Sediment in your bathtub faucet's cartridge can come from a broken city water line.
Sediment can get into your water system after a water outage or a line break in your area. The introduction of large amounts of sediment can cause your toilets, sinks and bathtubs to flow slowly because of the obstructions in the water's pathway. If your bathtub uses a cartridge system, the sediment can become stuck in the cartridge, making it necessary to clean it out. If you are unable to clean the cartridge, though, you will need to replace it with a new one.
Instructions
1. Close the house's main water valve to shut off water to the bathtub. If you do not want to shut off the water in the entire home, you can turn the handles in the access panel on the wall behind the faucet all the way off to cut the water flow, if there is a panel.
2. Remove the water control handle by undoing the screw either in the middle of the handle or down at the base of the handle. If the handle does not slide off after you remove the screw, use a handle remover tool to pry it off the valve stem.
3. Unscrew the escutcheon and any adapters or other pieces that cover the cartridge. Pull the cartridge out of the stem and submerse it in a dish of warm white vinegar overnight.
4. Wipe the cartridge down with a clean paper towel, then reassemble the faucet handle in the reverse order you took it apart. Turn the water to the bathtub back on, then run the water at full blast to ensure the cartridge works.
5. Unscrew the p-trap from the bottom of the faucet and dump out any sediment you find inside. If the faucet still has low water pressure, replace the cartridge with a new one.
Tags: clean, sediment, bathtub, faucet, cartridge, shut water, water bathtub, your bathtub
