How to Stop a Leaky Showerhead

There are a couple of reasons a shower head can leak.

A leaky shower head typically results from one of two reasons. A build up of mineral deposits can restrict the flow of water through the shower head and force it to back up and leak. Or, a bad seal occurs between the shower head and the water line to which it is attached. Both problems can be handled in a few minutes with limited tools.

Things You'll Need

• 2 pair of slip joint pliers
• Teflon tape
• Solvent like WD-40
• Container to fit the shower head

Instructions

1. Use one set of slip joint pliers to hold the water pipe and another set to grab the show head and turn it. Loosen the shower head enough to be able to remove it by hand.

2. Fill a container with a solvent like WD-40 and soak the shower head in the solution for a couple of hours. This will loosen and remove any build up of mineral deposits that might be clogging the shower head.

3. Wrap Teflon tape around the the threads of the water pipe to which the shower head was attached. The Teflon tape will make for a better seal and prevent leakage from the connection between the shower head and the water pipe.

4. Reattach the shower head to the water pipe by hand. Make sure to get the shower head on the threads straight to insure that it does not get cross threaded. Use one set of slip joint pliers to hold the water pipe and the other to tighten the shower head the rest of the way until it is snug.