How to Repair a 3 Handle Shower Faucet

Steps for 3 Handle Shower Faucet Replacement

1. Shut off the water at the main water shutoff.
2. Put a drop cloth in the tub to protect it from any work and also to prevent small parts from falling down the drain.
3. Remove the handles from the valves using the screwdriver. They’re usually under small covers that read “hot” and “cold.”
4. Remove the escutcheons from the valves. They can usually be loosened by hand.
5. Unscrew the valve bodies from the wall with the slip joint pliers and the tub sockets.
6. Replace the seats for the valves. They should come in the repair kit.
7. Put the new stems into the valves and tighten them with the tub socket.
8. Tighten the bonnets on each of the stems with the open-ended adjustable wrench.
9. Screw the trim from the replacement kit over the stem and then put the escutcheons on over the trim.
10. Add the handles to the stems and screw them in with a screwdriver. Be sure to have the “hot” and “cold” labels installed right side up so they’re easier to read.
11. Turn the water back on.

Pro Tip: On a recent This Old House project, homeowner Pat described her three-handle shower trouble: “When I think I have the temperature all set, all of a sudden it starts getting cold.” The culprit was failing valve stems—when the hot water was turned on, pressure would gradually disappear. Richard Trethewey, This Old House plumbing and heating expert, explained that a three-valve setup has a hot water stem, a cold water stem, and a diverter in the middle that determines whether water goes up to the showerhead or down to the spout. Replacing the worn stems and seats resolved the issue entirely.

When removing the escutcheons, remember they have a fine thread—turn counterclockwise to loosen. Once the escutcheons are off, use a socket wrench that fits over the valve stems along with a Stilson wrench for leverage to remove them from the wall.

Importance of 3 Handle to 1 Handle Shower Conversion

Three-handle shower valves are no longer up to code due to a risk of scalding, and should be replaced with a single-handle, pressure-balanced one, particularly if the shower is used regularly or will be used by children. Pressure-balanced shower valves can be found at home centers or plumbing supply stores. You can also purchase cover plates that can hide holes left behind in the tiles when the valves are swapped.

Pro Tip: Richard Trethewey, This Old House plumbing and heating expert, explains why the upgrade matters: “As the cold water pressure disappears, the valve will adjust and keep a consistent temperature—no more scalding.” A pressure-balanced shower valve constantly adjusts for changes in pressure, ensuring a safe, consistent temperature comes out of the showerhead.

When converting from a three-handle valve to a single-handle pressure-balanced valve, you’ll need to open up the tile wall, remove the old three-valve assembly, and pipe in the new mixing valve inside the wall. The conversion will leave three holes in the tile where the original handles were. A cover plate is designed to fit over all three holes, and a trim ring installs over the top for a clean, finished look—making it the perfect upgrade without a full tile redo.

When repairing existing three-handle valves, finding the correct components requires some detective work. Home centers have a book you can use to help you match up the correct parts, or you can go to a plumbing supply store and they will usually have the parts that you need.

Pro Tip: When sourcing replacement parts for a three-handle valve repair, start by checking the handles themselves for a manufacturer’s name. If you can identify the brand, you may find a complete kit at the home center that includes replacement handles, escutcheons, stems, the diverter, a wrench for pulling the stems, the seats, and a threaded gasket cap that creates a watertight seal when the stem threads into the wall.

Tub sockets and the other materials required to complete this project can also be found at home centers and plumbing supply stores.

Expert assistance for this segment was provided by Eastside Plumbing Supplies Inc.

For More: How to Fix a Shower Faucet With a Single Handle; How to Repair a Shower Valve Stem

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