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How to fix a leaky shower

How to fix a leaky shower

By Benjamin Clarke | Published on 13th July 2021

A shower that is dripping water can be a really irritating problem. If it's occurring in an en-suite and can be heard when you're trying to sleep, that irritation increases tenfold. Not only is it costing you money in wasted water, it could also be costing you in terms of sleep and mental wellbeing.

There are two common causes of a leaky shower:

1. A leaking showerhead
2. A faulty shower valve

In this article, we'll look at how you can solve the problem of both and fix your leaking shower.

Fixing the showerhead

The first thing to do is to turn off your mains water supply. It's unlikely that a leaking showerhead will cause any water to spurt out uncontrollably, but it's better to be safe than sorry, especially where water is concerned.

Next, take some bathroom cleaner and either spray it on the showerhead or submerge the showerhead in a cleaning solution. Leave on the bathroom cleaner for a few minutes and then scrub it off with a washing up scourer or toothbrush. Doing this is good practise and will remove and dirt or limescale build-up to allow your showerhead to fire on all cylinders.

Once the showerhead is nice and clean, unscrew the head from the shower hose. Take some PTFE tape and wond it around the thread a few times. The PTFE tape is a great way of making the seal watertight again and should stop any more water from leaking out.

Reattach the showerhead to the hose and switch on your mains water supply. Run the shower and then turn it off and repeat a few times. Assuming the problem was a leaky showerhead, this should have solved the problem and there should be no more leaks.

Fixing the valve

If the showerhead is not the problem then it's very likely to be an issue with the mixer valve. We've included the steps to rectify this problem below. However this is a more complicated task and you may feel more comfortable employing the services of a professional plumber instead.

As before, the first thing to do is switch off the water supply at the mains. Water is capable of causing serious damage so don't ignore this important step.

You'll now need to take apart the valve to get to the root of the problem. You can begin by removing the handle/lever from the valve itself. There will be a screw in the centre that can be loosened with a screwdriver. Of there is a metal plate, this will also need to be unscrewed.

Once you've removed the metal plate, you'll see the gasket which sits just behind it. Remove the gasket and apply some 'plumber's putty' in the same space. Plumber's putty is an important component that will waterproof all of the joints.

Find the shower stem (normally the exposed bit sticking out of the wall) and set about replacing the washers. If these have perished or been damaged, the old washers could be responsible for the valve leaking water. Check the stem seat as well to make sure it is not damaged.

Give the pipes and other components a clean with your bathroom cleaner and then reassemble the valve in reverse order. Turn your shower on and off a few times and check for any leaks. This should have solved the problem. If it hasn't, it's time to call in a professional.

If you need a replacement valve, make sure you check out our Luna Spas Thermostatic Shower Valves. These are a great way of ensuring to get a shower at the perfect temperature without the fear of being scolded or covered in freezing cold water.

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