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Dripping faucet or shower that swings hot and cold.

A plumber can repair trim and cartridges, and a licensed plumber should replace any in-wall shower valve.

Customers put it like this

  • My faucet won't stop dripping
  • Water leaks around the handle
  • The shower goes hot when someone flushes
  • The sensor faucet won't shut off
Prepare this job in ForeBotFind another guide

Stop first if

  • A shower or tap runs hot enough to scaldStop using that fixture and keep children and older adults away. Have a qualified person read the water temperature.
  • A sensor fixture needs testing on a live circuitLeave it to a qualified technician. The transformer feeding it runs on line voltage.
01

Ask on the call

6

Homeowner? These are the questions a good technician will ask you. Having the answers ready makes the first visit count.

  1. Is the water coming from the spout, around the handle, or under the sink?
  2. What brand and model is it, or can you save the old part?
  3. Did the drip come back soon after a recent repair?
  4. Does the shower swing when someone flushes or opens another tap?
  5. Are you on a well or an older water main?
  6. Is there a shutoff valve under this fixture?
02

Bring

5
  • Thermometer
  • Seat cutter for compression faucets
  • Washers, O-rings and seals
  • Heat-resistant grease
  • Flashlight
03

Check on site

6
  1. Name the sealing type: compression, cartridge, disc, ball or shower mixer. Get the brand or old part before buying anything.
  2. Watch where water shows with the handle closed: spout, stem or supply connection.
  3. Shut off the water at the stop under the fixture. With no stop, use a branch or main valve.
  4. On a compression faucet, remove the stem and look at the washer. Wrap a fingertip in cloth and feel the seat for wear.
  5. On a washerless faucet, start by clearing mineral from ports and seals. Swap the cartridge only when dripping continues and wear is visible.
  6. For a shower swing, hold a thermometer in the water while a helper flushes close by. Nobody stands under the shower.
04

Keep on the record

5
  • Fixture brand, model and a photo of the old part
  • Where the water showed, and when
  • Shower temperature before and during the flush
  • Date and result of any earlier repair
  • Which shutoffs exist between the main and this fixture

General guidance for a qualified person, not a finding about any home. The person on site decides.