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What To Do When Bathtub Faucet Won’t Turn Off

By Aztil –

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A bathroom is a sacred place. You go there first thing in the morning, the last thing in the night, and many times in between. Since you frequently use it you want, all items must be clean, tidy, and in proper working order. 

It is the place where you find solace in the form of a nice long soak or a fast rejuvenation of the tired soul through a quick shower. Sometimes you may even go there to hide from your little brats and get some quiet time. 

At such times, even a leaking and dripping faucet is a big irritation. Even worse is you go in for a bath, and when the time comes to turn off the faucet, it just doesn’t do what it is supposed to. Not only is your precious water running away, but it may also damage the floor and walls. This is a tricky situation and a valid cause for concern. The purpose of this article is to reduce your anxiety and tell you exactly how to proceed when your bathtub faucet won’t turn off.

What To Do When Bathtub Faucet Won’t Turn Off

The situation calls for an expert, which in this case is the plumber. However, he is not waiting at your doorstep, so you need to get a handle on things yourself. The apparent solution is repairing the faucet yourself. It’s an excellent time to learn the basics of faucet repairs now so that in future you can take care of things on your own. 

Fixing The Faucet

Sometimes the problem is really simple and needs just a small fix. To begin with, your first course of action should be to tighten the handle screw. 

Step 1 – Since the flow of water has not stopped, you need to shut off the water supply completely. The valve that controls the water supply to your home will be somewhere close to where your water heater is fitted.

Step 2 – Take a pic of the faucet and its handles. It will come handy while buying new parts or explaining to the plumber.

Step 3 – Using a flat-blade screwdriver, pry beneath the cover plate to reveal the handle screw. Sometimes tightening this screw will solve the problem. Use a Phillips screwdriver to tighten it.

Step 4 – Restart the water supply to your home and turn the faucet on and off to see if you have managed to fix the problem.

If tightening of the handle screw does not solve the issue, it’s time to aim big. You have to try and repair the end of the stem.

Step 1 – Again, you need to begin by turning off the water supply so that you do not flood the bathroom.

Step 2 – From the faucet, you need to remove the handle. For this, rotate the handle until it comes off the stem. You may need to use a wrench to complete this action. At times, a gentle pull can also do the trick.

Step 3 – Examine the faucet stem end for any kind of damage. Ideally, the stem tip has rims or ridges which attach to the ridges that are inside the handle of the faucet. When these get worn or spoiled, the faucet handle is unable to tighten around the stem. Due to this reason the faucet unable to turn off. You need to replace the part whose rims have smoothened out over a period of time.

Step 4 – Carefully have a peek inside the faucet handle to detect any obvious damage. A handle which is cracked would need complete replacement. Again, this because it will not grip the faucet stem correctly. When the grooves or ridges inside the handle get worn out, the handle can’t attach with the stem properly. As a result, it cannot regulate the faucet.

Step 5 – Clean the stem end to remove any deposits or debris. You can use an old toothbrush to do so. Once done, with the help of a rag wipe the stem dry.

Step 6 – Wrap a couple of layers (one or two) of thread-seal tape all around the valve stem tip. Now, push or firmly press in the handle over the stem through the layers of thread-seal tape. Another way is to rotate the handle over the stem until it locks in position.

Step 7 – Finally, turn on the water supply once again to check whether the fix works or not. If it works, remember, the thread-seal tape is a temporary fix. It will increase the life of the faucet stem and handle from anywhere between a few months to a year or two. Ultimately, you just have to replace them.

When Your Fix Doesn’t Work

It is not necessary that your repair will hold for long or that it even fixes the problem. If the problem does not fix at all, shut down your water supply and call the plumber immediately. If your fix works only for a short duration, you are probably not doing it correctly. Even then you need to call the plumber to come and address the issue once and for all.

Tips To Keep In Mind

1) Cover the drain with a cloth so that no small pieces or spare parts fall into it. These can clog the drain and also make for unnecessary purchases to replace them.
2)Put a protective sheet in your tub so that you don’t accidentally leave scratches or stains of any kind.
3) When working with pipes, wear protective gloves . This way, you will not hurt yourself on any sharp edges.
4) Wearing safety goggles is also advisable so that you don’t get any stray particle inside your eye.

What We Advise

Some works cannot be done by all. There are professionals who are trained to handle them. Having said that, it is not possible to get hold of these people at a moments notice. A plumbers job is one such. In the absence of a plumber, you need to be knowledgable enough to handle a minor crisis. You need to know the basics of handling any situation so that your suffering is limited. Hopefully, this article will help you in the future.

