How to Gear up a Leaky Shower Faucet

You don't have to replace the whole faucet only to fix a drip.

Fourth dimension

An hour or less

Complexity

Beginner

Cost

$51–100

Introduction

Repair a shower faucet that won't shut off. Most unmarried-handle, cartridge-manner faucets can be repaired in an hr or less with bones tools.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Cartridge
  • Plumber's grease

Identifying a cartridge-style faucet

Cartridge

Cartridge family handyman

Shower valve cartridge replacement

To gear up a leaking shower head, supersede the old cartridge with an identical new one. In this commodity, we'll focus on fixing a cartridge-style faucet with a shower valve cartridge replacement. Cartridge valves have a single handle and operate when the cartridge slides in and out. Don't confuse them with single-handle ball-style faucets, which accept a dome-shaped casing under the handle.

We won't deal with two-handle faucets hither, which may be either a stem-type valve or ceramic disc valve. Learn more than near shower faucet cartridge replacement in the following steps.

Projection step-past-pace (4)

Step ii

Remove the handle screw, then the handle

screw

Loosen and remove the handle screw. Pull off the handle and set it aside. Turn off the water at the fixture shutoff valves or at your home's main valve. Turn on a faucet to make sure information technology's off. Remove the handle every bit shown in Photos 1 and ii. If the handle sticks, endeavor heating it with a hair dryer assault "hot". If you still tin't get it off, employ a special handle puller—an cheap tool bachelor from plumbing parts distributors or domicile centers.

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Footstep iii

Pull the cartridge

Pry up the retaining clip

Pry

Pull off the finish tube. Pry up the cartridge retaining prune with a small screwdriver or awl. Remove the handle washer and so twist the cartridge stem loose and pull it out with pliers.

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Step four

You may need a cartridge puller

puller

If it's stuck, use a special cartridge puller. Unscrew the hex screw and hex nut until threads are visible. Slide the puller over the cartridge stem, aligning the tool ears with the cartridge notches, and twist to loosen. Virtually every faucet manufacturer has a dissimilar method of securing the cartridge to the faucet torso. Await for a clip or jump and remove it (Photo 3). Cartridges are often difficult to pull out. Some manufacturers include a removal cap with new cartridges. Align the cap with the old cartridge ears and endeavor to twist the cartridge loose. Then pull information technology out with pliers.

If you can't budge the old cartridge, yous'll demand a cartridge puller. Make sure the ane you lot buy works on your make of faucet. Look on the handle or trim for the faucet make or manufacturer. A knowledgeable person at a plumbing parts shop may be able to identify the brand and model from a photograph. Review Photos 4 and v for instructions on using a cartridge puller. Make sure y'all twist the cartridge loose before pulling it out (Photograph 4). Take the sometime cartridge with yous to a plumbing parts store or a home eye to detect an exact replacement.

Install the new cartridge

Turn the hex screw past hand until information technology bottoms out. Snug up the hex nut past paw and tug on the cartridge puller handle. If the cartridge won't pull out, hold the puller handle steady and tighten the hex nut ii full turns. Pull the cartridge out of the faucet torso. Buy an identical replacement cartridge, marshal it properly and reassemble the parts.

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Originally Published: March xviii, 2022