Shower faucet dripping

How a shower valve works

Most single-handle shower faucets control both the flow and the temperature with a cartridge, a plastic or brass part that sits in a valve body inside the wall. Rubber seals and O-rings on the cartridge, or on the seats and springs at the back of the valve on many Delta faucets, wear out and collect mineral scale. Once they stop sealing completely, water seeps past and drips from the shower head or tub spout.

Older faucets with separate hot and cold handles use compression stems instead. Turning the handle drives a rubber washer onto a brass seat, and over time the washer hardens and the seat gets rough. Either way, the fix happens at the valve behind the handle, not at the shower head. A drip only at the shower head's threads is a different problem.

Why shower faucets drip

Let's fix it

1. Make sure it's the valveRun the shower, turn it off and wait. Dripping that stops within a few minutes is water draining from the shower head, which is normal. A steady drip that keeps going, or a trickle from the tub spout, means the valve isn't sealing. Look on the handle or trim plate for a brand name, and take a photo of the whole faucet.
   Done

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2. Shut off the waterIf there's an access panel on the other side of the wall with shutoffs, close them. Otherwise close the main water shutoff for now; many valves also have built-in shutoff screws on each side that you can close once the trim plate is off in Step 4. Open the faucet to drain the line and confirm the water is off, and put a rag in the drain so small parts can't fall in.
   Done

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3. Take off the handlePry off the decorative cap if there is one, then remove the screw under it, or loosen the small set screw on the underside of the handle with an Allen wrench. Pull the handle straight off. Take a photo at each step so you can put it back the same way.
   Done

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4. Remove the trim plateUnscrew the trim plate, also called the escutcheon, and pull it away from the wall. Cut through any caulk around it first with a utility knife. Slide off any sleeve or stop tube over the valve. With the valve exposed, close the built-in shutoffs if your valve has them.
   Done

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5. Release the retaining clip or nutLook at how the cartridge is held in. Many Moen valves use a U-shaped metal clip at the top of the valve that you pull out with pliers; many Delta valves use a bonnet nut you unscrew; others use a brass retaining nut. Before going further, note or photograph which way the cartridge stem faces, since it has to go back the same way.
   Done

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6. Pull out the cartridgeGrip the cartridge stem with pliers and pull it straight out, rocking gently. Mineral buildup can hold it tight; a cartridge puller made for your brand pulls it without damaging the valve body. Don't twist hard on the valve body inside the wall. On Delta valves, use a small screwdriver to lift out the rubber seats and springs at the back of the valve too, since they're often the actual cause of the drip.
   Done

   Something went wrong?

   • The cartridge won't budge Use the brand's cartridge puller instead of twisting with pliers, which can crack the valve body.

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7. Install the exact replacementTake the old cartridge to the store or order by the faucet's model, and buy the exact match; on Delta valves, replace the seats and springs as well. Coat the O-rings lightly with silicone faucet grease, line the new cartridge up the same way as the old one, and push it in until it's fully seated. Reinstall the clip or nut.
   Done

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8. Replace washers and seats on two-handle faucetsOn a faucet with separate hot and cold handles, remove each handle and trim, then unscrew the stem with a deep shower valve socket. Replace the rubber washer on the end of the stem and its brass screw. Look into the valve at the brass seat; if it's pitted or rough, remove it with a seat wrench and install a matching new one, or a new washer will wear out fast.
   Done

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9. Turn the water on and testOpen the shutoffs or main slowly and check for leaks at the valve. Run the shower and check that hot and cold are on the right sides; if they're reversed, the cartridge needs to be rotated, often half a turn, per the maker's instructions. Check or set the rotational limit stop so the hottest setting can't scald, following the faucet's instructions. Put the trim and handle back on and confirm there's no drip after 10 minutes.
   Done

   Something went wrong?

   • Hot and cold are reversed Pull the cartridge and rotate it, often half a turn, then reinstall it.
   • It still drips with a new cartridge On Delta valves, replace the seats and springs too. On others, make sure the cartridge is fully seated.

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Watch it done

This Tool is a MUSTBy The Amateur Homeowner on YouTube. Their method may vary a little from ours.

Watch on YouTube

If the leak is somewhere else

If water comes out of the shower head and tub spout at the same time, check our guide for a shower diverter not working.

If the leak is at the shower head's threads rather than a drip from the face, there's a separate guide for replacing a shower head.

Dripping shower faucet questions