How to Fix a Leaky Shower Head

Did you know that a slow drip can waste about a dollar or two of water in a month? While that might not seem like something you need to worry about, a fast drip can be adding on $6 per month to your water bill. That can add up, especially if you have more leaky faucets around your home. Fixing a leaky shower head can help stop your water bill from climbing from water not being actively used in your home.

Start Simple

You’ll want to start by removing your shower head and giving it a good cleaning; if you live in an area with hard water, you may notice a build-up of materials clogging it up. Even in regions with soft water, your leaking shower head may be caused by it being dirty if you haven’t cleaned it in a while. You can soak your showerhead in vinegar or a product like CLR for a few hours before rinsing it off. If you notice that your showerhead is very dirty, you may want to let it sit in the cleaning agent overnight. After rinsing, you may want to use a soft brush, like an old toothbrush, to help remove any deposits still clinging to the surface.

Inspection Time

Once it’s clean, you’ll want to give it a good inspection and look for any damage to the parts. It’s possible that if the screen filter, the o-ring, washer, or the threads have any wear to them, that’s causing the leak. You may be able to swap out some of these parts for a new one, such as the screen filter, o-ring, or washer, but if the damage is to the shower head itself, it may be time to buy a new shower head as it’ll keep leaking.

You also want to inspect the pipe that comes out of the wall. Is it dirty? You may want to clean it with the same toothbrush or soft brush you used on the showerhead. In addition, you’ll want to remove the plumber’s tape or Teflon tape that was wrapped around the threads. If there was no white Teflon tape on the threads, it’s possible that’s where your leak came from, and you need to replace it. You’ll want to rewrap the threads with this white tape a few times before threading the showerhead back onto the pipe. It should lay flat against the threads and helps to create a better seal.

Testing

Once you’ve cleaned, inspected, replaced damaged parts, and re-applied Teflon tape, you’ll want to put the showerhead back on to see if you have conquered the leak. If the leak is back, you’ll want to check back over the steps. For instance, did you thread the showerhead back on correctly? You may find that checking your work eliminates the problem. However, it may end up being the showerhead itself or something else with your plumbing situation. It may be a safe bet to call in the professionals at that time.

Still, having issues with your leaky shower head or unexplained water bill increases? Our professionals are here to help. Contact us today to discuss your case, and we can assist you in handling the problem.