How to Fix a Leaky Tub Faucet: Two-Handle and Single-Handle Repairs
To fix a leaky tub faucet, match the drip to the part: replace the seat washer and seat on a two-handle compression faucet, or the cartridge on a single-handle valve, after shutting off the water.
Key Takeaways
- A faucet dripping once per second wastes more than 3,000 gallons a year, per EPA WaterSense.
- The USGS Water Science School measured bathtub drips at about 1/2 mL, twice the 1/4 mL it uses for a kitchen faucet drip, so a tub drip wastes more water per drop.
- Danco’s 60505 tub and shower socket set uses 5 double-ended sockets, pairing sizes such as 29/32 with 31/32 inch for recessed bonnet nuts.
- Moen’s shower cartridge guide splits its single-handle tub valves by handle action: pull out means a 1225, rotate only means a 1222 Posi-Temp.
- Delta lists RP46074 (4-7/16 in tall) for MultiChoice 13/14 valves made after March 2006 and RP19804 (4-1/8 in) for older Monitor 1300/1400 valves.
- Fixr puts a plumber’s washer repair at $50 to $80 and a cartridge replacement at $100 to $300.
Why is my bathtub faucet dripping, and where is the leak coming from?
A bathtub faucet drips because one sealing part inside the valve has worn out, and where the water shows up tells you which part. A drip from the spout with everything off means a worn seat washer, seat or cartridge. Water around a handle while the tub runs means stem packing or an O-ring. Water from the spout during a shower means the diverter.
EPA WaterSense puts a showerhead leaking 10 drips per minute at more than 500 gallons a year, so even a slow spout drip is worth fixing.
- Warm drip from the spout: the hot side stem or the hot inlet of the cartridge is passing water.
- Cold drip: the cold side. If unsure, rebuild both stems.
- Drip at the handle or behind the trim when running: packing, an O-ring or a loose bonnet nut, not the seat.
- Spout runs while the shower is on: the diverter. Our tub spout replacement guide covers the pull-up gate type that lives in the spout.
What type of tub faucet do you have?
Count the handles. Two handles (hot and cold) or three handles (hot, cold and a middle diverter) almost always mean compression stems with rubber seat washers. One handle means a cartridge or pressure-balance valve. The brand on the handle or trim plate then names the exact cartridge, because Moen, Delta and other makers do not interchange.
Moen’s shower cartridge identification guide gives the cleanest test for its valves. A handle you pull out to start the water takes a 1225. A handle that only rotates takes a 1222 Posi-Temp. Moen two- and three-handle tub faucets use a 1224 cartridge per side, not a compression stem. Our guide to shower valve types explains pressure-balance, thermostatic and two-handle valves in more depth.
| Faucet type | Symptom | Part to replace | Tool | Time (our estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two-handle compression | Spout drips hot or cold with handles off | Seat washer and brass screw, often the seat | Deep tub and shower socket, seat wrench | 45 to 90 min |
| Three-handle compression | Spout runs during showers | Diverter (middle) stem washer or stem | Deep socket | 45 to 90 min |
| Compression, any | Water at handle while running | Packing washer or stem O-ring | Deep socket, pick | 30 to 60 min |
| Moen single-handle (1225 or 1222) | Spout or head drips, handle stiff | 1225 or 1222 cartridge | Moen 104421 cartridge puller | 30 to 60 min |
| Delta Monitor or MultiChoice 13/14 | Spout or head drips | RP4993 seats and springs, then RP46074 or RP19804 | Screwdriver, pliers | 30 to 60 min |
| Single-handle with spout diverter | Spout runs during showers | Tub spout with diverter gate | Hex key or pipe wrench, per spout type | 15 to 30 min |
How do you shut off the water to a bathtub faucet with no shutoff valves?
Take the handle trim off and look first. Some single-handle valves have screwdriver stops built into the valve body, and Delta’s 13/14 Series manual lists a flat screwdriver for built-in stops in its tool list. Many older two- and three-handle tub faucets have no local stops at all, so you shut the main valve for the whole house.
- Close the stops behind the trim, if your valve has them, by turning each slot a quarter turn with a flat screwdriver.
- If there are none, close the main shutoff, usually where the service line enters the house or beside the water heater on slab homes.
- Open the tub faucet and a faucet on the lowest floor to drain pressure from the lines.
