A rhythmic showerhead leak can be extremely disruptive as it wastes a substantial amount of water and can also keep you awake. Efficiently repairing a leaking showerhead without financial investment from a worker is possible. Likely, the faucet cartridge regulating water flow is responsible, although the showerhead may also be at fault.
If your community charges residential water usage, you waste money. Fixing the showerhead’s leak will save time and cash while avoiding unnecessary tension.
This post will explain how to fix a leaky shower head and avoid the dripping shower head.
See also How to Fix a Bathtub Faucet
Before You Begin
Whether the issue occurs with the faucet ON or OFF affects the nature of the repair:
Faucet OFF: A leaking showerhead with the faucet turned off indicates that the cartridge inserted in the faucet valve is probably faulty or outdated and needs to be replaced.
Faucet ON: When the faucet is in the ON position, and the showerhead begins to leak, the obstruction of water flow may be attributed to accumulation in the showerhead’s apertures. Don’t worry; it’s a simple repair or replace the showerhead.
See also How To a Fix Leaky Toilet from Base
How to Repair a Showerhead?
- Remove the Showerhead
Ensure that the shower faucet handle is completely in the OFF position. Remove the showerhead from the threaded end of the shower arm and rotate it counterclockwise by hand.
If the showerhead is difficult to revolve, moisten a washcloth to provide traction. You may also utilize channel-lock forceps.
- Inspect and Clean the Showerhead
The showerhead may contain additional components, such as rubber O-rings and a screen. Ensure that they remain undamaged and unobstructed by sediment. If the interior of the showerhead is soiled, it should be cleaned. For one to two hours, submerge the showerhead in a bowl of white vinegar. The components should be rinsed with cool water before reassembly.
- Wrap Pipe Threads
Use a tiny nylon scouring brush to remove the threads from the shower arm. Then, one to two lengths of thread-sealing tape, marketed as Teflon tape, will be used to encircle the threads. The tape should be wrapped clockwise.
- Reassemble the Showerhead
Reattach the shower head to the shower arm using hand tightening. Briefly activate the shower faucet to observe the performance of the water stream.
Consider replacing the entire showerhead if it continues to trickle only when the faucet is turned on; doing so would require only reattaching the old showerhead via threading.
How Do You Fix a Leaky Shower Cartridge?
Most single-handle shower faucets operate via a replaceable cartridge housed within the faucet body. This cartridge has seals and rings that regulate the water flow and composition leading to the showerhead. Even when the faucet handle is OFF, a sluggish trickle of water will continue to ascend to the showerhead if this cartridge fails to seal properly.
1. Shut Off the Water
Turn off the water upstream from the shower controls. Intermediary fixture shutoff valves in your residence may be on the opposite side of the shower, frequently concealed behind a wall panel. Water shutoff valves are integrated into the faucet bodies of some shower faucets; to control the water flow from the hot and cold supply pipelines into the faucet body, the valves are adjusted using a screwdriver. These shutoffs become apparent upon removing the escutcheon plate from the shower faucet.
A significant number of showers lack fixture shutoff valves. In such a circumstance, the water must be turned off at the primary shutoff valve.
2. Remove the Faucet Handle
Using a utility knife or screwdriver, carefully extract the cover from the end of the handle of the shower faucet to remove it. Unscrew the handle screw while the lid is removed. There are circumstances in which a hex spanner may be required to unscrew the handle screw.
3. Remove the Plate of the Escutcheon
A prominent face location, or escutcheon, typically covers the faucet valve. Unscrew the mounting screws that secure the escutcheon to the wall to remove it. It might be necessary to make an incision in the sealant bead encircling the escutcheon to remove it.
4. Remove the Retaining Clip
The faucet body typically secures the cartridge with a metal retaining fastener. Use a flat-headed screwdriver to extricate this U-shaped retaining clip with extreme care. Eliminate any washers that may be found on the cartridge’s end.
Some faucet manufacturers produce cartridge-puller instruments designed to facilitate the removal of their cartridges.
5. Slide Out the Cartridge
Using the faucet body, remove the existing cartridge by sliding it out. Cartridges typically slide in and out without requiring any twisting or turning. However, in some situations, it may be necessary to grasp the stem using channel-lock pliers and rotate the cartridge to extract it.
6. Install a New Cartridge
By lining the tab of the new shower cartridge with the groove on the faucet body, it will be effortless to install it into the faucet body. Replace the hex screw and retaining clip, if present, once the cartridge has been inserted. Replace any washers that were extracted.
7. Replace the Handle and Escutcheon
To change the control handle and escutcheon plate, retrace the preceding procedures. At the source, activate the water supply. Please verify that the water flow is properly regulated by inspecting the shower and repeatedly turning it on and off with your hand securely in place.
My Shower Seems to Drip After I Use It Is That Normal?
A shower head dripping for a few minutes after use is straightforward. However, it should not be considered a cause for concern.
When you cut off the water supply to the shower at the valve, some water will still collect and need to drain. That’s why you notice a little dripping sound after each usage. After the initial few minutes, you should only be concerned if the trickle persists.
Final Thoughts
Most showerhead leaks can be resolved by replacing the shower cartridge and repairing the showerhead. Call an expert plumber if the issue persists after trying both previous fixes for the showerhead.
