What type of Moen shower valve do I have?

Moen's guide on shower trim describes four single-handle valves. Here they are in the order Moen lists them:

Moen adds that the Standard valve isn't pressure balanced, while the Moentrol valves and PosiTemp are. It says trim kits aren't interchangeable, and that the escutcheon plate, the round plate behind the handle, should be checked for the names Moen, Dialcet or Stanadyne if it's one of these valves. Moen also lists older two-handle and three-handle shower valves, which aren't pressure balanced. Those have no escutcheon screws, and you buy replacement parts or full units for them.

Moen's guide poses five questions to work out which valve you have: does the escutcheon plate say Moen, Dialcet or Stanadyne, how many handles are there, what year was the valve installed, how do you operate the flow and temperature handle, and where are the escutcheon screws? Answer those and the chart above points to your valve.

If the plate has a push-button diverter, or no visible screws, Moen's advice is to contact Moen, since the chart doesn't cover it.

Take the trim off. Moen says the Type 1 Standard valve and the Type 2 Moentrol look alike from the outside, because the handle action and screw location match. To tell them apart you have to remove the handle and the escutcheon plate and compare the valve to Moen's photos.

The steps Moen gives:

1. 1Turn off the water to the shower.
2. 2Remove the handle. On a lever, use a 7/64-inch hex wrench on the screw under the handle. On a knob, pry off the cap with the Moen logo and remove the Phillips screw.
3. 3Remove the escutcheon plate. Use a Phillips screwdriver on the escutcheon screws. Caulk or sealant around the edge can make the plate stubborn.
4. 4Compare the valve to Moen's images. Moen says that if a Type 2 valve looks like its photo, there's no longer a Moen trim kit for it, though replacement parts are still available in limited finishes.

For a Type 1 valve, Moen says the valve accepts many Moentrol trim kits that use a 7-inch round escutcheon, using a Moen 145058 adapter kit sold separately. It excludes the Flara, Doux, Weymouth, Arris, 90 Degree and Voss lines. The Type 3 Moentrol accepts any Moentrol trim kit, and the Type 4 PosiTemp accepts any PosiTemp trim kit.

Moen's comparison chart covers the four valves it still sells in one form or another:

All four are M-PACT systems, all are pressure balanced, all carry a Limited Lifetime Warranty, and the trim on none of them works with another Moen valve, according to the chart. The row worth noticing is where the cartridge lives. On a PosiTemp or Moentrol, the cartridge sits in the valve body behind the wall. On an M-CORE, it ships with the trim kit.

That last point is what makes an M-CORE upgrade simple. Moen says you can change an M-CORE 2 Series to a 3 Series without opening the wall or changing the valve body. You buy a new 3 Series trim kit, which includes the handle, the escutcheon and the 1213 flow cartridge, and you replace the handle and the cartridge because the two series have different functions.

### Why does pressure balancing matter?

A pressure-balancing valve keeps the mix of hot and cold steady when the pressure on one line changes. Moen's brochure describes pressure-balancing shower valves as maintaining the balance between hot and cold water where there's a pressure drain on your system, and says they prevent shower shock. That's the practical reason the Standard valve's non-balanced design matters. If your shower swings hot or cold when a toilet flushes or a washer fills, the valve type is worth knowing before you decide between a cartridge, a trim change or a plumber's visit.

ASSE International, the plumbing standards body, adds a safety point. Its white paper says model plumbing codes have long required automatic compensating shower valves in new and replacement work, and that this type of valve has a temperature-limiting feature, the limit stop, which the installer must set to the desired temperature. ASSE says many installers don't set it, and that hot water may not be available when the valve is installed. If your shower runs hotter than you'd like, the limit stop is worth checking before you replace anything.

Moen's chart gives the numbers, and its repair articles show what to look for once the trim is off. Our page on how to identify a Moen faucet cartridge covers the details, but the short version is:

• PosiTemp: 1222. Moen's install article describes an H and C tab that points up, rubber ovals on the sides and a retainer clip that slides up.
• Moentrol and Standard: 1225. Moen's 1225 article describes a U-shaped copper retaining clip, a stop tube and a D washer.
• M-CORE 2 and 3 Series: 1212 and 1213. Moen's 3-port valve articles say both use a cartridge nut, a pressure-balancing puck and an adapter with check valves, and a 3/32-inch hex wrench removes the handle. Moen notes that in 2024 both cartridges changed, and the white installation sleeve is no longer required.

Moen's library also lists a 1214 cartridge for the M-CORE 4 Series, which Moen describes as a two-handle stacked design: the inner handle sets volume and the front handle sets temperature. Moen's M-Core valve page says 3-port and 4-port valves for multiple outlets still take the 1212 or 1213, so outlet count alone doesn't tell you the cartridge.

Once you know the valve, you can shop for matching trim. Our page on how to replace shower valve trim walks through the steps and the hot limit stop reset.

Match the trim to the valve before you buy. A trim kit for the wrong valve won't line up with the screws or the cartridge, and Moen says the kits aren't interchangeable. If you're only replacing a worn cartridge, our page on how to replace a shower cartridge walks through the job. If you see water on the wall or ceiling near the shower, see leaking shower valve behind the wall. And if you're considering a trim change, check that Moen still makes a kit for your valve. HQ Plumbing & Air is licensed and insured, gives free estimates and quotes an upfront price if you'd rather have someone open the wall.

If you're deciding whether to move from a PosiTemp to a thermostatic valve, our guide to pressure-balancing versus thermostatic shower valves compares them.