- Close the tub drain and lay a towel in the tub to catch dropped screws.
How do you fix a leaky two-handle tub faucet?
To fix a leaky two-handle tub faucet, remove the handle and trim on the dripping side, back the bonnet nut out with a deep tub and shower socket, unscrew the stem, and replace the seat washer and its brass screw. Then check the brass seat below and replace it with a seat wrench if it is pitted. Parts usually cost a few dollars.
Tub stems sit deep in the wall, so a standard socket will not reach. Danco’s deep stem wrench sockets are thin-walled, double-ended tubes, and its 60505 set pairs 21/32 with 27/32 inch, 29/32 with 31/32 inch, and 1-1/32 with 1-3/32 inch. Husky sells a set covering 10 sizes from 21/32 to 1-7/16 inch. A long screwdriver through the cross hole serves as the handle.
- Pry off the index cap, remove the screw, and pull the handle (a handle puller frees a seized one).
- Unscrew the chrome sleeve or escutcheon. Wrap tape on pliers jaws if it will not turn by hand.
- Slide the deep socket over the stem onto the bonnet nut and turn counterclockwise until the stem assembly comes free.
- Remove the screw at the bottom of the stem and pick out the old seat washer. Replace the screw too, because old brass screws often snap.
- Match the new washer to the old one by diameter and shape (flat or beveled).
- Shine a flashlight into the valve. If the seat is grooved or pitted, turn it out counterclockwise with a seat wrench and thread in a matching new seat.
- Replace the packing washer or O-ring if the handle leaked, coat the threads with plumber’s grease, and reinstall the stem slightly open so the washer does not grind the seat as you tighten.
- Turn the water back on slowly and test both handles closed for 10 minutes.
On a three-handle faucet the middle stem is the diverter; rebuild it the same way when the spout runs during showers.
How do you identify a replacement tub faucet stem?
Identify a tub stem by its overall length, the number of splines on the broach where the handle grips it, and whether it carries a separate seat. Danco’s stem guide tells you to darken one spline with a permanent marker and count around the top from that mark. Write the count and length down, then match them against the maker’s stem chart.
Danco codes stems by a length number and a broach letter; a Danco rep answering on Lowe’s notes that a 12-spline broach is type E. Retail listings show how specific the match gets.
- Danco 9C-23H/C: tub and shower stem for American Standard faucets, hot and cold versions.
- Danco 7G-1C: brass stem for Price Pfister faucets.
- Danco 17093B: 4-21/32 in long, for Sayco two-handle 308 and T-308 bath faucets.
Buy the H or C version that matches the side you pulled, and a new handle too if the old splines are rounded off.
How do you fix a dripping single-handle bathtub faucet?
To fix a dripping single-handle bathtub faucet, shut off the water, remove the handle and trim plate, pull the retaining clip or bonnet nut, and replace the cartridge or its seats and springs. The brand decides the part. Moen uses a 1225 or 1222, and Delta uses RP46074 or RP19804, with an RP4993 seats-and-springs kit as the cheaper first fix.
Moen’s support library says its 104421 puller removes 1200, 1225 and 1222 cartridges that have fused to the brass after years of hard water. Moen’s 1222 instruction sheet also includes a rotational limit stop with a 120 degrees F (48 C) maximum, so reset it after the swap.
Delta’s 13/14 Series manual lists the RP4993 repair kit for leaks from the tub spout or showerhead. Delta sold it for $8.08 in October 2026. If new seats and springs do not stop the drip, Delta’s sheet says to turn the handle about 1/4 turn counterclockwise past the stop while lifting the cartridge out. Measure it to confirm the part. Delta lists RP46074 at 4-7/16 in tall and RP19804 at 4-1/8 in.
Our shower cartridge replacement walkthrough covers other brands, and the leaky shower faucet repair guide covers showerhead drips.
How much water does a dripping tub faucet waste?
A dripping tub faucet wastes more than a sink at the same drip rate. EPA WaterSense puts one drip per second at more than 3,000 gallons a year. The USGS Water Science School measured bathtub drips at about 1/2 mL against 1/4 mL for a kitchen faucet, so at tub drip size our arithmetic gives about 4,165 gallons a year per drip per second.
The chart applies the USGS 1/2 mL tub drip over 365 days. At sink drip size the USGS counts 15,140 drips per gallon, half these totals.
