American Standard Shower Faucet Handle Removal

ByRalph Matthews

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A showerhead provides a fresh feeling when you rinse off your body under the shower. But when the shower faucet handle doesn’t work properly, you have to struggle to get a perfect shower experience. If you struggle to turn the handle on or off to control water flow and temperature, it’s time to repair or replace the shower faucet cartridge. A shower faucet handle needs repairing from time to time so it works perfectly.

American standard shower faucet handle removal process is surprisingly easy to fix. If you are a beginner, still you can remove the handle of the American standard shower faucet. You should replace it with the original parts so it will work longer.

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american standard shower

On Sale

American Standard Spectra Versa Shower System

11-inch Rain showerhead, 4-function hand shower, 25-inch slide bar with Easy Glide, push-button diverter

American Standard Shower Faucet Handle Removal Process – Step By Step

American Standard Shower Faucet Handle Removal

Required Tools

Step 1 – Turn off Water To The Shower Faucet

how to remove American Standard Shower Faucet Handle

To remove the American standard shower faucet, you need to turn its handle to remove its screw. So, when you turn the handle, water starts flowing and comes out from the shower and it will mess up the plumbing work.

Some American standard shower faucet has an access panel on the wall, so you can turn off the water supply to the hot and cold pipeline from the access panel.

But if you don’t have an access panel and there is no shut-off valve in the bathroom then the main shut-off valve of the house is the only option to turn off the water supply to the shower.

Step 2 – Cover The Shower Drain

As you know to remove the handle, you need to remove its screws. These screws are small in size. So, if mistakenly they fall down on the bathroom floor and go into the shower drain, it will create a big headache. To avoid such saturation, cover the shower drain with a cloth.

Step 3 – Remove Faceplate

Now remove the faceplate of the handle. You can remove it by hand. A faceplate is a decorative thing, so make sure you don’t make any scratches on the faceplate.

Cover the faceplate with the cloth and twist the faceplate gently by hand. Spray lubricant on the faceplate if it is stuck and wait for a few minutes.

Step 4 – Remove the Shower Handle

Once the faceplate is removed, you can see the screws on the handle. If you can’t see screws, move the handle to see hex screws behind it.

Use an Allen wrench or screwdriver, according to the screw type, to remove it. Once the screw is removed, you can pull out the handle.

Now once the handle is out, what do you want to do? Either you can install a new handle or replace the cartridge of the old handle and reinstall an old one.

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Step 5 – Remove the Retaining Clip

The retaining clip holds the cartridge. A screwdriver is a good tool to remove the retaining clip. On some retaining clips, you will see a chrome sleeve. Unscrew the chrome sleeve and pull it out. Now pry out the retaining clip by using a screwdriver.

Step 6 – Replace The Cartridge

Now the cartridge is visible. Use a screwdriver to remove it. Take out the cartridge and check its condition. Whether it is reusable or not.

You may also use a cartridge puller to take it out. Now slide the new cartridge into the American standard shower faucet body. The new cartridge will stop all leaks in the shower and also handle movement that becomes smoother.

Step 7 – Reattach Handle

Now install a new handle on the American standard shower faucet. Push the shower faucet handle in its place. Now move it into an on-and-off position to make sure that the handle is moving freely.

Now insert screws and tighten them. Go to the near shut-off valve and turn on the water supply to the shower.

How Do You Remove an American Standard Shower Faucet Handle Without Screws?

How Do You Remove an American Standard Shower Faucet Handle Without Screws?
  • Shut off the water supply to the shower faucet in the bathroom and remove its faceplate by hand.
  • Once the faceplate is removed, check if there is any hidden screw or not.
  • Nowadays some American standard shower faucets don’t have any screws for the handle.
  • In this situation, first, you should contact the manufacturers to know about the process to remove the American standard shower faucet handle without screws.
  • Also, you can search for the model number on the American Standard website and read its instruction guide, from there you will get an idea.
  • Tug on the shower faucet handles to see if it detaches or not. Don’t put unnecessary pressure on it otherwise handle may be damaged.
  • Handle without screws can be opened by twisting, some American standard shower models support this feature.
  • Now twist the shower faucet handle in the opposite direction from which the handle turns on.
  • If this trick also doesn’t work, use a handle puller. Before using a handle puller, cover the handle and its surrounding part with a cloth. Now pull the handle from the puller.

Can’t Get the Bathroom Shower Faucet Handle off

Many people encounter a problem while repairing a shower faucet handle, they can’t get the bathroom faucet handle off. This happen due to a stuck shower handle. This issue is common for those who don’t have opened it after the installation.

Rust, corrosion, and mineral buildups are the main reasons for the stuck shower faucet handle. We don’t remove the handle until it leaks or is hard to turn. In a day, the handle does many rotations so its cartridge wears out with time. Sometimes this wear-out cartridge also makes it hard to remove the shower faucet handle.

If you can’t get the American standard shower faucet handle off, spray WD-40 solution on it. It will clear out rust and mineral buildup from the handle. Now slowly try to move the handle and after a few attempts, it will move easily.

Can You Replace a Single Handle American Standard Shower Faucet With a Double Handle?

Yes, you can replace a single-handle American standard shower faucet with a double handle. But for beginners, it is not an easy job. For a single-handle shower faucet, you just need a hole for the installation but for the double handle, you need 3 holes, if the shower faucet is widespread. You can also install a double-handle centerset tap.

Luckily, sometimes the plumber leaves extra space behind the wall so in the future, if you think about changing the shower, you can easily install any other shower.

In the single-handle shower, the faceplate covers the extra space. To install a double-handle shower, remove this faceplate and install a new one.

Can I Replace American Standard Shower Faucet With Any Brand?

People change their shower system when the old one is not working well or they want to redecorate the bathroom. It is not difficult to replace the American standard shower faucet with any brand provided if there is enough space behind the tiles to install a new one.

american standard shower

On Sale

American Standard Spectra Versa Shower System

11-inch Rain showerhead, 4-function hand shower, 25-inch slide bar with Easy Glide, push-button diverter

Final Words

This whole guide explains the American standard shower faucet handle removal process in the detail. Whether you want to repair leakage in the shower faucet or replace its handle, you can do it easily with this guide. Maybe it seems a difficult process but once you start it becomes easy. You just need to follow the right steps and the right tools.

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