Moen Faucet Handle Hard To Turn – How To Fix It?

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Moen faucets are reliable and durable so people use them in their kitchen and bathroom. But with time plumbing issue starts coming into the faucet and Moen faucet handle hard to turn is found in some Moen faucets.

Handle doesn’t get stiff suddenly it is a slow process and in the starting, we ignore this issue so later it becomes difficult to turn the faucet handle. A stiff handle seizes the water flow and prevents you from getting water.

When you feel, the Moen faucet handle is having a problem and it is sticking when you turn it, this is the time to fix hard to turn Moen faucet handle. A stiff handle wastes a good amount of water. Good thing is that repairing a stiff Moen faucet handle is not difficult. By using the right tools, you can fix it. To know the fixing process in the detail, read our guide.

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Why is Moen Faucet Handle Hard To Turn?

When the Moen faucet handle is hard to turn, it makes everyday cleaning tasks a huge struggle. We use a faucet several times a day. If your Moen faucet has started showing the signal of the stiff handle, you should fix its issue. So, here are some common reasons for hard to turn Moen faucet handle.

Damaged O-rings

O-rings are not used by all faucet brands these days but still, some brands use them to keep faucet prices low. O-rings are made of plastic and it is used to create a water-tight seal.

When we turn the handle, the valve stems inside the faucet also turn and create space for water to flow. With every turn, O-rings also move. With time, O-rings in the faucet wear out due to friction, heat, and air.

When O-rings wear out, it becomes difficult to turn the Moen faucet handle. It creates high friction so you need to use more power to turn the handle. Also, wear-out O-rings are responsible for leaks. So, when the handle is not turning and also it is leaking, it means its O-rings are worn out and you need to change it.

Rust and Corrosion

Every faucet at some point gets rusted. This is a common plumbing issue in many houses. Rust generally occurs in a wet area. When metal that contains iron comes into contact with the air, rust formed over there.

When rust occurs inside the handle, the handle doesn’t move freely. It gets stuck due to rust particles and can’t move properly.

Mineral Buildups

Mineral buildups are only found in those areas that have hard water. Normal water doesn’t form any mineral buildup.

Mineral buildup forms slowly on the faucet. You can see buildup on the faucet spout but if it is being formed inside the faucet, you can’t see and with time it increases in the size. It starts blocking the way of the handle. People use water softeners to turn hard water into normal water.

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How Do You Fix a Stiff Moen Faucet Handle That Won’t Turn?

To fix hard to turn the handle of the Moen faucet, you have to remove its handle and then check inside the handle to find out the problem. When you find a reason, you can easily fix this issue. Before starting to fix the stiff Moen faucet handle, gather these tools. To avoid the handle issue, you should use a hands-free faucet in the kitchen.

• Flathead screwdriver
• Plumber grease
• Aleen wrench
• Towel
• brush
• White vinegar

Step 1 – Shut off Water Supply

Shut off the water supply for the hot and cold water lines of the faucet. Shut off valve will be located beneath the sink. Maybe you haven’t touched them in years so a hard push may break the valve.

Rotate the valve clockwise direction to turn it off. If you don’t find any valve beneath the sink, shut off the main valve of the hose that supplies water to the house.

Step 2 – Cover Sink Drain

To remove the handle, you need to open the screws. These screws are small in the size and if they go into the sink drain, you can’t do anything. To avoid such a situation, cover the sink drain with a towel.

Step 3 – Remove Moen Faucet Handle

Now the main work starts. Find a screw on the faucet handle. If you can’t find the screw, check if there would be any cover or cap. The screw is hidden behind this cap.

To remove the cap, use a flathead screwdriver. The screwdriver will pry off the cap from its place. You just need to push gently to remove the cap otherwise it may break. Once the cap comes out, you can clearly see the hidden screw.

Use an Allen wrench to remove the screw. Make a perfect grip of the Aleen wrench on the screw and remove it. You may also use a screwdriver to remove it. After removing the screw, remove the handle. Twist the handle and pull it outside.

Step 4 – Examine the Situation

After removing the handle, you need to find the reason for the hard turn of the Moen faucet handle. Check cartridges or O-rings are worn out or not. Is there any mineral buildup inside the handle? Is rust formed or not?

