[docmattman]

I have a roughed in shower with a temperature valve and a pressure valve. I have all the plumbing in place and soldered. I turned the water on with all the pipes capped off.

I found there is a tiny leak in a joint between the two valves. I want to re-solder that joint, but I can't get the water out of the pipes. The shower is on the second floor of the house. I turned the main water off to the house. Then I went to the bathroom below the shower and flushed the toilet and ran the sinks until the water stopped flowing to drain the pipes.

The problem is that there is still water in the shower pipes so I can't re-solder the joint. Is there maybe something in the valves that only allows one-way flow of water? Any advice on getting the water out of the shower pipes to fix the leak?

 

[Mike Swearingen]

Switch the diverter back to the tub spout.
Mike

 

[docmattman]

I don't have a tub. It's just a shower stall.

 

[bob22]

uncap on or more of your capped lines to break the vacuum preventing the water from draining.

 

[docmattman]

I did try that. I thought it worked but, I went to re-solder and the heat started pushing hot water out of the shower head ear opening. So it seems that there is still some water left in the pipes. I don't understand how, but it that definitely seems to be the case.

 

[bob22]

have you opened the shower valves all the way? Might try using lung power to blow air through topmost pipe to get it to exit below.

 

[docmattman]

Yea, the shower valves are opened. I'll try blowing it out manually to see if that will do it.

 

[plumberinlaw]

shop vac, turn off water. open hot and cold in basement or first floor, duct tape shop vac to shower arm. No check valves in shower valve.

 

[docmattman]

I noticed that the valve had a downward outlet for a tub that was thread-capped. I was able to get a wrench and unscrew it which let all the water out. Then I was able to solder and screw the cap back on. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[bob22]

Glad it worked out for you.