‘Frozen’ pipe stalls shower leak repair

Q: The shower in our master bath has a single pull-out handle, which had a leak. I tried to replace the old stem; however, the only thing I could remove was the center handle, while the cylinder remained frozen inside the water pipe. So I took the new stem out of the new cylinder, and put it into the pipe. This hasn’t fixed the leak. How can I fix this quickly? I live in a 10-unit condominium, and when I work on the pipes I have to shut the water off to all 10 residences. — John M., Springfield, Pa.

A: The leak is almost certainly from the cylinder (cartridge) inside the pipe, as deteriorating seals inside this assembly can cause the type of faucet leak you describe. So, the cartridge has to come out.

Check with the manufacturer of the faucet. Some assemblies have unique release mechanisms and methods (like a retaining clip that must be removed first) or require a special tool to “unstick” the cartridge from the valve body. Contact the faucet maker with the model number (or replacement model number) to see if any special instructions exist.

If there are no special instructions, it’s back to the old “wiggle method” as you try to get the cartridge out. Inspect the cylinder again, looking for plastic parts that might be removed or threads or nuts that can be firmly gripped by a wrench or needle-nose pliers. Use side-to-side and up-down motions to try and work the cartridge free. Also, try prying the cartridge loose using a flat-head screwdriver — a coat of plumber’s grease between the cylinder and pipe may be the culprit.

Note: Once you have loosened and removed the cylinder, write down or sketch the position of notable features on the unit: any notches or bumps, lettering and colors (especially around intake holes). The replacement cylinder’s position must match that of the old cylinder so that hot and cold water settings are not reversed. Since the replacement will be installed almost as tightly as the old cylinder, you don’t want to have to tug it out again anytime soon.

HOME TIP: When removing faucet fixtures with a plumber’s wrench, wrap masking tape around the area to be unscrewed. This prevents scratches and gouges in the finish.