear then tiles will have to be cut out to remove the body in any case.

 

[Madrab]

I presume it's all been run and tested before they filled it full of slap?

 

[terryplumb]

don't think you will have any chance of the valve becoming loose any time in the forseable future !!!!