Repairs · Replacement · Remodel plumbing
Shower & tub plumbing repair.
A shower that stays cold. A handle that won’t stop the drip. Water showing up downstairs. We repair shower valves, tub faucets and drains, and handle the plumbing when it’s time for a replacement.
Start with what you’re seeing
What needs attention?
It won’t stop dripping
Start at the shutoff parts inside the valve.
Water left in a showerhead can drain after use. A drip that keeps returning once that water is gone points us toward the cartridge or stem seals.
Valves & cartridges →Too cold, too hot or weak
Compare this shower with the other fixtures.
That tells us whether to start at this shower’s head, supplies and mixing valve or at the home’s hot-water and pressure system.
Valves & cartridges →Water from the wrong outlet
Tell us whether you’re filling the tub or showering.
A worn spout diverter can send too much water into the tub during a shower. Water rising to the showerhead during tub filling sends us toward the spout and its supply path.
Spouts & diverters →Slow drain or a leak below
The drain and the leak each need a path traced.
Tell us when it gets wet: during a shower, as the tub empties or with everything turned off. Stop using a fixture that leaks into a wall or ceiling.
Drains & hidden leaks →I’m replacing or remodeling
Choose the plumbing before closing the wall.
Valve compatibility, drain location and access shape the project. We handle the plumbing and coordinate the connections with the rest of the remodel.
Replacement & remodels →Inside the shower valve / Explore in 3D
Same shower.
Different controls.
Choose the handles that look familiar. Open the cutaway, turn the hardware and select a part to learn its job.
Loading the valve assembly…
Single handle
One handle brings the supplies together.
A single cartridge mixes hot and cold and stops the water. Select a part to see where a drip or control problem starts.
Service options
The valve repair guide covers cartridge identification and the parts we service.
See the parts from our repairs →- Cartridge & seals
- The 1222 cartridge contains the shutoff, mixing and pressure-balancing components. Its oval side seals separate the supply passages.
- Brass valve body
- The body connects to the four pipes and holds the cartridge. This model uses the geometry published by Moen for its 2520 valve.
- Retaining clip
- The U-shaped clip locks the cartridge into the valve body against water pressure. It lifts out for cartridge service.
- Handle stem
- The handle attaches to this brass shaft. Turning it operates the cartridge.
- Water connections
- Hot and cold enter opposite sides. The upper outlet serves the shower; the lower outlet serves the tub spout.
Two handles
Each handle controls its own supply.
One handle opens hot water and the other opens cold. The supplies mix inside the connected body.
Service options
The repair guide explains the stems, washers and seats used in older controls.
See the parts from our repairs →- Hot stem & valve
- Turning the handle moves a rubber washer toward or away from the seat inside the body. A flattened washer or a pitted seat can let the spout keep dripping after the handle is closed.
- Cold stem & valve
- The cold side has a second stem and washer. Water leaking around a handle comes from the stem seal or packing; a worn shutoff washer lets water through to the outlet.
- Connected valve body
- The hot and cold valves feed a shared passage in this brass body. The body stays connected to the pipes when the removable stems and seats are serviced from the front.
- Handles & flanges
- The cross handles turn the stems, and the chrome flanges cover the wall openings. Handle splines, stem length and flange threads determine which replacement trim fits.
- Mixed-water outlets
- Mixed water leaves the center of the body. Pulling up the tub-spout diverter blocks the spout opening so water travels up the shower pipe. Wear at that diverter can leave the spout running during a shower.
Three handles
The middle handle chooses the outlet.
The outside handles set hot and cold. The middle handle sends that mixed water to the tub or shower.
Service options
A faulty center diverter and a dripping supply valve lead to different repairs.
See the parts from our repairs →- Hot stem & valve
- The hot stem carries a rubber washer that closes against a seat in the body. A damaged seat can quickly chew up a new washer, so both surfaces matter in a drip repair.
- Cold stem & valve
- The cold stem controls the second supply. Its washer stops flow to the outlets; its stem seal keeps water from escaping around the handle. The leak location helps identify which part needs attention.
- Center diverter
- The center stem switches the mixed water between the tub and shower passages. Worn diverter seals can let both outlets run together even when the hot and cold valves are working properly.
- Three handles & flanges
- The center handle operates the diverter; the outer handles control the supplies. Matching trim depends on the stem and flange connections behind these handles.
- Tub & shower branches
- The upper connection feeds the showerhead and the lower connection feeds the tub spout. The center diverter chooses the path; the two outer handles shut the water off.
Two modern controls can work differently.
Modern showers can have separate temperature and volume controls, or a second handle for a handshower. Those belong to a mixing/transfer system. The older two-handle example here has one hot valve and one cold valve.
Read more: Moen: shower valve controls and handle motion ↗ · Pfister: multi-handle valves, stems and diverters ↗ · Delta: MultiChoice controls and compatibility ↗
Choose a guide
Get into the details.
Valves & cartridges
Understand the parts behind the handle, what makes them fail and when a repair can save the existing valve.
Explore the guide →02Tub filling · Shower switching · HandshowersSpouts & diverters
Find out why water comes from the wrong outlet, why a spout leaks and what its connection needs.
Explore the guide →03Slow drains · Tub stoppers · Water downstairsDrains & hidden leaks
Follow the drain and overflow, spot useful leak clues and understand what needs access below the fixture.
Explore the guide →04Wall access · New fixtures · Rough-in to finishReplacement & remodels
Plan valve access, trim compatibility, a new tub or shower, and the plumbing work before walls close.
Explore the guide →Recent Shower / Tub Plumbing Jobs
What we do on a service visit
Find the cause. Explain the repair.
Trace the problem
We check how the fixture behaves, locate the leak or restriction and identify the parts.
Agree on the work
You get the repair options and price, including any access needed behind or below the fixture.
Run it before we leave
We check the repaired fixture for operation and leaks, including shutoff, temperature and drainage as the work calls for.
Useful answers
Common questions.
Does a dripping shower mean replacing the whole valve?
A worn cartridge or stem assembly can often be replaced through the opening behind the handle. The condition of the valve body and availability of matching parts determine whether a repair makes sense.
What helps you prepare for a shower repair?
A photo of the whole fixture, a close-up of the handle and brand, and a description of when the problem happens. Mention any water behind the wall, recent plumbing work and whether other fixtures have the same trouble.
Can you handle the plumbing during a tub-to-shower remodel?
Yes. We plan the water connections, shower valve, drain and access with the remodel team, then return for the finished fixtures and operating checks. The shower base and waterproofing system need to be chosen while the drain work is being planned.
Sources & public guide record
Maintained by Mountain Man Plumbing · Utah Master Plumber, Lic. #12992295-5501.
- Delta: MultiChoice controls and compatibility ↗
- Moen: shower valve controls and handle motion ↗
- Pfister: multi-handle valves, stems and diverters ↗
- Moen 2520: original CAD and valve specifications ↗
Version 2026.09.10.1 · References checked 2026-09-10.