With stops or without--which do I need?

Hello -

I am about to order a rough for a thermostatic valve (excuse the wrong terms) and I have a choice of with or without stops. I live in a condo (glorified apartment building) and share water supply with 5 units. I have (or will have) shutoffs on the water supply in my unit after this remodel. So do I still need stops?

Of course, maybe I don't quite understand the purpose of stops...

Thank you very much!

I would opt for the valve with stops, this way if you have to service it you will not need to shut the main down to the condo.

Thank you for the reply.

I am installing shutoffs on my own water supply to the tub/shower so I won't have to turn off the main any more. It seems like with stops could be overkill, but maybe it's just extra insurance?

If you're going to add stops, then they aren' tthat much use. The advantage is they're right at the valve, and you may not need to remove a panel to shut it off while servicing the valve. The disadvantage is that they may not work by the time you need them.

stops

The majority of faucets can be serviced and repaired without removing the large trim plates. Therefore, unless told about them the servicing plumber will never even know the integral stops are there, so as long as there is a way to shut off the water without affecting other tenants you do not "need" them.

Thank you very much. I will go without then.

I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge and I love this forum--I have learned a lot! But still a long way to go.

-Casey