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There are three main types of shower valves: pressure-balancing, thermostatic, and diverter. Pressure-balancing and thermostatic valves are both considered mixing valves because they regulate water flow and temperature, but they do so in different ways. A pressure-balancing valve senses changes in water pressure, such as from a flushing toilet, and adjusts the incoming hot and cold water to maintain a consistent temperature; these typically use a single knob. A thermostatic valve uses a thermostat to precisely control the water temperature and requires a separate control to adjust the water volume. A diverter valve directs the flow of water from one fixture to another, such as switching from a tub faucet to a showerhead in a tub-shower combination.

There are many reasons why water pipes leak. The most common reasons include clogs, broken rubber seals that deteriorate over time, corrosion on copper, brass, or galvanized pipes, and damaged pipe joints.

You might also have a leak if your water pressure is too high (usually higher than 60 psi) or if your fixtures have a crack. Moreover, natural changes in the area around your underground pipes, like growing tree roots, flooding, or earthquakes, can cause leaky water pipes.

Many parts of your plumbing system can fail, but clogged drains are one of the biggest plumbing problems you’ll likely encounter. From your kitchen sink, bathroom sink, or bathtub, there are plenty of opportunities for gunk, hair, food scraps, and more to get stuck in drains. When this happens, water will slowly drain, leading to standing water, bad odors, drain flies, and other issues.

Many homeowners can handle a minor clog themselves, but if you have a clog in your main line, you’re best off hiring a local plumber to get the drain back to its normal flow rate.

You can use a stud finder or wall scanner to detect plumbing behind a wall. A stud finder can help detect metal plumbing pipes. Or, you can use a wall scanner, a special tool that many pros use to detect pipes when water is running. Make sure a faucet is on nearby to get the water flowing before you fire up the wall scanner.