What does it cost to fix a leaky tub faucet, and when should you call a plumber?
A DIY fix costs the part: a few dollars for washers, screws and a seat, $30.04 for a Moen 1225, $71.69 for a Moen 1222, or $94.68 for a Delta RP46074 at October 2026 maker prices. Fixr puts a plumber’s washer repair at $50 to $80 and a cartridge swap at $100 to $300.
| Repair | DIY part cost | Plumber cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compression washer and seat | A few dollars | $50 to $80 | Fixr |
| Moen 1225 cartridge | $30.04 | $100 to $300 | Moen store; Fixr |
| Moen 1222 Posi-Temp cartridge | $71.69 | About $300 | Moen store; This Old House |
| Delta RP46074 cartridge | $94.68 | $100 to $300 | Delta; Fixr |
| Tub or shower valve replacement | Not a DIY job in most homes | $200 to $650 | Fixr |
Call a plumber when a stem or cartridge is seized past what a puller can move, when valve threads strip, when new genuine parts do not stop the drip (a worn valve body), or the same day if water shows up behind the wall or on a ceiling below.
How we sourced this
We reviewed the top-ranking guides and People Also Ask questions for “how to fix a leaky tub faucet” and “two handle tub faucet repair” in October 2026, then checked primary sources. Water figures come from EPA WaterSense Fix a Leak Week and the USGS Water Science School; the chart applies the USGS 1/2 mL tub drip to each rate over 365 days (our arithmetic). Moen and Delta part numbers, sizes and prices come from Moen’s support library and store and Delta’s parts pages and manuals (October 2026). Socket sizes and stem codes come from Danco and Husky listings; costs from Fixr and This Old House. Repair times in the first table are our editorial estimates, not sourced figures. Corrections to our brief: tub socket sets run from 21/32 to 1-7/16 inch, not 7/8 to 1-1/16 inch, and we list no Pfister cartridge number because we could not confirm one on Pfister’s site.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my bathtub faucet dripping when it is turned off?
A tub faucet that drips with the handles closed is passing water through a worn sealing part. On two- and three-handle faucets that part is a rubber seat washer pressing on a brass seat, and on single-handle faucets it is the cartridge or its seats and springs. Turning the handle harder only crushes a worn washer faster, so replace the part instead.
Can I fix a leaky tub faucet myself?
Yes, most homeowners can. A washer and seat swap on a compression faucet costs a few dollars in parts, and a Moen 1225 cartridge sold for $30.04 on Moen’s store in October 2026. You need the water shut off, the right deep socket or cartridge puller, and the old part in hand when you shop. Call a plumber if the stem or cartridge will not come out.
What size socket do I need to remove a bathtub faucet stem?
It depends on the faucet brand and age, so measure the bonnet nut first. Tub and shower socket sets cover the common sizes, with each double-ended socket fitting two sizes. Danco’s 60505 set pairs 21/32 with 27/32 inch, 29/32 with 31/32 inch and 1-1/32 with 1-3/32 inch, and Husky sells a set spanning 21/32 to 1-7/16 inch.
How do I turn off the water to my bathtub faucet?
Look behind the handle trim first. Some single-handle valves, Delta’s among them, have built-in stops you close with a flat screwdriver. Most older two-handle tub faucets have no local stops, so you shut the main valve for the house, then open the tub faucet and a lower faucet to drain pressure before removing any stem or cartridge.
Why is my tub faucet still dripping after I replaced the washer?
The usual cause is a pitted or grooved brass seat that cuts the new washer, a washer of the wrong size or shape, or a stem with worn threads. Look into the valve with a flashlight. If the seat is rough, unscrew it with a seat wrench and install a matching new one, or replace the whole stem and seat as a set.
Why does water come out of the tub spout while the shower is running?
That is a diverter leak, not a valve drip. On a three-handle faucet the middle stem is the diverter, and its washer has worn. On most single-handle tubs the diverter is the pull-up gate inside the tub spout, so the fix is a new spout. A drip from the spout with everything off points back to the valve instead.
How much water does a dripping bathtub faucet waste?
EPA WaterSense says one drip per second wastes more than 3,000 gallons a year. Tubs can waste more because the USGS Water Science School measured tub drips at about 1/2 mL, double a sink drip. At that size, our arithmetic puts one drip per second at roughly 4,165 gallons a year and 10 drips per minute near 694 gallons.
