Article: Your water valve controls the flow of water to your shower. It may be located in your bathroom or your basement. In some cases, it's behind a panel near your shower. Once you locate the valve, turn the knob clockwise to turn off the water. You may find the panel that houses your water valve in the room next to your bathroom. It may even be in a closet. The screw will be in the center of a knob handle or on the side of a curved handle. Choose a screwdriver that fits into the screw head. Then, carefully turn the screwdriver counter-clockwise to loosen it. Pull out the screw and set it aside to reuse when you replace the shower handle. Your handle could have more than 1 screw, so make sure you remove all of them. If your handle won't come off, try heating it with a hair dryer. Set the heat to high, then blow the hot air onto your handle for 1 minute. Drape a towel over the handle to protect your hand from the heat. Then, try to pull off the handle. The faceplate is the metal piece that's behind your handle. Fit the screwdriver tip into the screws on the faceplate. Next, turn it counter-clockwise to loosen the screws. Set the screws aside for later, then carefully pull off the faceplate and set it aside. The faceplate may stick to the tile or shower wall. If this happens, gently wiggle it until it comes free. The shower valve looks like part of a metal pipe that connects to your shower handle. It will have a metal sleeve that covers the end of the valve. Use your hands to carefully remove this sleeve, then set it aside for later. This sleeve is called an escutcheon. If you look for one at the hardware store, this is what you'll need to ask for. Look for the locking clip on the top of your valve. It will look like a metal rod, and the end should stick out of the top. If you see one, use a pair of needle-nose pliers to carefully pull it out. Set it to the side so you can replace it when you're finished installing the new cartridge. The locking clip should be visible on the top of the valve. They aren't present on all valves, so don't worry if you don't see one. You may need to use a screwdriver or awl to pry up the clip. The cartridge looks like a long cylinder with a metal rod sticking out of the top. Choose a deep well socket wrench that's the right size for your cartridge, then slide it over the cartridge inside the valve. Turn it counter-clockwise to make sure it grips the cartridge. If the socket is too loose, choose the next size down. A deep well socket wrench is a wrench that has a long metal tube fitted onto the end so you can remove nuts or screws that are embedded inside a hole. If you don't have a deep well socket wrench, you can pick one up at your local hardware store or online. Most deep well socket wrenches come with a range of sockets in different sizes so you can find the 1 that fits your nut. You can also find tools that are called "cartridge pullers." These will also remove your cartridge. However, make sure you get the cartridge puller made for your brand of faucet. The cartridge is the part of the valve that controls the flow and temperature of the water. Use the handle to slowly turn the wrench, which will loosen the cartridge. Keep turning until the cartridge feels like it's free. The cartridge may come out in the deep well socket wrench. However, it's normal for it to remain in the valve after you pull out the wrench. That's okay because you can remove it by hand. Latch onto the end of the cartridge using your needle-nose pliers. Then, carefully pull the cartridge from inside the valve. If you don't have your replacement cartridge yet, take the old cartridge to your local hardware store to find a match. For an easy option, show it to an experienced store associate and let them find the match for you. Slide the new cartridge into the empty valve. Then, put your deep well socket wrench over the cartridge and turn it clockwise. Stop when the cartridge feels like it's tight. Slide the valve sleeve (escutcheon) back over the valve, then put the faceplate back into place. Use your screwdriver to secure the faceplate against the shower wall. Finally, screw your shower handle back into place. If your valve had a locking clip, don't forget to put it back on before you replace the valve sleeve. Turn the knob on your water valve counter-clockwise so the water will come back on. Then, turn on the shower faucet to see if it works correctly. Finally, turn off the shower and make sure the leak is gone. If your shower is still leaking, you'll need to call a professional plumber to fix it.

What is a summary?
Turn off your water valve before beginning. Remove your shower handle using a screwdriver. Use your screwdriver to remove the faceplate. Pull the metal sleeve off of the shower valve that's behind the faceplate. Use pliers to remove the locking clip if your valve has one. Fit a deep well socket wrench over the valve cartridge. Turn the wrench counterclockwise to remove the cartridge. Use your needle-nose pliers to pull out the cartridge. Install a new cartridge into the valve by turning it clockwise. Replace your valve sleeve, faceplate, and shower handle. Turn your water valve back on and test your shower.