Recently purchased a home that had been idle for quite awhile. Hot water heater is new.
Have a no hot water in the shower problem and removed the screw stop and cleaned as recommended in one of your earlier blogs but can't get the center cartridge to budge. Feel it is the culprit because where I was getting no flow when turning all the way to hot, I now get a slight dribble out of the shower head. I get normal flow from the moment you initially start to rotate the knob and as it gets to the 3/4 point it starts to slow to a dribble when fully open. Water never warms though there is good hot water in the sink.

What's the trick for getting the cartridge to come out (have removed the washer and retaining ring)?

What brand is the shower valve? Post pic.

Hi Bob.

It sound like you have a MOEN Shower valve ("have removed the washer and retaining ring"). If this is the case, then repair parts may be under warranty (including shipping) by calling 1800BUYMOEN, and moen also sells a CARTRIDGE PULLER... available at most plumbing supply stores (about $35.00).

If this is not a moen valve, please supply the brand name as Harold asked for.

Thanks...

Mark

Some of the Moen shower valves also have a pressure balance spool that can effect the delivery of hot or cold water, especially after long periods of inactivity...

Thanks. Purchased a cartridge puller and after a few minutes of heavy straining got the sucker out. House was built in 1950 and this may be the first MOEN valve ever made (just kidding) but it had definitely been in there awhile (probably with no water around it). Rubber had deteriorated and was clogging the valve ports (both hot and cold) making cartridge extraction nearly impossible. Cleaned the ports, replaced the cartridge and have hot water. Joy, joy. Thanks much to all you experts for the advice.

Thank you for the update!