Bathtub Faucet Won't Stop Running? Stop It, Then Fix It
You turned the tub off and the water is still pouring out. Not a drip, a stream. It feels like an emergency, and if the tub is filling it is one, but the fix is usually a single worn part inside the valve. The first job is not the part. It is getting the water off. If the tub is filling, open the drain while you do it, which is our own advice.
This guide does it in that order: stop the water, work out which kind of tub faucet you have, then find the part that is not closing. If your faucet only drips after it is shut off, the same parts are usually to blame, and the steps below still apply.
1. Stops on the valve. Some single handle tub and shower valves have their own shutoffs behind the trim plate. Moen calls them optional stop check valves on its Posi-Temp line: turned with pliers or a flat screwdriver so the slot is vertical, they are closed. Delta says to turn the stops on its 13 and 14 Series valves clockwise with a flat head screwdriver to close them, and Kohler says many Rite-Temp valves have integrated screwdriver stops. Not every valve has them, and Moen warns not to remove the retaining clips for the cartridge or the stops.
2. The main shutoff. If there are no stops, look for an access panel: Moen says faucet shutoffs are sometimes in a closet access behind a shower or an access panel around the tub. If there are none, close the main water shutoff to the house. Moen says it is usually near the water meter: in the basement, on an outside wall, in the garage or crawl space, or close to the street. WSSC Water, a Maryland utility, says a round wheel handle turns off clockwise and may take two or more full turns, and a lever handle turns a quarter turn until it is no longer parallel with the pipe. Our sister site has a guide to where the main water shutoff is in different kinds of houses.
3. Not the curb valve. Bob Vila notes that most towns only let a licensed plumber or a city official operate the curb stop valve out by the street. If the main will not close, call your water utility or a plumber.
Once the water is off, open the tub faucet, as Moen says, to make sure it really is off before you take anything apart.
Which kind of tub faucet do you have?
The part that failed depends on the faucet, so count the handles.
- One handle. One lever or knob turns the water on and sets the temperature. Inside is a cartridge, and the cartridge is what shuts the water off. Moen Posi-Temp, Delta Monitor and MultiChoice, and Kohler Rite-Temp valves work this way.
- Two handles. A hot handle and a cold handle, each on its own stem. On an older compression valve, each stem shuts off its side with a rubber washer pressed onto a brass seat.
- Three handles. Hot and cold stems like the two handle kind, plus a middle handle. This Old House describes that middle handle as a diverter that determines whether water goes up to the showerhead or down to the spout.
Not every two handle tub valve uses washers. Some take a cartridge or a stem over a rubber seat and spring instead, such as the Moen 1224 or the Delta RP25513: see our Moen 1224 and Delta RP25513 part pages for those. The washer and seat steps below are for compression stems.
One quick check before you buy anything: Kohler says a showerhead can drip leftover water for up to 90 seconds after a Rite-Temp valve is turned off. A short drip that stops on its own is not this problem. Water that keeps running is.
One handle: the cartridge is not closing
With the water off, the handle and trim come off and the cartridge comes out of the valve. Which cartridge you need depends on the valve brand and series, so find the brand on the trim and, if you can, take the old cartridge with you to compare. The Home Depot gives the same advice for any faucet: take the old cartridge or stem you are replacing to the store.
Moen Posi-Temp: replace the 1222 cartridge
Moen lists continuous leaking, a shower that keeps running or dripping with the handle off, as a cartridge problem on Posi-Temp valves, and its fix is to replace the 1222 cartridge. Moen highly recommends cleaning and flushing the valve body before the new cartridge goes in, to clear out mineral build-up and loose debris, and warns that the water may come out of the valve body with considerable force when you flush it, so Moen recommends standing outside the tub or shower when the water is turned back on. The water cannot go back on until the retainer clip is back in place. Our Moen 1222 replacement guide walks through it.
