Moen 1222 / 1222B
Replace a Moen 1222 Posi-Temp shower cartridge and reset its temperature limit
The 1222 is the cartridge in Moen Posi-Temp shower valves, the ones whose single handle only rotates: turn it to start the water and keep turning for hotter. If your handle pulls out to turn the water on, you have a 1225 valve instead.
- ValveMoen Posi-Temp, pressure balancing
- Handlerotate only, no volume control
- Held byretainer clip at top of valve body
- 1222Bsame cartridge, bulk pack
Is it a 1222?
- Handle
- One handle that rotates only. Moen lists Posi-Temp as "rotate only", pressure balanced, with no separate volume control.
- Not a 1225
- Moen's Standard and Moentrol shower valves use the 1225, and their handle pushes and pulls for on, off and volume, then rotates for temperature.
- On the cartridge
- An "H&C" tab that sits flush with the valve body, oval rubber grommets on each side (they can fall off), and a brass stem with one notched side.
- 1222 or 1222B
- Moen titles the 1222B "Posi-Temp (Bulk)": the same cartridge in contractor packaging.
Moen's removal instructions for the 1222 differ from the 1200 and 1225 at the puller setup, and the two valve families do not share handles. Retailers that stock both state plainly that the 1222 is not interchangeable with the 1225 or 1200.
Before you buy a cartridge
Moen's own troubleshooting points to a new 1222 for these Posi-Temp problems: the shower keeps dripping with the handle off, water leaks from the handle, flow is low at both the spout and showerhead, or pressure drops as you turn toward hot.
Two problems look like a bad cartridge but are not. If the showerhead dribbles only while the tub spout is running, Moen calls that stacking, a piping and diverter issue. If the handle turns both ways from off and the temperature range is narrow, the handle is on upside down: take it off and turn it 180 degrees.
Moen's instruction sheet INS746J also lists a 1222 rebuild kit, #98040.
| Item | Part | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brass stem, notched side faces away from the H&C mark | part of 1222 |
| 2 | H&C tab, points up and sits flush with the valve body | part of 1222 |
| 3 | Cartridge body with oval grommets on both sides | part of 1222 |
| 4 | Inner end of the cartridge, seats in the brass valve body | part of 1222 |
Complete cartridge 1222 (bulk 1222B). Moen cartridge puller 104421. The retainer clip and limit stop stay with the valve.
Tools and supplies
- Phillips screwdriver
- Needle-nose pliers for the retainer clip
- Large pliers or channel locks
- Plastic twisting tool from the cartridge kit
- Adjustable wrench (to turn the stem)
- Moen 104421 cartridge puller if the old cartridge is stuck
- Silicone faucet grease for the oval grommets
- Kitchen or candy thermometer
- Towel
Replace the 1222, then set the limit stop
Shut off the water and confirm it is off
Close the stops for the shower if it has them (often behind the trim or an access panel); otherwise close the house main shutoff. Moen's instruction: open the faucet handle to relieve pressure and make sure the water has fully stopped before you take anything apart.
Safety: Cover the tub or shower drain with a towel so the retainer clip and screws cannot fall in.
Take off the handle and handle pieces
Remove the handle screw and handle, then the handle adapter and other trim pieces over the stem. Keep them in order on a towel.
Slide out the retainer clip
With needle-nose pliers, slide the retainer clip up and out of the slot at the top of the brass valve body. If you cannot reach it, remove the escutcheon screws and plate first.
Safety: Hold the clip firmly as it comes free. If it drops behind the wall, the shower cannot be used until you have a new one.
Loosen the cartridge with the twisting tool
Fit the plastic twisting tool over the stem and turn the cartridge about 45 degrees, a little more than an eighth of a turn, until the cartridge body bulges slightly outward. Moen's 2013 sheet shows 45 degrees; an older 2002 sheet showed 90.
Pull the cartridge out
Grip the stem with large pliers and pull straight out. It can take real force. If it will not budge, use the 104421 puller: with the clip removed, turn the stem with a wrench so the notch faces the top, seat the tool's tabs between the cartridge tabs, thread the knurled screw into the stem, run the hex nut down to the valve, then turn the tee handle to twist and pull.
