How to Replace a Moen Shower Faucet Cartridge
Moen produces high end faucets and showers for home and commercial use in the United States. Moen showers use a replaceable cartridge system in order to regulate water quality and pressure. Cartridges are designed to last three to five years before needing to be replaced or maintained. Installing a new cartridge can often greatly increase the shower pressure your shower can maintain as well as reducing the amount of sediment such as lime and calcium in your water. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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1
Turn off the water main for the room that contains your shower. The water main in most bathrooms is located underneath the sink and consists of one or two dials connected to either hard copper piping or flexible metal tubing. Turn all available handles at least 1/2 turn to the left to shut them off.
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2
Turn the hex key counterclockwise under the shower handle, in the star shaped aperture. This will allow you to remove the shower handle.
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3
Use the hex key on the shower plate (2 places) in the star shaped apertures. This will allow you to remove the shower plate.
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4
Attach the pliers to the head of the cartridge and turn it counterclockwise while pulling the cartridge head out of the shower.
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5
Insert the new cartridge with the pliers, twisting it at least half a turn clockwise until you hear it click into place. Do not force the new cartridge or you risk damaging the piping and soldering work.
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6
Replace the shower plate, locking it into place with the hex key (clockwise to tighten).
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7
Replace the shower handle, locking it into place with the hex key (clockwise to tighten).
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Tips & Warnings
You can run the water in your shower or sink faucet after closing off the water main in order to remove any water left in the pipes. This will make it easier to work with the cartridge during the disassembly process. You can clean your old cartridge using cleaners that will dissolve the lime and calcium deposits. This will allow you to reuse your old cartridge for many years.
While you can go significantly longer without replacing a Moen cartridge, this could result in loss of pressure or internal leaks in your walls. Make sure that the water main is shut off before beginning work or you risk injury from high-pressured or scalding water.
