Why a shower faucet drips after you turn it off
A shower faucet drips because the part that stops the water no longer seals. In most homes that part is a cartridge or a rubber washer and seat inside the valve body, hidden behind the handle. Rubber hardens, plastic wears and mineral grit scratches the sealing faces.
The fix is usually to replace the worn part, not the whole faucet. A plumber shuts off the water, pulls the handle and trim, swaps the cartridge or the washer set and tests for a clean shutoff. If the valve body itself is pitted or the parts are no longer made, the valve is replaced instead.
Which case you have depends on the faucet type. The table below matches common styles to the usual cause.
Faucet style, likely cause and usual repair
Look at the handle. One lever that moves up and down and side to side is a different design from two separate knobs.
| What you have | Why it drips | Usual repair |
|---|---|---|
| Single lever or knob | Worn or cracked cartridge | Replace the cartridge |
| Two handles, hot and cold | Rubber washer or seat on the dripping side | Replace washer set, reface or replace the seat |
| Pressure balancing valve | Cartridge or internal balance spool worn | Replace the cartridge assembly |
| Drips from the tub spout only | Diverter or the valve upstream | Check the diverter, then the valve |
| Drips from the showerhead only | Valve not fully shutting off | Service the valve, then check the head |
A drip on the hot side only often means a hot-side part is worn. A plumber confirms this once the trim is off.
How a plumber repairs a dripping shower valve
- 1
Find the shutoff
Water is turned off at a fixture stop if one exists or at the main shutoff for the house.
- 2
Remove the trim
The handle, escutcheon plate and stem cover come off, and the valve model is identified.
- 3
Replace the worn part
The cartridge or washer set is swapped. Seats are checked for pitting and cleaned or replaced.
- 4
Test the shutoff
Water comes back on slowly. Hot and cold are tested, then the drip is watched for a few minutes.
What you can safely check before calling
You can confirm where the drip comes from. Dry the tub, wait ten minutes and see whether water forms at the showerhead, the tub spout or around the handle. A drip at the handle plate points to a different failure than a drip at the showerhead.
Also look at the ceiling or wall on the other side of the bathroom. A stain, a soft drywall patch or a musty smell means water may be escaping inside the wall, which is more than a worn washer. In that case skip the repair attempt and read our leak detection page for how a hidden leak gets traced.
Do not force a handle that will not turn. Brass stems and old screws snap, and a broken stem turns a short repair into opening the wall.
Signs a drip is more than a worn part
Most drips are a simple repair. These signs mean the problem sits deeper.
- Water at the handle plateWater seeping around the trim can mean a failed valve body or a loose connection behind the tile.
- Low pressure along with the dripMineral buildup or a partly failed cartridge may be restricting flow.
- Stained ceiling below the bathroomWater has been escaping long enough to soak framing or drywall.
- Hot water only shows up as a dripA hot-side seat or stop may be failing, and the heater is working harder than it should.
If any of these match, call and tell dispatch. Our faucet and sink repair service covers shower and tub valves too.
What older Darien homes mean for shower valves
Darien was incorporated in 1969 by residents of the Marion Hills, Brookhaven, Farmingdale and Hinsbrook subdivisions, so many houses date from the 1960s and 1970s. Bathrooms from that period often still have their original valves, and some of those designs are no longer stocked as complete cartridges.
That affects your decision in two ways. First, ask the plumber whether a matching cartridge exists before agreeing to a quick repair. Second, if the valve is old and the wall is open for another reason, replacing the valve at the same visit can cost less in labor than coming back later.
Darien buys Lake Michigan water from the City of Chicago. The city does not publish a hardness figure in its 2025 report, so test your own tap or call the City water operator at (630) 353-8105. Mineral buildup is a common reason cartridges wear faster. Always match a replacement cartridge to the valve maker's manufacturer guidelines, since cartridges are model specific.
What affects the cost of a dripping shower repair
There is no flat menu for this job. You get a clear price before work starts, and these are the things that move it.
Not sure which kind of drip you have? Call (630) 822-9290 and describe what you see.
Shower still dripping?
Tell dispatch what kind of handle you have and where the water appears. We will say whether it sounds like a cartridge job.
Why fixing a small drip soon matters
A drip feels harmless, but it adds up. Constant moisture stains tubs, loosens caulk and can wet the framing behind the wall over months. A short repair now usually costs less than repairing a wall later.
Drips also hide bigger faults. A shower that drips because a stop is failing may be one rough use away from not shutting off at all. If you ever cannot stop the water, close the main shutoff and call right away. Our burst pipe repair page explains what to do while you wait.
Dripping shower faucet questions from Darien homeowners
Usually not. A slow drip from the showerhead or spout can wait for a regular appointment. If water is running at the handle plate, coming through a ceiling below or cannot be shut off, close the main shutoff and call right away.
Sometimes, if the drip is a worn rubber washer inside the head. If the valve does not seal, a new head will drip the same way. A plumber can tell which part is leaking.
Often not. Most single-handle valves are serviced from the front after removing the handle and trim. If the valve must be replaced and there is no rear access, the plumber explains the options before any cutting.
Not always. Many 1960s and 1970s valves can still be repaired. When parts cannot be found or the body is pitted, replacing the valve is the safer long-term repair.
A hot-side drip usually points to a worn hot-side washer or cartridge. It also wastes heated water, so it is worth fixing soon.
Yes. The same dispatch line covers Downers Grove and Westmont, as well as Woodridge and Willowbrook. Call with your address.