Step 5 – Clean or Replace the Cartridge or O-rings

Now remove the O-rings from the handle. Check ring condition. They can be used again or not. If not, buy new rings for the Moen faucet.

To clean O-rings use white vinegar. Soak rings in the vinegar for hours. After that rinse rings under the water. If rings are worn out, use new rings. The same process applies to replacing the cartridge. If you have a cartridge instead of O-rings, use the same process.

Step 6 – Remove Mineral Buildups and Rust

After removing the cartridge, check the mineral buildups inside the handle. To remove it spray white vinegar on it. Leave it for an hour. Vinegar breaks buildup into small parts. Clean it with water spray.

Use a brush to scrub the parts of the buildup. Once you are done with the scrubbing, clean it with water. This process will also remove rust from it. One step will solve both the rust and mineral buildup problems.

Step 7 – Reattach Handle

Now when the handle is properly clean from the inside and also you have changed O-rings, the handle will move freely. It will not be stuck anywhere.

Before reattaching the handle, apply plumber grease inside the handle part and on the handle. It will save handle parts from rust. Reattach the handle to its position and fix the screw on it.

How to Do You Lubricant a Moen Kitchen Faucet?

Every faucet handle needs lubricant so they work better. Lubricant reduces friction so the life of the cartridge increases.

The process of lubricant in a Moen kitchen faucet is easy. Follow these steps.

• Remove the handle by removing its screws.
• Now pull the handle out and remove its cartridge.
• Take a new cartridge and apply lubricant to it.
• Also, apply lubricant inside the faucet handle.
• Before applying lubricant, clean the faucet with water and then with a dry cloth. Remove every drop of water otherwise, lubricant won’t work.

Check also –

• Right Way To Clean Moen Kitchen Faucet Aerator
• How To Check Model Number of Moen Faucet
• Best Faucet For Hard Water
• Moen vs Delta Fixtures

How Do You Unfreeze a Faucet Handle?

Moen kitchen faucet when becomes old, its handle becomes stuck and tight. In the starting, tightness is not high but gradually it becomes tighter and tighter. At last, the handle fused itself into the base of the sink.

Heavy duct tape on the faucet protects its base. If you unfreeze the handle early on when it’s just starting to turn hard, you wouldn’t have to do much effort.

Sometimes freeze handles are so tight that with hand, we can’t rotate them.

Use wd-40 spray on the faucet handle gap. Wait for a few minutes and now move the handle back and forth so you won’t struggle when you remove the handle.

Now remove the handle screw and try to unfreeze the handle. If the handle is still frozen, use a plier. Cover the handle of the faucet with tape so it will be safe from scratches.

The normal range of motion for the most handle is between 0 to 90 degrees so don’t go beyond it otherwise, it will break the cartridge.

Remove worn-out parts from the handle and insert a new one. Apply lubricant and reinsert the handle. It will unfreeze a Moen faucet handle.

Is Plumber Grease The Same as Silicon Grease?

When you have to use grease, you should have known what to use. People often get confused between plumber grease vs silicone grease.

Plumber grease is used for non-consumed water sources. Silicone grease is used where water is grease is touched by the water. So, if humans consume silicone grease, it won’t hurt. Both are used to lubricate the plumbing fixtures.

Plumbing grease is a combination of different waterproof chemicals. The plumber uses plumbing grease on the plumbing parts so their life of them increases. It doesn’t damage plumbing fixtures.

On the other side, silicone grease is also used as a lubricant for the plumbing fixture but its chemicals are different. It uses silicone oil and silica thickener for its ingredients. It has food-grade chemicals that are not harmful to the human body.

If you are using grease on that part that directly comes into contact with the water, use silicone grease.

Final Words

Rust, mineral buildups, and cartridge or O-rings are common reasons for the Moen faucet handle hard to turn. In this guide, we have shown how you can remove mineral buildups and also how to clean or change cartridges or O-rings so the Moen faucet handle moves easily. You just need some basic tools for this process.

Ralph Matthews

Meet Ralph Matthews, father of 2 cute daughters and a skilled plumber with over 10 years of experience in the industry. Ralph has particular expertise in repairing any type of faucet and has helped countless homeowners and businesses solve their plumbing problems with his expert knowledge and attention to detail.