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Dana was able to diagnose and fix the problem. With my air c conditioner that two prior technicians could not. He left me with a feeling of confidence in his ability and I would request Dana for any future problems
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Thanks Aztil for many years of service Tino was amazing did a great job on the ac units and was very professional I’m recommend Aztil for any ac needs.
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Dana Dussalt was awesome & very patient & courteous by ensuring our AC was functioning properly & explained in detail the issue that he resolved.
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Response from the owner:Hi William, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Antonio did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Albert is a great technician. He is very clean and courteous. I have been a customer of the company that they bought so it's been like a total of twenty eight years, and i'm very satisfied.
Response from the owner:Hi Mark, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Albert did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Niko Garza completed a detailed diagnostic & flush of my home AC. Very professional and courteous. I highly recommend Aztil & Niko
Response from the owner:Hi Michael, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Paul gross was wonderful.
Response from the owner:Hi Diana, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Pail did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Can I please 🙏 say ... a/c was down for about 14 hrs in a day in July 😡 then they sent there top star Danna & my man took care of everything !!!!!! 5 ☆☆☆☆☆
Response from the owner:Hi Darius, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Dana was great very helpful and knowledgeable.
Response from the owner:Hi George, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
I wanted to commend Dana Dussualt for his hard work at rectifying a substantial issue that I had with my HVAC system. It did require multiple visits but he stuck with it and figured out the issue and did get it resolved. Dana spent hours in the attic in the middle of summer working on getting this fixed. He is both a very hard worker and a pleasant individual. Dana is a credit to your company. In addition, the office staff worked with me in getting these repairs done by insuring we would get service on the date promised. Having no air conditioning in the summer is not a great experience. I have been an Aztil customer for many years.
Response from the owner:Hi Lyle, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Dana was on time and knew what he was talking about, highly recommend him.
Response from the owner:Hi Ginger, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Rhonda answered my call and was wonderful. Dana and Schuyler arrived within the hour and fixed my a/c problem. Cleaned everything up and would use Dana anytime.
Response from the owner:Hi Ricki, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Niko was fantastic... knowledgeable and professional... answered all my questions and did it with a smile... I would want to see him for all my service calls moving forward... thanks Niko!
Response from the owner:Hi Jim, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Jordan & Harold did a great job taking care of our system. Highly recommend them.
Response from the owner:Hi Janie, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Jordan and Harold did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
The Aztil technician Dana was very professional, knowledgeable and courteous. He resolved my issue and made the visit seamless. .
Response from the owner:Hi Jeffrey, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Lazaro is an excellent Tech. Courteous and Professional. If possible ask for him for all your HVAC issues.
Response from the owner:Hi Les, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Lazaro did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Dana was great. He was very knowledgeable. Did nice work Easy to understand. Highly recommended
Response from the owner:Hi Barry, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Jorge and Dave we’re extremely professional. The AC installation was done quickly and meticulously. I can’t recommend them enough!

I also want to give a shout out to Paul Gross. He was my initial contact with Aztil. He explained all my options to me and suggested the best unit for my home. Paul was able to get me a great price and I’m very grateful for his advice.
Response from the owner:Hi Wendy, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Jorge and Paul did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
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Dana, my service tech did an amazing job to keep my AC up and running. He contacted me on his i, and was here in a flash.

He also updated me on the condition of the AC for the future, made some recommendations for me to consider.

Keep Dana on my service list and THANK YOU DANA!!!!
Response from the owner:Hi Jeanne, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Dana did a excellent job. He listened as to what was wrong as if he really cared. I would reccommend him to anyone. Very nice and respectable and he knew what he was doing.
Response from the owner:Hi Pat, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Niko was excellent. Very happy with his service. Explained everything and was very professional.

Yesterday no ac!! Yikes. Dana was the technician who did not leave our house until he discovered and fixed the problem. Believe me, he missed dinner and this was a Friday night. Couldn’t be happier. Dana was so professional and knowledgeable. So happy we bought from Aztil and have a service contract with them. If you ever think it’s not worth having the service contract in case of emergency, when you have no ac and it’s sweltering outside, you will be so happy you made a smart decision! Thank you Dana and Aztil.
Response from the owner:Hi E. R., thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Ramon was very thorough.
Response from the owner:Hi Michael, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Ramon did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Rafael
Was very informative, polite, and to the point in explaining warranty information, and what parts was needed for my air conditioner.

