What words are more discriptive than, "What is the life of a shower faucet stem?"? A qualified service person replaced the hot water shower valve stem in May of this year. This a.m. I was unable to turn the water off. When I used a towel for a better grip, I was finally successful. Now, I am afraid to turn the hot water back on for fear it will react in the same manner. I fear calling my landlord, as he is grouchy, and seemingly blames me for the problem. If anyone can give me a helpful suggestion, I would greatly appreciate the input. Thank you for allowing me this forum.

What'sthe brand name of your shower valve? One handle or two knobs? Did this just happen suddenly or get harder to turn gradually? Let me know, Tom