Clean and flush the valve body
Moen strongly recommends cleaning and flushing the valve body before the new cartridge goes in. Wipe out grit and scale with a cloth. Point the opening away from you, hold a towel over it and open the supply briefly to flush, then shut it off again.
Safety: Flush only in short bursts with the towel over the opening; the water arrives at full pressure.
Insert the new cartridge without rotating it
Lubricate the oval grommets on both sides. With the H&C tab pointing up, slide the cartridge straight in until the tab sits flush with the valve body. Do not rotate it on the way in.
Refit the retainer clip
Slide the clip back through its slot. If it will not go in, the cartridge is not fully seated. If the clip is bent or damaged, do not turn the water back on until you have a replacement.
Turn the stem to off and check its orientation
Position the stem so its notched side faces away from the H&C marking, then turn the stem to the off position before refitting the handle or knob.
Set the temperature limit stop with a thermometer
Moen recommends limiting the shower to 120°F or less to prevent scalding. With the handle off, find the temperature limit stop seated in a notch of the key stop. Pull the limit stop out, rotate it clockwise into a lower notch to reduce the maximum, and push it back in. Refit the handle or handle adapter temporarily, turn to full hot, let it run, and read a thermometer in the stream. Repeat a notch at a time until full hot is 120°F or less.
Safety: Do this before anyone showers. CPSC says 120°F water can cause third-degree burns in about five minutes and 140°F water in six seconds.
Check hot and cold, then reinstall the handle
Turn the water on. If hot and cold are reversed, shut off, remove the clip and rotate the whole 1222 cartridge 180 degrees, then repeat steps 8 to 10. If the shower is not hot enough, the handle should reach the 9 o'clock position at full hot; if it stops short, move the limit stop one notch the other way and test again. Fit the handle and trim.
Look for leaks now and after 24 hours
Check the spout, showerhead and around the escutcheon with the shower off. Recheck the maximum temperature in winter, when colder supply water changes the mix.
Stop and call a plumber if
- The stop valve or main shutoff will not close, or drips at its stem when you turn it.
- The retainer clip falls behind the wall and you cannot retrieve it. Moen says not to turn the water back on until a clip is in place.
- The cartridge will not come out with the twisting tool and pliers, and a 104421 puller does not free it either. Forcing it can damage the brass valve body, and replacing the body means opening the wall.
- Water shows inside the wall or behind the escutcheon, or the wall around the valve feels soft.
- With the new cartridge in, water at full hot still reads above 120°F on a thermometer and you cannot lower it at the limit stop.
- Supply lines or valves under a sink are green, crusty or bulging. Do not reuse a corroded line.
Troubleshooting by symptom
| What you see | Likely cause and fix |
|---|---|
| Shower drips or runs with the handle off | Worn 1222 cartridge. Moen's fix is a new cartridge. |
| Water leaks out around the handle | Moen: replace the 1222 cartridge. |
| Showerhead dribbles only while the tub spout fills | Stacking, not a leak. Moen lists causes such as a blocked spout diverter or spout and showerhead spacing outside its limits. |
| Narrow temperature range, handle turns both ways from off | The handle is upside down. Remove it, rotate 180 degrees and refit. |
| Not hot enough | Turn fully to 9 o'clock. If it stops short, reset the limit stop. If pressure drops as you go toward hot, replace the 1222 and flush the valve body. |
| Hot and cold reversed after a repair | Cartridge is in upside down. Rotate it 180 degrees. |
| Low flow at both spout and showerhead | Moen: replace the 1222. If only the showerhead is weak, check the showerhead first. |
Official parts and warranty
Moen's lifetime limited warranty covers the original consumer purchaser for as long as they own the home: the faucet should stay leak- and drip-free in normal use. Moen supplies warranty replacement parts by phone at 1-800-BUY-MOEN (1-800-289-6636) and asks for the original receipt. If you bought the fixture, call before you buy a cartridge.