Shower Drips After You Turn It Off? Find the Source First
You shut the shower off, step out, and it keeps dripping. Sometimes that is normal and sometimes it is a worn part inside the valve. The fix depends on which one you have and on what kind of shower valve is behind the handle, so this guide finds the source first and the part second.
Delta answers the most common version of this question directly: when a shower head drips for a minute or so after you turn it off, nothing is wrong with the faucet, the head is simply emptying the water left inside it. A drip that keeps going is different. Kohler says that can mean an internal seal or tear in the valve. It also adds up: EPA WaterSense says a showerhead leaking at 10 drips per minute wastes more than 500 gallons per year.
Moen says any repair to its faucets requires the water supply to be shut off, and that failure to do so could result in flooding or injury. Some shower valves have their own stops behind the trim, though Bob Vila notes that showers usually do not have their own accessible shut-off valves. Moen's Posi-Temp line offers optional stop check valves, closed when the slot is vertical. Kohler says many Rite-Temp valves have integrated screwdriver stops. Delta MultiChoice rough valves with WS in the model number come with stops, and Pfister says some of its 0X8 and JX8 valves have stops and some do not. If your shower has no stops, shut the water off at the main valve to the house. Then open the shower handle to make sure the water is off and to drain the lines, as Moen and The Home Depot both describe.
First: draining or leaking?
Kohler separates the two by how the water comes out: a leak is a continuous flow, while a drip is single drops with space between them. Kohler's test for a tub and shower: take the showerhead off the shower arm and watch whether the drip continues or stops.
- It stops. Kohler says the issue is residual water draining from the showerhead, which can go on for up to 90 seconds after the valve is turned off. Kohler suggests that cleaning the showerhead in a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water might reduce the residual water. No valve repair is needed.
- It keeps going. Kohler says the issue could be an internal seal or tear in the valve. EPA WaterSense also treats a shower that drips when not in use as a valve leak. Go on to the next section.
One more check before you open the valve: if water runs from the tub spout while the shower is on, that is the diverter, not a drip after shutoff. Our guide to water coming out of the tub spout when the shower is on covers it.
Next: how many handles?
A one handle shower turns on and sets the temperature with a single handle, and the part that shuts the water off is a cartridge. A two or three handle shower has a separate hot and cold handle, each turning its own stem, and a three handle shower adds a middle diverter handle. On many of those, the seal is a washer pressing on a brass seat, or on Delta valves a set of rubber seats and springs. The fixes are different, so find your type below.
One handle showers: the cartridge
Bob Vila explains the general problem: if the cartridge becomes worn or cracked, water can seep through even when the handle is in the off position. The makers each say which part to replace.
Moen Posi-Temp
Moen identifies a Posi-Temp valve by its rotate only handle and a back escutcheon plate with screws at the 2:00 and 7:00 positions, and says it uses the 1222 cartridge. For a shower that continues running or dripping with the handle in the off position, Moen's fix is to replace the 1222 cartridge. A few points from Moen's 1222 instructions are worth knowing before you start: cover the drain, take care not to drop the retainer clip behind the wall, pulling the old cartridge may require some effort, clean and flush the valve body before the new cartridge goes in, and install it with the H and C tab pointing up. If the retainer clip cannot be installed or looks damaged, Moen says the water cannot be turned back on until the clip is replaced. Our Moen 1222 replacement guide has the full steps.
Delta Monitor and MultiChoice
For a Delta Monitor 1300 or 1400 Series valve leaking from the shower head or spout, Delta says you need a new cartridge assembly, RP19804, and notes that the new one may be blue and white while yours may be white. Delta lists the RP46074 cartridge for MultiChoice 13 and 14 Series valves produced after March 2006, and says 1400 Series valves made before 2006 use the RP19804. For MultiChoice 13 and 14 Series valves, Delta's maintenance sheet says a leak from the tub spout or shower head calls first for new seats and springs, RP4993, and a check of the lower O-rings, then a new valve cartridge, RP46074, if the leak persists. Our Delta shower dripping guide walks through identifying the cartridge and replacing it.
