Short Answer
A bathtub faucet leaking from the spout while the handles are off means the valve behind the wall no longer seals. On two- and three-handle faucets, replace the washers, seats, or stems. On single-handle faucets, replace the cartridge. In Houston, Repipe Solutions replaces tub and shower cartridges for $150 to $300.
A bathtub faucet leaking a steady drip into the tub is easy to ignore, but it does not stop on its own. Repipe Solutions is a licensed Houston plumbing company. This guide covers the drip from the spout when everything is off: the cause, which valve you have, how to fix it, and when the valve itself is worn out.
Water running down the wall behind the spout, or out the back of the spout while the shower is on, is usually the diverter or spout seal, covered in tub spout leaking behind the wall. Full flow that will not shut off is covered in shower won’t stop running.
Why Is My Bathtub Faucet Leaking When It Is Off?
The spout is only an outlet. When it drips with the handles closed, the valve in the wall behind the handles is letting water slip past.
- Worn rubber washers. On older two- and three-handle faucets, each handle presses a rubber washer against a brass seat. This Old House lists worn washers as the usual cause of drips in double-handle tub faucets.
- Pitted seats. A new washer against a rough brass seat keeps dripping.
- Worn seats and springs. Delta’s two- and three-handle tub valves use small rubber seats on springs instead of a flat washer, and those wear out the same way.
- A worn cartridge. Most single-handle tub and shower valves use a cartridge. Moen’s support page for its Posi-Temp valve says that if the shower keeps dripping with the handle off, the fix is to replace the 1222 cartridge.
Houston water speeds all of this up. Our faucet repair page explains how our moderately hard water leaves mineral scale on cartridges and seats, which is why a cartridge here can start dripping years sooner than it would on soft water.
One drip pattern is normal. Kohler notes that water left in the showerhead and spout can keep dripping for up to 90 seconds after the valve is shut off. If the drip stops after a minute or two, nothing is wrong. If it is still dripping an hour later, the valve is leaking.
Which Tub Valve Do You Have?
Count the handles first.
| What You See | Likely Valve | Part That Usually Fails |
|---|---|---|
| Three handles: hot, cold, and a middle diverter | Older compression stems, or Delta seats and springs | Washer and seat, or seats and springs, on the hot or cold side |
| Two handles: hot and cold | Compression stems, or Delta seats and springs | Same as above, one side at a time |
| One handle that turns or lifts | Cartridge valve (Moen Posi-Temp, Delta Monitor, Kohler Rite-Temp and others) | The cartridge, or its seals |
Look for a brand name on the handle, trim plate, or old part. A part that only looks close will not seal. Kohler, for example, tells owners to identify the installed valve before ordering parts.
Tub Faucet Leaking? Find the Hot or Cold Side First
On a two- or three-handle faucet, usually only one side is leaking.
- Feel the drip. This Old House suggests holding your hand under it to tell hot from cold, though it also admits a slow drip makes that hard to judge.
- Shut off one supply. Delta’s support article on dripping two- and three-handle tub faucets starts by shutting off the hot supply and working on the hot valve. If the drip continues after that side is repaired, repeat the steps on the cold side.
How to Fix a Leaking Bathtub Faucet With Two or Three Handles
Before you start, find a way to shut off the water. Many tub valves have no separate shutoff you can reach. Delta’s instructions say that if you cannot find a shutoff for the tub valve, shut off the water to the house. Then open the faucet to drain the line and make sure nothing flows.
- Cover the drain so small screws cannot fall in.
- Remove the handle. Pry off the hot or cold cap, take out the screw underneath, and pull the handle off. If scale has stuck it to the stem, use a handle puller, a tool This Old House lists for this job, instead of prying against the tile.
- Remove the stem. Take off the trim sleeve, then unscrew the bonnet nut or stem with a wrench, turning counterclockwise. Delta’s steps remove the bonnet nut, stem extender, and stem assembly in that order.
- Replace the washer or seats and springs. On a compression stem, replace the rubber washer and the brass screw that holds it. On a Delta valve, pull the seats and springs out of the valve body. Delta’s fix is its RP4993 seats and springs kit, which comes with two sets.
- Check the seat. On compression valves, look at the brass seat inside the valve. If it is rough or pitted, remove it with a seat wrench and thread in a new one. This Old House describes the seat wrench as a tapered tool that fits inside the seat to back the old one out.
- Reassemble and test. Put the stem, bonnet, and handle back, turn the water on slowly, and watch the spout for a few minutes after shutting the handle.
If new seats and springs do not stop a Delta faucet from dripping, Delta’s next step is to replace both stem assemblies (part RP1740). If the stems are seized, the seat will not come out, or the valve body threads look corroded, stop there. Forcing an old brass valve is how a small repair turns into opening the wall.