I look forward yo his next visit in 6 months.
Keeps us up to date.
Response from the owner:Hi Erlene, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Rafael did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Ramon did an excellent job in servicing my air conditioners. He also called the office to get the permit issue resolved. He informed me that Aztil was recently sold and he is enthusiastic about the new management. I also see an improvement in the communication in the past month.
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The service tech Ramon did an excellent job doing maintenance on my ac and fixed my plaster on top of the ac unit!! Highly recommend!!!!
Response from the owner:Hi Chris, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Ramon did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
I scheduled a routine check up and Cody came to my home. He was so knowledgable and found issues with AC and fixed them on the spot. He also found a major issue on my roof and I immediately called the HOA. I will definitely be asking him to come back for my next check up

Excellent Customer service Kudos Cody !!
Response from the owner:Hi Evee, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Cody did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
I appreciate the online appointment system and the follow up communication until the Tech arrives. Dana, the technician on my job was terrific. He was very thorough and courteous, willing to answer all of my questions with clarity. The only thing that keeps me from awarding a 5 was the price. The service was very satisfying and Dana was exemplary.
Response from the owner:Hi Brett, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Cody did an excellent job. He finished in a timely manner and answered the questions I asked him.
Response from the owner:Hi Benjamin, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Cody did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
I scheduled a routine check-up. Aztil canceled on me and the next appointment was 3 weeks later, so I was not happy about that. However, when my technician Ramon showed up, he was very thorough and efficient. He explained what he was doing and made good suggestions to maintain my AC. I was very happy with his work.
Response from the owner:Hi Elizabeth, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Ramon did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Dana came to my house today. So impressed! He was courteous and knowledgeable. Fixed the problem quickly! Five stars!.
Response from the owner:Dear Cheryl Feldman, thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience with Dana. We're delighted to hear that he provided courteous and knowledgeable service while fixing the problem efficiently. Your satisfaction is our top priority, and we appreciate your five-star rating. If you need any further assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Albert Rodriquez was through and professional. Great service
Response from the owner:Hi Susan, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Albert did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Great job by Barreto
Response from the owner:Hi Alejandro, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Asiel did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Michael was amazing today on our emergency air conditioning needs. He went above and beyond to accomplish getting our unit up and running!!!
Response from the owner:Hi Denise, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Michael did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Ramon was amazing !!!! Awesome job !!!
Response from the owner:Hi Kerry, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Ramon did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Response from the owner:Hi Doris, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Aztil did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Ramon Serpa is the best! He performed the maintenance check on my A/C and when I told him about my husband’s allergy problems, he suggested UV lights which would improve the air quality. He installed these for me explaining the process in detail. He is the best technician we have ever had with Aztil.
Response from the owner:Hi Susan, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Ramon did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
I've been using Aztil for over 20 years across 4 homes in Florida. From general services to complete A/C replacements, I wouldn't trust anyone else. My recent service in Port St. Lucie with Nico was excellent and he was very helpful in going over all of my HVAC system and answered a few questions I had.
I highly recommend Aztil for any HVAC issues or general maintenance.
Response from the owner:Hi Ralph, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
I cannot speak highly enough of our super kind technician, Randy, who came out to assess our AC today. Randy took the time to walk us through photos of the issues in our AC and offered to take care of it ASAP as he already had the parts in his truck - LOVE the preparedness! Aztil Air Conditioning is superior and we will request Randy on a go forward basis.

UPDATE 6/17/25 - Exceptional Service from True Professionals - Highly Recommend!

We recently had our ducts cleaned and sealed, plus our dryer vent serviced by Jordan and Hero from Aztil Air Conditioning, and I cannot say enough good things about their work. From the moment they arrived, these two demonstrated exactly what professional service should look like.

What impressed us most was their commitment to education - they took the time to walk both my husband and me through every step of the process, explaining not just what they were doing, but why it mattered for our home's efficiency and air quality. It's rare to find technicians who are so patient and thorough in their explanations.

Beyond their technical expertise, Jordan and Hero showed genuine respect for our home and our comfort level throughout the entire job. They worked with care and consideration, treating our space as if it were their own. As homeowners, we've all had those experiences where workers leave you feeling uneasy - this was the complete opposite. We felt completely at ease having them in our home.

Their professionalism, kindness, and attention to detail set them apart in an industry where those qualities aren't always guaranteed. If you're looking for HVAC services you can trust, don't hesitate to call Aztil Air Conditioning. Jordan and Hero will take excellent care of you and your home.

Five stars - we'll definitely be calling them for any future needs!
Response from the owner:Thank you Jessica for your positive feedback. I'm glad you were happy with the support we provided. Please keep us in mind for any HVAC needs.
Rick was terrific. Knowledgeable fast, courteous. We hope if we need a/c work, he's the one who comes out.
Response from the owner:Hi Hal, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Rick did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Very professional, knowledgeable, and accomplished the tasks requested..Would recommend to others.
Response from the owner:Hi Judy, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Aztil did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Jordan was excellant. Went above and beyond listening and talking me through everything.
Response from the owner:Hi Mark, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Jordan did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Thank you Alex who diagnosed my AC issue quickly,! your superior technical skills and customer service have not gone unnoticed. Alex made my experience a pleasant one, even though my AC motor went and it needs to be ordered, the good news is it’s under warranty🤷🏼‍♂️
Response from the owner:Hi Stephen, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Alex did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

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