Cities We Serve
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Behind the Tile
The Part That Fails Is Usually the Part You Cannot See
Most tub and shower problems trace back to a handful of parts behind the wall or under the floor: the mixing valve that blends hot and cold, the diverter that sends water up to the shower head, the drain and overflow assembly, and the trap below them. When those wear out, you get a shower that runs lukewarm no matter what, a tub spout that keeps flowing while you shower, or a slow leak that shows up as a stain on the ceiling below or a soft spot in the hallway floor.
Radiant’s licensed plumbers work on all of it, across Austin, San Antonio and Central Texas. On repairs, we replace the worn cartridge, diverter or drain assembly and check that the valve is set so a flushed toilet elsewhere cannot send a scalding surge into the shower. On replacements, we handle the plumbing side of tub-to-shower conversions, new tub installs and full bathroom remodels, so the drain lands where the new fixture needs it and the valve is roughed in at the right height before the tile goes up.
Hard water shortens the life of every one of these parts, so we will always tell you if a softener would keep you from repeating the repair. And every job is priced in writing before we start and covered by the Home Comfort Guarantee.
- Valves, diverters and drains The three parts that cause most shower complaints, repaired with the correct cartridge or replaced when the body is done.
- Scald protection checked We set the anti-scald limit on the mixing valve so the shower stays safe when someone runs water elsewhere.
- Priced before we open the wall Accurate quote first, honored for 72 hours, with no hidden fees. You decide what happens next.
What to Watch For
Tub and Shower Warning Signs
Some of these are an annoyance. A couple are actively damaging the house while you decide.
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Shower will not get hot, or swings hot and cold
A worn mixing cartridge, a stuck pressure-balance spool or scale in the valve. If it is only this shower, the valve is the problem, not the water heater.
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Tub spout keeps running with the shower on
A failed diverter. You lose pressure at the head and waste hot water. Sometimes it is the spout, sometimes the valve behind the wall.
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Standing in water by the end of a shower
Hair and soap scum in the drain or trap. Chemical cleaners eat the seals; a plumber clears it without collateral damage.
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Ceiling stain or soft floor near the tub
A leaking drain shoe, overflow gasket or valve connection. The leak only runs while you bathe, which is why it hides for months.
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Drip from the shower head or spout when off
The valve cartridge is not sealing. On the hot side, that is heated water running to the drain around the clock.
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Handle is stiff, loose or spins
Scale in the cartridge or stripped splines on the stem. Forcing it can crack the valve body, which turns a cartridge into a wall repair.
What We Handle
Tub and Shower Plumbing, Repair Through Replacement
From a cartridge swap to the rough-in for a brand-new bathroom.
- Shower valve repair and replacement Cartridges, pressure-balance and thermostatic valves, and full valve replacement when the body is corroded or obsolete.
- Diverters and tub spouts Spout diverters, three-handle diverter stems and in-valve diverters, so all the water goes where you sent it.
- Tub and shower drains Clearing clogs, replacing drain shoes and overflow gaskets, and fixing the trap connections that leak into the ceiling below.
- Shower heads and handhelds Descaling or replacing heads, adding handheld sprayers and slide bars, and correcting the arm when it leaks at the wall.
- Bathtub installation Alcove, drop-in, freestanding and soaking tubs, with the drain, overflow and filler plumbed to fit the tub you chose.
- Tub-to-shower conversions Relocating the drain, adding a curbless or low-threshold pan and roughing in the new valve, coordinated with your tile contractor.
- Remodel rough-in Supply, drain and vent lines for new bathrooms and primary bath overhauls, inspected before the walls close.
- Hidden leak diagnosis Finding whether a stain comes from the valve, the drain, the pan or the supply before anyone opens tile or drywall.
How It Works
From the First Call to a Working Shower
Diagnosis first, price second, work third. Always in that order.
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Tell us what the shower or tub is doing
Temperature, flow, drainage, a leak or a project you are planning. We schedule a time that works, any day of the week.
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We test the valve, spout and drain
Checking temperature and flow at the head, the diverter, the drain speed and the area below for moisture, before anything is taken apart.
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You approve a written price
For a repair, a replacement or both options side by side. The quote is honored for 72 hours.
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We do the work and prove it
Full hot-and-cold test, scald limit set, drain timed, and the ceiling or cabinet below checked dry before we leave.
Current Specials
Save on the work your home needs most.
Shower Not Cooperating?
Licensed plumbers across Austin and San Antonio, 24/7, with a written price before the work starts.
What Our Customers Say
Don't just take our word for it — hear from our satisfied customers
★★★★★
I had Radiant Plumbing replace my tankless water heater, damaged in the Feb. 2021 snowmageddon storm with a new unit. The process was smooth and professional from start to finish. The plumber, James, was extremely knowledgeable and thoroughly explained my options to me. The cost and time to perform the installation were just as estimated. When he was done, James explained how to maintain the system, what service would be needed and how to perform it, and answered all of my engineering geek questions. It was a thoroughly positive experience. I have used several different plumbers in Austin over the past 15 yrs, but my search is over - I will not hesitate to call Radiant next time and would recommend them unreservedly.
