Annoyed with endless dripping coming from your shower? Leaking shower heads are a common problem that can be irritating for you as well as damaging to your shower. If water accumulates behind your tiles or shower tray, it can lead to mould, rust, and structural issues – so it’s best to fix leaks as soon as possible! There can be a variety of reasons why your shower may be leaking, but it is commonly due to limescale build-up blocking the water flow (especially in rain shower heads) or worn parts which no longer have a watertight seal.
The simplest solution to a leaky shower head can just be properly cleaning it and removing any mineral deposits that have built up.
To clean your shower head: Turn off the water supply Place down an old towel to catch any spillages Unscrew the shower head from the hose Pour some white vinegar into a container and allow the shower head to soak for at least half an hour to break up the hard water blockages Rinse it with water If there is limescale stuck to the nozzles or grooves, you can use an old toothbrush to scrub it clean While your shower head is detached, check the seals around where it connects to the hose to see if it is worn down. If so, you may need to buy a replacement seal to solve the issue Reattach the shower head and turn the water back on to flush out any dirt from the vinegar soak and then check if it continues to leak.
If your shower head still drips after cleaning, you’ll need to check if there is a broken shower valve or cartridge that needs replacing.
If you have a mixer shower, you may need to replace your flow cartridge.
To do this: Turn off the water supply Remove the decorative cover on the shower valve (the part with the hot and cold symbols) Use a Phillips screwdriver to unscrew the cap from the flow cartridge Use an adjustable wrench to remove the outer ring and unscrew the old cartridge Fit the new cartridge and make sure the holes are correctly lined up, then tighten it with your wrench Screw the cap back into place and replace the cover Turn the water back on to test if the shower head is still leaking.
If you continue to have issues, you may need to replace the entire shower head. Leaks coming from other areas of the shower could be due to a moved shower tray, damaged soldering between water inlet pipes and the shower valve, or worn seals on the wall unit.
If you cannot locate or resolve the problem, or you have a leak in an electric shower, call in a professional to handle it.
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