Delta MultiChoice and Monitor cartridges
Delta's manual for its MultiChoice 13 and 14 Series valves says that if the faucet leaks from the tub spout or showerhead, shut off the water and replace the seats and springs first, with Delta kit RP4993. If the leak persists, replace the cartridge, RP46074. Delta's older Monitor 1300 and 1400 Series valves take the RP19804 cartridge, and Delta says the two cartridges are not interchangeable. Delta also warns not to pry the cartridge out with a screwdriver. Before you pull it, note the position of the rotational limit stop on the cartridge cap: Delta says the cartridge must go back in the same position, and when you are done, turn the valve on to make sure cold water flows first. Our Delta Monitor cartridge guide covers the 1300 and 1400 Series.
Kohler Rite-Temp: the mixer cap and pressure balance unit
Kohler says that when a Rite-Temp valve keeps dripping or leaking, the issue could be an internal seal or tear, and the fix is to replace the mixer cap and pressure balance unit kit.
If the handle just spins and does not move the water at all, the problem may be the handle grip rather than the cartridge. Our guide to a shower handle that spins freely checks the handle screw and adapter first. If the cartridge is stuck or breaks as you pull it, stop: This Old House points out that a broken cartridge can leave parts inside the wall, and Moen recommends contacting it for help when its broken cartridge method does not work.
Two or three handles: a stem washer or seat
A tub stem shuts the water off by pressing a rubber washer onto a brass seat. This Old House describes the seat as the part inside the valve body that the washer presses against to stop water flow. Family Handyman gives the two reasons it stops sealing: over time the seat washer stiffens, and water pressure gradually erodes the brass rim of the seat.
Step 1: Find the side
Run your hand under the water. The Home Depot uses the same test for a dripping shower faucet: put your hand under the water to see if it is hot or cold. Hot water points to the hot stem, cold to the cold stem. If it is mixed, both may be leaking. On a three handle valve, look at the hot and cold stems first, because those are the handles that turn the water on and off, which is our own reading of how these valves work.
Step 2: Take the stem out
With the water off, take off the handle and the trim, then remove the stem. Family Handyman uses a special bath socket wrench, which it says looks like a spark plug wrench on steroids, and This Old House uses a tub socket. Do not force a stem that will not turn.
Step 3: Replace the washer and seat, or the stem
Look at the washer on the end of the stem and the seat down in the valve. A hard, cracked or chewed washer gets replaced, and so does a pitted or grooved seat. Family Handyman recommends new washers and seats in both the hot and cold valves. Our faucet seat guide shows how to take the old seat out with a seat wrench and fit a new one. If the stem itself is worn, for example if it turns and turns without ever getting tight, replace the whole stem, which is our own advice. This Old House says a persistent drip after the shower is turned off suggests a worn valve stem that does not seal properly. If you have a Sayco 308 or T-308, our Sayco 308 stem guide covers that valve step by step.
What you see, and what to replace
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| One handle, water keeps running with the handle off | The cartridge (Moen, Kohler), or the seats and springs and then the cartridge (Delta MultiChoice) | Replace the cartridge or kit for your valve brand and series |
| One handle, the handle spins and the water does not change | The handle grip or a broken cartridge stem | Check the handle first |
| Two or three handles, the running water is hot | The hot stem washer or seat | New washer and seat, or a new hot stem |
| Two or three handles, the running water is cold | The cold stem washer or seat | New washer and seat, or a new cold stem |
| Water from the tub spout only while the shower is on | The diverter, not the valve | See the tub spout diverter guide |
| A short drip from the showerhead after you turn it off | Leftover water draining from the showerhead | Kohler says this can last up to 90 seconds on a Rite-Temp valve; nothing to replace |
When to stop and call a plumber
- You cannot get the water off: there are no stops on the valve and the main will not close. Bob Vila says that if the main valve is rusted, aged, badly worn or leaking, you are better off calling a plumber.
- The cartridge or stem will not come out, or it breaks. This Old House warns that a broken cartridge can leave parts inside the wall.
- Water is leaking into the wall. Family Handyman says that if water has been leaking into the wall behind the spout, you may need to open the wall to repair the pipes, a messy job best left to a plumber.