8/9/23 Update: I have subsequently used Radiant for a toilet repair, faucet installation (Danny), and drain work (Ezekiel) and they have continued to impress with knowledgeable, friendly plumbers and quality work.
8/9/23 Update: I have subsequently used Radiant for a toilet repair, faucet installation (Danny), and drain work (Ezekiel) and they have continued to impress with knowledgeable, friendly plumbers and quality work.
★★★★★
We called Radiant Plumbing after we noticed a water leak in our kitchen. We were in a time crunch and they were able to schedule us quickly, before we left for vacation. They sent their representative, Preston Nichols, and he was excellent to deal with! He was on time, skillful, friendly, and very professional. It turned out to be a problem with our dishwasher but Preston was quick to diagnose it and set our minds at ease. While he was here, we mentioned that our one year-old water heater needed to be flushed. Preston was quick to take care of that, as well, saving us time and money in the process. Radiant charged us almost half the price another plumber quoted us for that service! While Radiant Plumbing isn’t our usual plumber, they gained a new customer. We won’t hesitate to call Radiant again in the future based on our VERY positive experience with them.
★★★★★
Had 3 different systems installed by them approx. 3 years ago for a total of approx $20k. I was quite happy with the install until the year later when they came for a maintenance call and started finding deficiencies in their own install. they wanted extra money to address those deficiencies. Now I am in the process of selling my home and an inspector has found a few items that need to be addressed and they will not even look at the report unless I schedule a $139.00 service call. Very poor customer service.. This company does not stand by their work and would not recommend.
I am revising my review of this business from 1 to 5 stars. After my original review I was contacted by the company's service manager and he made sure that I was taken care off. I had a team of 3 technicians coming to my house to double check the system and make the necessary adjustments. I was very satisfied by their attention to details and professionalism.
I am revising my review of this business from 1 to 5 stars. After my original review I was contacted by the company's service manager and he made sure that I was taken care off. I had a team of 3 technicians coming to my house to double check the system and make the necessary adjustments. I was very satisfied by their attention to details and professionalism.
Maintenance Membership
Join the Care Club
Home maintenance for $9.99 a month.
Care Club members get two HVAC tune-ups and a plumbing safety inspection every year, priority scheduling, no dispatch fees — ever — and 5% off every repair.
- Priority scheduling
- Seasonal HVAC tune-ups
- Annual safety inspection
- Exclusive member discounts
- Free dispatch on repairs
- No long-term contracts
Bathtub and Shower Questions
Why does my shower go scalding hot or ice cold when someone flushes a toilet?
Because the shower valve is not compensating for the pressure drop. When a toilet refills or a washer starts, cold-water pressure dips and a plain mixing valve lets the hot side take over. Modern pressure-balance and thermostatic valves have a spool or element that reacts to that change and keeps the mix steady. If yours used to do this and stopped, the balancing spool is likely stuck with scale, which is common with our hard water, and a new cartridge usually restores it. If the valve is an older two- or three-handle type with no balancing at all, replacing it with a pressure-balance valve is the real fix and a genuine safety upgrade for kids and older adults.
Can you convert my bathtub into a walk-in shower?
Yes. On the plumbing side, a conversion means moving the drain from the tub location to the center or edge of the new shower pan, sizing it correctly for a shower, roughing in a new valve at shower height and, if you want one, adding a handheld or a second head. In slab-on-grade homes, which is most of Austin and San Antonio, relocating the drain means opening a section of concrete, and we plan that route with you before demolition starts. We coordinate with your tile or remodel contractor so the plumbing is inspected before the pan and walls go in. Financing is available on larger projects through Service Finance Company.
How do I know if my shower valve is leaking inside the wall?
Look for signs on the other side of the wall the valve is mounted on: a stain, bubbling paint, a musty smell, or a soft baseboard in the closet or bedroom that backs the shower. From the shower side, water that seeps out around the trim plate or a handle that is always damp points to the valve body or its connections. Because the leak only runs when the shower is on, it can go unnoticed for a long time. We can confirm it by running the shower with the trim removed and checking the cavity, or with moisture readings on the far wall, before deciding whether the fix is a cartridge, a new valve or a small access opening.
Why does my tub drain so slowly, and is a chemical cleaner safe to use?
Tub drains slow down because hair catches on the stopper linkage and the crossbars in the drain, and soap scum and body oils glue it together. It builds from the top down, so the clog is usually within reach of the right tool. We would skip the chemical cleaners: they generate heat that can damage the overflow gasket and drain seals, they rarely dissolve a hair mat, and if they do not work you are left with a tub full of caustic water for the plumber to deal with. A drain strainer over the opening prevents most of it. If the tub, the toilet and the sink in that bathroom are all slow, the clog is further down the line and we treat it as a drain-line problem.
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