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How to fix a leaky shower head

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Are you searching for information on how to fix a leaky shower head? Well, you have come to the right place! There are four reasons why your shower head may be leaking water: the shower rose is blocked, one of the washers has worn away, the diverter valve is leaking or the cartridge value needs to be replaced.

How to fix a leaky shower head

Blocked shower rose: A build-up of lime or other mineral deposits is often the cause of a leaking shower rose, which is easy to fix. First, turn off the water to the shower and either remove the faceplate of the shower rose or the entire shower head (whichever is easier). Soak the shower head in white vinegar and a handful of coarse salt for at least eight hours to dissolve the deposits and if any small deposits remain, use a toothpick or small nail to poke them through the holes (you can also use a small brush). Rinse in clean warm water, refit it and turn the water back on.

Worn washers: Washers or ‘O’ rings wear down over time and need to be replaced. For separate hot and cold water taps in your shower, if the leaking water is cold, then the washer of the cold tap needs to be replaced and the same for the hot tap. For mixer taps, check the washer in the shower rose, as this might be your problem. After turning the water off, either replace the washer in the collar of the shower head or unscrew the appropriate tap and replace its washer.

Leaking diverter valve: This directs the water to either the shower head or the bathtub and not everyone has one of these. If you have one and it’s leaking, turn the water off and remove the tap handle to expose the diverter valve, remove the valve and clean it with white vinegar and a stiff brush or simply replace it.

Leaking cartridge valve: If you have a mixer tap, then this might be your problem. Turn off the water to the shower, remove the tap handle, expose the cartridge stem, undo the hex nut, remove the cartridge using pliers and replace it.

We hope these tips on how to fix a leaky shower head have helped, but if you need more assistance, just give Mint Plumbing a call on 07 3297 6157 or send us an email.