Kohler Rite-Temp
If the drip continues after the showerhead test, Kohler says to replace the proper Mixer Cap and Pressure Balancing Unit (PBU) kit for your valve, both pieces together. Kohler's kit includes a variety of O-rings that must be in perfect condition and installed exactly as instructed. If a valve leaks right after a new kit, Kohler says to check that the metal collar is installed in front of the mixer cap, not between the cap and the PBU. Kohler also names two other causes: excessive inlet pressure, which Kohler says to correct at the stops or with a pressure reducing valve, and a valve installed upside down, which Kohler calls the most common installation error, particularly on back-to-back installations. A valve installed upside down is a job for a plumber, which is our own advice.
Other one handle valves, such as Pfister, Gerber and Grohe, work on the same idea, but we could not open a maker page on dripping for them. Match the cartridge to your valve's part number or take the old one with you.
Two and three handle showers: washer and seat
Step 1: Find the dripping side
Hold your hand under a steady drip and feel whether it is warm or cold. This Old House, The Home Depot and Bob Vila all use this test. This Old House adds that a slow drip can be hard to read, and you may need to fix both sides. Delta's own procedure starts on the hot side with the hot supply shut off, and repeats on the cold side if the drip persists.
Step 2: Compression stems: replace the washer, check the seat
Many older two and three handle valves, including the Pfister, Gerber and Sayco valves our stems fit, use compression stems: turning the handle presses a rubber washer on the end of the stem against a brass seat in the valve. EPA WaterSense says old and worn washers and gaskets frequently cause faucet leaks. The steps This Old House and The Home Depot describe:
- With the water off, open the handle to drain the line.
- Pry off the cap, remove the handle screw and handle, then the escutcheon.
- Unscrew the stem with a deep socket.
- Replace the washer with one the same size, fitted exactly the way the old one was. The Home Depot suggests a little silicone faucet grease on the washer for a better seal. This Old House's plumber warns that the washer screw has been sitting in water its whole life, so use a clean, sharp Phillips screwdriver and push down firmly as you turn.
- Look at the seat. If it looks damaged, This Old House removes it with a seat wrench, which it describes as a tapered Allen wrench that goes inside the seat, and screws in a new one. Make sure the seat wrench is the right size for your faucet.
- Reassemble and test.
Bob Vila notes that in rare cases the seat can become so corroded or damaged that even a new washer will not seal, and that you will then probably need a plumber to replace the entire assembly. If you have a Sayco 308 or T-308, our Sayco 308 stem guide covers that valve. Take the old stem and seat with you to match length, broach and thread.
Step 3: Delta two and three handle: seats and springs, then stems
Delta's two and three handle tub and shower valves seal with small rubber seats and springs instead of a washer. Delta's procedure: remove the handle, bonnet nut, stem extender and stem, take out the seats and springs, check them for wear or debris, and wipe out any debris in the pocket where they sit. Replace the seats and springs, RP4993. If the drip persists, repeat on the cold side, and if new seats and springs do not stop it, Delta says to replace both stem assemblies, RP1740.
This Old House quotes its plumbing expert on what people do about a drip: they crank the handle so hard they risk tearing a rubber washer or cracking something and making the leak worse. If a normal turn of the handle does not stop the water, the seal needs a part.
What you found, and the fix
| What you find | Most likely source | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Drip stops with the showerhead off | Water draining from the head | No repair. Kohler suggests a vinegar clean |
| One handle shower, drip keeps going | The cartridge (Kohler: mixer cap and PBU) | Replace the cartridge or kit for your valve |
| Two or three handle compression valve | Washer on the stem, or the seat | New washer, and a new seat if it is damaged |
| Delta two or three handle valve | Seats and springs, then stems | RP4993 first, then RP1740 stems |
| Delta MultiChoice 13 or 14 Series | Seats and springs, then the cartridge | RP4993 first, then RP46074 |
| Water from the spout while the shower runs | The diverter | See the tub spout diverter guide |
When to stop and call a plumber
- Water is leaking from behind the wall, or dripping from the wall as well as the showerhead. This Old House and Bob Vila both treat that as a plumber's job.
