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Many shower handles are plastic these days, and any handyman has had plenty of practice replacing them. As you use the handle to turn the water warmer or cooler, over time the parts in the shower valve (the cartridge or the stem and seat) will get corroded, causing you to use more force to turn the handle. This extra force can easily crack a plastic handle.
So when your handle cracks it won’t be long before you have to replace it. You will end up moving the handle but not being able to regulate the water. You may not even be able to turn the water on.
Replacing a plastic handle is very easy and all you will need is a screwdriver. You will need to pry off the cap on the front of the handle. A small standard screwdriver is perfect for this. The cap blends in very well with the handle so you will have to look and feel for it. Look for a ridge and pry it off.
Underneath the cap will be a single screw. Use a Philips head screwdriver and remove this screw. The handle will pull right off. Place the new handle onto the end of the cartridge or stem and reinstall the screw snuggly but don’t over-tighten it, you don’t want to crack the new handle . Push the new cap onto the handle to conceal the screw.
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