How to Fix a Single-Handle Tub Faucet Leaking From the Spout
A single-handle valve has one cartridge for both hot and cold, so the whole cartridge gets replaced.
- Shut off the water to the valve or the house, then open the handle to release pressure.
- Remove the handle and trim plate. Most handles come off after you loosen a screw under a cap or a set screw underneath. Cut any caulk around the plate first.
- Remove the retaining clip or nut. On a Moen Posi-Temp valve, Moen’s 1222 cartridge instructions have you slide the retainer clip up and out of the valve body with needle nose pliers.
- Pull the cartridge. Moen notes it may take some effort. A cartridge scaled in place needs a brand-specific puller, because yanking with pliers can damage the valve body.
- Install the new cartridge facing the same way. Take a photo before the old one comes out. Moen’s instructions call for the H and C tab to point up. Installing it the wrong way reverses hot and cold.
- Put the clip back before turning the water on. Moen is clear that if the retainer clip cannot be installed or looks damaged, the water must stay off until the clip is replaced.
- Check the hottest setting before anyone uses the tub (see below).
Kohler’s Rite-Temp valves work a little differently. For a drip caused by a worn internal seal, Kohler’s fix is to replace the mixer cap and pressure-balancing unit kit.
Check the Water Temperature After Any Cartridge Swap
Under the Texas residential plumbing code, tub and shower combination valves must have a way to limit the maximum setting to 120 degrees, adjusted per the maker’s instructions (IRC 2021 P2708.4). A new or reversed cartridge can change where that limit sits. Turn the handle all the way to hot and test the water before a child or older adult uses the tub. The CPSC warns that water at 140 degrees can burn in about six seconds, and most tap water scald injuries happen to young children and the elderly.
When the Valve Body Is the Problem
Delta’s support article says that if new seats, springs, and stems have not fixed the leak and the valve is more than 10 or 15 years old, the faucet body itself may have developed a leak, and the valve needs to be replaced.
Signs you are past a parts repair:
- The drip continues after the washers, seats, stems, or cartridge are new
- The seat is so worn or seized that it will not come out
- The valve body is cracked, or its threads are corroded
- Parts for the valve are no longer made
- The handle wobbles because the valve has shifted in the wall (see how to fix a loose shower handle)
Replacing the valve means opening the wall behind the handles, either from an adjoining closet or through a small opening covered with a larger trim plate. We compare cartridge and full valve costs side by side in our shower valve repair or replace guide.
What Leaking Bathtub Faucet Repair Costs in Houston
A slow drip costs more than it looks like it should. The EPA says a faucet dripping once per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons a year. In Houston, sewer charges are billed on water use too, so you pay for that water twice.
With Repipe Solutions, a tub and shower cartridge replacement usually runs $150 to $300, and every quote is free with no trip fee. A full valve replacement costs more because the wall has to be opened. See our shower and bathtub services page for current pricing on both. On major brands, ask about the manufacturer warranty first, since some makers send replacement cartridges free to eligible owners.
When to Call a Plumber
- You cannot find a way to shut off the water to the tub, or the main shutoff will not close
- A stem, seat, or cartridge is seized and will not come out without force
- The drip continues after you replaced the parts
- You see corrosion, cracks, or green or white crust on the valve body
- The wall behind the tub is soft, stained, or smells musty
- The water runs hotter than it should, or hot and cold seem reversed after a repair
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a new tub spout stop the drip?
No. When the spout drips with the handles off, the water is getting past the valve behind the wall. A new spout only fixes leaks at the spout itself.
Why is only the hot side of my tub faucet leaking?
Each side of a two- or three-handle faucet has its own washer or seats and springs, so one side can wear out before the other. Delta’s troubleshooting starts with the hot valve. Repair that side first, then the cold side if the drip continues.
Should I replace the seats and springs on both sides at the same time?
It is a reasonable choice. Delta’s RP4993 kit comes with two sets, so doing both sides adds little cost once the water is already off and the tools are out.
Can I stop a dripping tub faucet by tightening the handle harder?
Not for long. Cranking a worn compression handle squeezes a hard washer against a worn seat and wears both faster. On ceramic and cartridge valves, forcing the handle can damage parts. Replace the worn part instead.
Bathroom tub faucet leaking and the sink dripping too: same problem?
Often the same kind of wear, since sinks and tubs use similar washers and cartridges. Where the water shows up matters, though. A leak around a sink handle is a different seal, covered in faucet leaking from the handle.
Need a Dripping Tub Faucet Fixed in Houston?
Repipe Solutions repairs tub and shower valves across Greater Houston, from washers and seats on older three-handle faucets to cartridge swaps and full valve replacements. Quotes are free, in person, with no trip charge. See our shower and bathtub services in Houston or contact Repipe Solutions to schedule a visit.
Featured photo: “Bathtub faucet” by Jo Naylor via Openverse, licensed under CC BY 2.0, converted to WebP.