- You are thinking about replacing an old three handle valve. This Old House notes that three handle shower valves are no longer up to code because of the risk of scalding and should be replaced with a single handle, pressure balanced one. Swapping the valve in the wall is a job for a licensed plumber, which is our own advice.
Frequently asked questions
Why will my bathtub faucet not turn off?
A part inside the valve is no longer closing. On a single handle tub and shower valve that is usually the cartridge: Moen says a Posi-Temp shower that keeps running or dripping with the handle off needs a new 1222 cartridge. On a two or three handle valve, the rubber washer on the end of a stem and the brass seat it closes on wear out, and Family Handyman notes that water pressure gradually erodes the rim of the seat.
How do I shut off the water to a bathtub with no shutoff valve?
Look behind the trim first. Some Moen Posi-Temp, Delta and Kohler Rite-Temp valves have stops you close with a flat screwdriver. If yours has none, check for an access panel behind or around the tub, where Moen says shutoffs are sometimes located. Otherwise close the main water shutoff for the house, which Moen says is usually near the water meter: in the basement, on an outside wall, in the garage or crawl space, or close to the street. Then open the tub faucet to check that the water is off.
Is this a diverter problem?
Usually not. On a three handle valve the middle handle is the diverter, which This Old House describes as the part that sends water up to the showerhead or down to the spout. Water from the spout while the shower is on is a diverter problem, and our tub spout guide covers it. Water that keeps coming when every handle is off points to a hot or cold stem, or to the cartridge on a single handle valve.
Should I replace both the hot and cold stems?
Family Handyman recommends replacing the washers and seats in both the hot and cold valves of a tub faucet, not just the one that leaks. If you are replacing whole stems, doing both while the water is off saves a second shutdown, which is our own advice.
Can I just turn the handle harder to stop it?
No. A 1936 USDA plumbing bulletin says moderate force on the handle of a faucet in good repair should stop all flow and drip. If it takes more than that, a washer, seat or cartridge is worn, and the same bulletin warns that undue strain can break parts. Get the water off at the stops or the main and replace the worn part.
Sources
The steps above come from these pages, except where a step says the advice is our own. We opened each one on October 12, 2026.
- Moen, How to Operate PosiTemp Stop Check Valves, How to Turn Off the Water Supply to the Faucet, Shower Faucet: Leaking, PosiTemp Valve, 1222 Cartridge: Single Handle Shower, PosiTemp, Valve Body Cleaning and Flushing and How to Remove a Broken 1222 PosiTemp Cartridge.
- Delta, MultiChoice Valve Trim 13/14 Series installation instructions and owner's manual 72264 Rev. F, Delta PDF hosted by F.W. Webb, and the Delta RP19804 parts page.
- Kohler, Rite-Temp Valve Dripping from Showerhead or Spout.
- The Home Depot, How to Fix a Leaky Shower Faucet and How to Fix a Leaky Faucet.
- Family Handyman, How to Repair a Leaking Tub Faucet and How to Replace a Bathtub Spout.
- This Old House, How to Repair a Three-Handle Shower Valve, How to Repair a Shower Valve Stem and How to Replace a Shower Cartridge.
- Bob Vila, How to Turn Off Water to Your House.
- WSSC Water, Find and Operate Your Main Water Valve.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farmers' Bulletin 1460, Simple Plumbing Repairs in the Home (revised 1936).
Replacement cartridges, stems and repair kits for Moen, Delta, Kohler, Pfister, Gerber, Sayco and more, shipped from Amazon fulfillment centers with Prime delivery.
See the full FourHome assortment on AmazonFourHome is an independent brand and is not affiliated with Moen Incorporated, Delta Faucet Company, Kohler Co., Pfister, Gerber Plumbing Fixtures, Sayco, The Home Depot, Family Handyman, This Old House, Bob Vila or WSSC Water. Brand names and part numbers are used only to identify parts or to cite their published instructions. Shut off the water before you work on a valve, do not force a stuck part, and call a licensed plumber when a repair goes beyond a cartridge, a stem, a washer or a seat.
FourHome is not affiliated with or endorsed by any faucet manufacturer. Brand names and part numbers are used only to identify compatibility.