- The faucet body is cracked, there is extensive corrosion, or a part will not come out (This Old House). Forcing it can damage the valve in the wall, which is our own caution.
- A new cartridge did not stop the drip. Bob Vila says the valve body is then probably damaged, and replacing it is a job for a plumber. Delta says that if an older two or three handle valve still leaks after new seats, springs and stems, the faucet body itself may have developed a leak.
- A Moen retainer clip is damaged or will not go back in. Moen says the water stays off until the clip is replaced.
- You do not have plumbing experience. Delta recommends a licensed plumber for tub and shower repairs in that case, and Gerber recommends that plumbing products be installed by a licensed professional.
Frequently asked questions
Is it normal for a shower to drip after you turn it off?
For a short time, yes. Delta answers this question directly: when a shower head drips for a minute or so after you shut the water off, nothing is wrong with the faucet, the head is emptying the water left inside it. Kohler says a showerhead can drip from residual water for up to 90 seconds, and that pressure changes in the home can cause a short drip too. A drip that keeps going after that points to the valve.
How do I tell if the hot or the cold side is dripping?
On a two or three handle shower, hold your hand under a steady drip and feel whether it is warm or cold, as This Old House, The Home Depot and Bob Vila all suggest. This Old House notes that a slow drip can be hard to read, so you may need to repair both sides. Delta starts its own repair on the hot side with the hot supply shut off, and moves to the cold side if the drip persists.
Will turning the handle harder stop the drip?
No. This Old House quotes its plumbing expert saying that people who try usually crank the handle so hard they risk tearing a rubber washer or cracking something, which makes the leak worse. A drip that a normal turn of the handle will not stop needs a part, not more force.
Why does my tub spout drip after I turn the shower off?
Delta and Kohler both cover a drip from the shower head and a drip from the spout together, so run the same showerhead test. Kohler adds one cause specific to its Rite-Temp valves: Kohler requires 1/2 inch copper between the valve and the tub spout, and if PEX was used instead, the PEX cools and contracts after shutoff and the water usually comes out of the spout. Replacing that pipe is a job for a plumber, which is our own advice. Water running from the spout while the shower is on is a different problem, the diverter, which has its own guide.
How much water does a dripping shower waste?
EPA WaterSense says a showerhead leaking at 10 drips per minute wastes more than 500 gallons per year, and a faucet that drips at one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year.
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.
- Delta, shower head drips after turning off the shower, 1300/1400 Series Monitor leaking from the shower head or spout, two or three handle tub and shower dripping from the spout, RP46074 cartridge, maintenance and installation sheet 107528 Rev I (13 and 14 Series) and R10000-IPWS valve with stops.
- Kohler, Rite-Temp Valve Dripping from Showerhead or Spout and Mixer Cap and Pressure Balancing Unit Replacement for Rite-Temp Valves.
- Moen, Shower Faucet: Leaking, PosiTemp Valve, 1222 Cartridge: Single Handle Shower, PosiTemp, How To Turn Off The Water Supply To The Faucet and How to Operate PosiTemp Stop Check Valves.
- Pfister, FAQs (integral stops).
- Gerber, Safetemp pressure balance tub and shower valve installation manual.
- U.S. EPA WaterSense, Fix a Leak Week.
- This Old House, How To Fix a Dripping Bathtub Faucet.
- Bob Vila, How to Fix a Leaking Shower Head.
- The Home Depot, How to Fix a Leaky Shower Faucet and How to Fix a Leaking Bathtub Faucet.
Replacement cartridges for Moen, Delta and Kohler, plus stems, bibb seats and seats and springs for two and three handle valves, 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, Grohe, This Old House, Bob Vila, The Home Depot or the U.S. EPA. 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.