Why is shower head dripping

The reason: Shower hoses are exposed to regular wear and tear. That is why you might need to change them from time to time. Disconnect the old hose from the tap and remove the rubber washer. Detach the showerhead, and again remove the washer. You need two washers for two joints;. Attach the new hose, with the washers placed on both sides, and hand-tighten them. The reason: Most of the time, the shower mixer tap leaks because of the worn rubber seal. You can find it between the neck and the spout of the mixer, and in order to fix this leak, you should replace the damaged seal ring.

Turn off both the hot and cold water supply, and drain the water that sits in the line;. Locate the circular rubber seal inside the neck of the mixer;. Take the seal out and replace it with a new one;. Turn on the water supply and test the water flow. This is a part of the shower that sits behind the shower faucet and directs the hot and cold water to the showerhead.

Over time, it gets damaged and clogs up by water residue. Take off the shower handle by removing a screw in the middle of it. Set it aside. With some handles, the screws are hidden under a plastic cap;. As you remove it, you will see a hollow space and a valve itself;. Remove a valve clip — a two-pronged metal part on top of the valve;.

Take the valve out. If the valve is hard to pull, spray some lubricant on;. Change the valve and assemble everything back in the correct order.

The reason: Sometimes, even the waterproof surfaces turn out to be the culprit behind a leak. As your tile grout cracks, the water gets between the tiles and eventually soaks into the surface behind or under them. Remove the old grout, and to make your job easier, use a grout saw;.

Once the grout is fully removed, wait for the area to dry. Make sure that the bathroom is well-ventilated;. Apply new grout but better use one with low absorption rates. Sanded tile grout is the best choice in this case, as it not only has low absorption rates but is also resistant to breakage;.

When you have grouted your tiles, let the area fully dry once again;. Step 5 optional. Apply a layer of sealer to prevent the shower from leakages. The reason: When you are dealing with a leaking shower drain, you might not even notice until the leakage reaches the ceiling underneath the bathroom.

The reasons might be many, but the most common one is weak drain connections. The solution: The drains of showers or bathtubs are connected to a P-trap that prevents your sewer gases from going back into your drain and, at the same time, allows the wastewater to go down the sewer. In this case, if you can reach the P-trap, examine it for any damages and if you see any — seal them. The reason: The pressure in the water supply pipes allows us to have a smooth water flow whenever we turn on a faucet.

The solution: Most homes have pipelines in-between the building structures, therefore, access can be limited. Replace the rubber washer in your faucet. Disassemble the appropriate faucet handle by unscrewing it. The temperature of the leaking water should let you know whether you should be working on the hot or cold faucet handle. Depending on the style of your faucet this screw may be in plain sight or hidden behind a cover cap. If your faucet is an older model, look for the screw to be exposed on either the front or side of your faucet.

Once the screw is removed, pull the handle hard to pull it off of the faucet body. Once the handle is off, remove the trim and sleeve that covers the faucet stem. Then use a deep socket to unscrew the faucet stem. The hex nut is simply a nut with six sides. A shower valve socket wrench is made specifically for this. Now you can replace the rubber washer. If you changed the rubber washer in your shower head, connect the shower head back onto the shower arm, and turn back on your water supply to confirm whether the leak has been fixed or not.

Be sure you just screw the shower head on snugly and do not over tighten. If you changed the rubber washer in the shower faucet, then begin putting your shower faucet back together starting with the faucet stem.

Method 3. Turn off the water supply to your bathroom. A diverter valve allows the water to switch from the bathtub faucet to the shower head. Over time, this valve can weaken and become clogged by sediment buildup.

A malfunctioning diverter valve will leak even when water should be flowing through the bathtub faucet. You can fix a diverter valve by cleaning it, but it is usually better to just replace it. Unscrew and remove the faucet handle to expose the diverter valve. Locate the screw to your faucet handle, which should either already be exposed or which may be hidden under a cap. You can remove the cap using a tiny pocket knife. Take out the diverter valve.

If you have difficulty unscrewing the valve, wrap a vinegar soaked rag around the components for a short period to break up any limescale build up. WD may also help to remove buildup. Clean the diverter valve or replace it.

With the diverter valve free, you can now clean it using a small stiff wire brush and white vinegar. If you see cracks throughout the diverter valve, replace the valve assembly. Reassemble the faucet handle and determine if the leaking shower head is fixed. Reverse the previous steps to reassemble the faucet handle. Before you screw it back on, turn on the water supply to see if the leaking shower head is now fixed.

Method 4. In a one-handle shower faucet, a malfunctioning cartridge valve could be the reason for your leaking shower head. Remove the faucet handle and expose the cartridge stem. Locate and loosen the faucet handle screw, which may be exposed or located beneath a cap on the handle.

Once the screw is removed, you can pull off the handle. Pulling off the handle may be difficult if the handle is pretty set. And if it is, try warming the handle with a hair dryer if you have one. Once the handle is off, remove the stop tube, unscrew the cartridge retaining clip using a small screwdriver or awl hold onto it well, it tends to spring off , and then remove the handle washer.

You should then be able to see the cartridge stem. Remove and replace the cartridge. Untwist the cartridge stem and then remove it with pliers. Fit the puller over the cartridge stem and twist to unscrew it gently. Insert the new cartridge in its place, and screw it in. The new cartridge should be identical to the old one.

Reassemble the faucet handle and check to see if the leaking shower head is fixed. Reverse the steps used to disassemble the faucet handle. Once everything is back in place, but before the handle has been fully screwed on, turn back on the water supply to the shower to make certain your shower head is no longer leaking. Mark Spelman Construction Professional. Mark Spelman. Firstly, I recommend checking the O-rings to ensure they are intact and functioning.

Otherwise, replace the showerhead. Shut off the water supply and remove the shower head. The head should unscrew from the pipe that comes out of the wall. Turn it counterclockwise.

Inspect the holes in the shower head. Do they appear clogged with white minerals? Is the pipe you unscrewed the head from leaking?

If your shower head allows for this fix, unscrew the front faceplate. If not, then you will have to soak the entire head. Soak the shower head in white vinegar for six to eight hours. At the same time, inspect the washer in the back of the shower head. Is it worn?

Pull it out and replace it with one from the hardware store. After the soaking, free the holes with a pin or toothpick that fits, then brush the faceplate clean with a stiff brush. Any debris that falls into the head should flush out once you reinstall the head and turn on the hot water. Replacing the Diverter Valve The diverter valve is just a fancy name for the lever or knob that switches the direction of the water from the faucet to the shower head. For the lever or knob style: Remove the faucet handle, disassemble the valve assembly and remove the diverter valve.

Inspect for wear. If worn, replace the entire assembly. Otherwise clean with white vinegar. For a faucet-located diverter : You may need to unscrew a plate under the faucet to remove and inspect the diverter value.

In some cases, you may have to unscrew the entire faucet to get at the valve. Once you have it dissembled, find the rubber washer and reassemble. Replacing a Problem Cartridge Valve This valve is located in the water faucets or the single arm handle that swings from cold to hot and also initiates the water flow.