broken seal on mixing valve?

[kmclell]

I have a price pfister single handle tub/shower faucet. When I pull it out (to turn it on) the water starts to spout out the sides of the pull out handle thing. I noticed something black (maybe a seal?) fall off. How do I fix this? Can the part(s) be found at a home improvement store or will I need to order it? Also, in five years I have never been able to locate a main water shut-off valve (except for the one at the street) and please don't ask me to look in the crawl space! I'm guessing the water will have to be shut off to do this? Thanks so much in advance.

[jimbo]

http://pricepfister.com/website/Documents/PartsExplosions/Parts%20Exp%20Tub%20&%20Shower.pdf

Scroll to page 128,129 in that catalog.
It sounds like you have this model. You need to replace the part called the cartridge. They are readily available, not expensive, and easy to replace. If this is not you model, you can browse through that PP exploded diagram catalog to see if you can see it.

[kmclell]

Thanks - that is great info. Can you tell me where I might find info on how to do that. I've seen info on 3 handle faucets but not the single handle. I can't see how I could get around turning of the water. Is there a way I can turn it off at the street rather than calling the county? Appreciate your help!

[jadnashua]

It would be unusual if you didn't have a shutoff somewhere near your water meter. Now, depending on how old it is, it may no longer work well. Check there for a shutoff.

It is possible that the valve has service shutoffs - it is an extra cost option on some models. Not likely, but handy if they are there - then you don't need to shut the water to the whole house off while messing with it.