If your Moen shower is not turning off, it can be an extremely inconvenient problem. The good news is that it’s not hard to fix, you should be able to handle it yourself in no time at all.
Fixing Moen Shower Not Turning Off:
These tips will help you diagnose what the issue might be, then give you some ideas about how to address it.
Best of all, most of these methods are cheap, so you can get your shower working properly without spending a lot of money!
- Shut Off Valve
First, try shutting the water supply off at the house. Make sure that you shut the supply valve all the way so that the water doesn’t just drain out of the line.
Next, check to see if there are any leaks or drips coming from the fixture.
If not, then use a wrench and loosen up any bolts on the handle until you can get enough slack to rotate it and pull it away from its connection point.
You should be able to turn the handle counter-clockwise by hand once it is loose enough.
Once you have pulled the handle free, make sure to tighten down the bolts securely before reattaching it in place with pliers.
Now turn the supply valve back on to check for leaks or drips. Test the function by turning the control lever back onto Off position and seeing if it now shuts off properly.
- Depressure Timer
If you have a Moen shower and the water doesn’t seem to be turning off, then you might need to reset the depressure timer.
The depressure timer is located near the faucet on the pipe that connects to the supply line. To reset it, look for a small metal tab that is labeled reset on top of the valve.
You will need to depress this tab with a screwdriver or other thin object in order to reset it back to its original position.
Allow about 5-10 minutes before taking a shower again. If there are no changes after 10 minutes, you may want to call a plumber as it may not be related to the pressure release valve.
- Disconnect Plumbing Connections
The first step in troubleshooting a Moen shower not turning off is disconnecting the plumbing connections to the faucet.
This will allow you to rule out any issues with the water supply or the valve. Once you’ve done that, check the connection between the faucet and handle.
If any metal parts are touching, use pliers to bend them so they don’t feel anymore. This may be enough for a temporary fix.
If not, remove and replace either one of these two parts. Replacing the ball on top of the cartridge should work if it’s just an issue with the ball.
Replacing a worn-out part can also help stop leaks in your plumbing system.
- Disassemble the Handle Mechanism
We recommend first taking the handle mechanism apart. We will need to remove the handle and then unscrew the two screws that hold the top and bottom of the mechanism together.
Once those are out, you’ll be able to pull them apart. After removing these pieces, you should be able to see a small screw with a rubber o-ring on top of it.
This is what’s causing the problem and needs replacing.
- Examine the Float Assembly
Most of the time, a Moen shower will not turn off because the float assembly is stuck. This can happen if you were using the handle to turn on a different setting and forgot to switch back.
First, check to see if there is water in the overflow tube. If so, open up the valve and let some out until there is none left.
Next, remove the handle by turning it counter-clockwise with pliers or a screwdriver, then pull it out of its place.
On the end opposite the screw head, there should be an o-ring that needs to be lubricated before installation.
Apply Vaseline to this o-ring and reattach the handle with pliers or a screwdriver. Turn it clockwise to tighten the seal.
Finally, test it for any leaks around where the handles meet by removing them again for a few seconds, then retightening them once more.
- Replace Leaky Washers
If you’ve checked the water flow and the diverter valve, and those are not the source of the problem, then you may need to replace a washer.
It’s common for washers to wear out over time. It’s important to keep an eye on them. Take off the handle and turn it back in order to expose the screws that hold the handle in place.
Take a screwdriver and unscrew all of these screws. Remove the handle completely by pulling gently on both ends.
Carefully remove the rubber gasket at the base of the spout with pliers or a flathead screwdriver.
Clean any gunk from inside with a toothbrush, then put everything back together before testing your shower again.
- Repair Broken Parts
If you find the water still running and you have tried to fix the problem, then chances are that a part is broken.
In this case, you may need to call a plumber. However, if there is no water coming out or it only drips from the faucet, then there may be an issue with the handle or a lever.
You can usually fix these problems by tightening a screw or replacing an O-ring. Sometimes even just removing the handle and cleaning all of its parts can make it work again!
The most common thing people forget about is removing their jewelry so they don’t get caught on something while doing the job.
Next time you need to troubleshoot your Moen shower not turning off, check these things before calling in help!