Reasons Behind Leaking Showers and How to Repair Shower Heads

by Luke Tries Effects work on Waterproofing, Sealing, Grouting,

Just one day of hearing this sick sound of slowly dripping water in your bathroom can annoy you and be frustrating. In most cases, this sound comes from the leaking shower head, which is also given the name of leaking showers. This sound can disturb the entire day, but during the night, when it's resting time, it would appear like a curse on life. There are several reasons why a shower head could start leaking or dripping, and in this post here, we will cover the most common reasons behind the same.

Main Reasons for a Leaky Shower Head

You may not know, but a leaking shower is not always due to a damaged shower head or an old one. To ensure that it is fixed to perfection, leaking shower experts first look for these symptoms why this leakage is appearing.

Shower Head Dripping When Water Is 'Off'

If the leakage appears even when the water is 'off', it is unrelated to the shower head. It occurs when the shower cartridge inside the valve has gone wrong. This shower cartridge sits inside the shower handle and is given the responsibility of controlling the volume and temperature and also balancing the pressure.

When this cartridge wears down, the water can pass through the seal even when the valve is closed and can emerge out of the shower head to generate the problem of leaking showers. To diagnose this problem, leaking shower experts will first shut off the water to your house and work through the rough plumbing. In some cases, people attempt DIY, but it is always recommended to avail shower repair services from licenced plumbers and leaking shower experts.

Shower Head Dripping When Water Is 'On'

If you are experiencing leakage when the water is 'on' then it will definitely have a connection with your shower head. Depending on the type of shower head in your bathroom, there could be different reasons or areas that could generate this leakage. The good thing is that all these areas are straightforward and inexpensive to repair.

The most common areas for a shower head to leak from are:

Fixed shower head leaking at swivel or threads

Handheld shower head leaking at the connector

Shower hose leaking at connections

Shower head holder leaking at the swivel or threads

What You'll Need To Fix A Leaking Shower Head?

If you attempt DIY to repair leaking showers, you will have to arrange the necessary tools and the names are –

Wrench or Pliers

Flat Head Screwdriver or Paper Clip

Cloth

White Vinegar

Thread Seal Tape

Shower Washers

Steps To Fix A Leaky Shower Head

In the first step, the leaking shower experts will diagnose the area of the leak, and for this, they will first determine where it is leaking from. The second stop would involve setting 'off' the water to ensure the repair work becomes easy. The third step will include removing the old shower head, which can be done through hands only. If hands fail to do this, these experts will use a pair of pliers or wrenches. In the fourth step, they will inspect the shower head for damage and look for cracks, splits etc.

As a part of the fifth step, they will clean the face of the shower head and replace the shower head washer. Once done, they will re-apply the thread seal tape to the shower arm and apply pressure to stick well to the thread. Lastly, they will reinstall the shower head and test for a leak.