Moen faucets are easy to service for the homeowner – usually. If you have a dripping faucet or one that doesn’t mix hot and cold correctly you just replace the cartridge for about $14. There are plenty of videos and instructions on the net on how to replace the 1224 and 1225 cartridges used on almost every Moen faucet and shower, but what if the old cartridge just doesn’t want to come out? Yeah, the longer those cartridges have been in, the harder they are to take out. My house was built in 1998 so all my faucets are 18 years old and the 1224s are a bear to remove. But there is a pretty easy and CHEAP way to remove them. We assume you already turned the water off under the sink or at the main entry point to your house. We also assume you followed the directions and removed the handle AND cartridge retainer (either a nut or in my case a plastic retainer). By the way you don’t need a special tool to remove the retainer, just use long nose pliers and turn in into the two grooves. These usually come out easy.
Here are the tools you’ll need:
a Phillips or crosspoint screwdriver (the same one you used to remove the handle adapter)
a fender washer (the most important part) this is a one and 1/4 inch washer with a small hole and are readily available at any Home Depot or Lowe’s for less than a dime.
an assortment of #8 or #10 sheet metal screws depending on your application. Usually just a one inch long #8 screw will do fine.
Optionally, you may need the long nose pliers and a one inch socket (also available at Home Depot or Lowes for cheap.
If your 1224 cartridge is below the top of the metal mounting then you may get by with just the fender washer and one inch screw.
Just place the fender washer on top of the metal mounting and insert the screw into the cartridge.
Now tighten the screw with your screwdriver slowly.
As the screw tightens it will pull the cartridge up .
Keep tightening until the cartridge is free.
If your cartridge is above the metal mount you will need the one inch socket and a longer one and 1/2 inch screw to allow enough room for the 1224 to pull out.
