How to Gear up a Leaky Shower Faucet

You don't have to supervene upon the whole faucet merely to fix a drip.

Time

An hour or less

Complication

Beginner

Cost

$51–100

Introduction

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

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Cartridge
  • Plumber'due south grease

Identifying a cartridge-style faucet

Cartridge

Cartridge family handyman

Shower valve cartridge replacement

To ready a leaking shower head, replace the old cartridge with an identical new ane. In this article, 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 have a dome-shaped casing under the handle.

Nosotros won't deal with ii-handle faucets here, which may be either a stem-type valve or ceramic disc valve. Larn more about shower faucet cartridge replacement in the post-obit steps.

Project stride-by-footstep (4)

Step 2

Remove the handle screw, then the handle

screw

Loosen and remove the handle screw. Pull off the handle and fix it bated. Plow off the water at the fixture shutoff valves or at your home's master valve. Turn on a faucet to brand sure it's off. Remove the handle equally shown in Photos 1 and 2. If the handle sticks, try heating it with a hair dryer assail "hot". If you still can't go it off, use a special handle puller—an cheap tool available from plumbing parts distributors or dwelling centers.

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Step 3

Pull the cartridge

Pry upwardly the retaining clip

Pry

Pull off the terminate tube. Pry upwardly the cartridge retaining clip with a small screwdriver or awl. Remove the handle washer and and then twist the cartridge stem loose and pull it out with pliers.

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Step iv

You may need a cartridge puller

puller

If it'south stuck, use a special cartridge puller. Unscrew the hex spiral 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 different method of securing the cartridge to the faucet body. Look for a clip or spring and remove information technology (Photograph 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 try to twist the cartridge loose. So pull information technology out with pliers.

If y'all tin't budge the old cartridge, yous'll demand a cartridge puller. Make sure the one y'all buy works on your brand of faucet. Look on the handle or trim for the faucet brand or manufacturer. A knowledgeable person at a plumbing parts shop may exist able to place the brand and model from a photo. Review Photos 4 and 5 for instructions on using a cartridge puller. Make sure you twist the cartridge loose before pulling it out (Photo 4). Accept the old cartridge with you lot to a plumbing parts store or a dwelling house middle to find an exact replacement.

Install the new cartridge

Turn the hex screw by paw until it bottoms out. Snug upwardly the hex nut by mitt and tug on the cartridge puller handle. If the cartridge won't pull out, agree the puller handle steady and tighten the hex nut ii total turns. Pull the cartridge out of the faucet trunk. Buy an identical replacement cartridge, align information technology properly and reassemble the parts.

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