A leaking shower not just wastes water but it also irritates you with its constant sound of water dripping. Such plumbing problems call for immediate action and are often minor enough to be handled by you only. Some excerpts that may help you with diagnosing and fixing a leaking shower yourself are mentioned below.
Beforehand keep all the necessary plumbing tools in tact to assist you with the task. A pipe wrench( size proportional to the shower stem), a Teflon tape and plastic or rubber O-ring washers (if needed ).
Once all the tools are in tact, remove the shower head from the stem to discover the junction where head meets the pipe. Though the head is removed easily by the hands but if it is a bit tight then avail the services of a pipe wrench or a crescent wrench. If the head is held on with screws then unscrew the head.
Once removed look out for the condition of the washer at the junction where head screws into the stem. If it is in a crumbling state and is leaving black stains on the fingers then replace it with a new one(of same size). Just insert it gently into the place such that it is laid flat in the assembly.
Once the washer is fixed, move towards the shower stem to tighten the thread wrap. The threads are bound to get loosened after a bit of a time and hence require regular repairs. Wrap the stem with a Teflon tape making sure that it is wrapped around tightly. Only two wraps of tape around the threads are necessary enough to seal the connection. Wrap in the same direction as the threads flow.
Hand-tighten the head on the stem after the washer and the threads are fixed. Don't over tight the head as that may lead to stripping of the stem's threads. After the shower is assembled test the shower for any leaks by turning the water supply on.
If the shower is still dripping then a review of the same procedure may be considered. Increase the number of wraps around the threads to three and also tighten the head a bit more.
That should solve the problem for you but if it happens otherwise then make way for a plumber as the leak may be accredited to a faulty water-control valve of the shower.
Scott Rodgers is a noted author who has been providing great guidance on plumbing works all over the country. His splendid knowledge has, in fact, sparked significant rise in revenue for talented plumbers across the country, from Winter Park Plumbers(Need one? click here!) to West Palm Beach Plumbers(Need one? click here!).
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