Shower Leak Repair

A faulty O-ring can cause a shower head to leak.

A leaking shower head is a problem that can waste water and drive up water bills. Shower leaks are typically caused by a defective O-ring or a leakage from the shower stem. Repair a dripping shower head with a few tools and avoid the cost of hiring a professional plumber. Not only will it save you money in the long run, taking care of a leak promptly can extend the life of your shower head.

Things You'll Need

• Cloth
• Vice grip
• Petroleum jelly
• Needle-nose pliers
• Replacement O-ring gasket
• Plumber's tape

Instructions

1. Wrap with a cloth the area where the shower head meets the shower stem to protect it from damage. Grab the shower head with a pair of vice grips and twist it in a counter-clockwise direction to remove it. If it proves a difficult task, add a small amount of petroleum jelly around the shower head threads or tapered edges to help remove it.

2. Peer into the shower arm and find the black O-ring gasket. Grab the gasket with needle-nose pliers and pull it off. Match the gasket with a replacement at the hardware store to ensure you purchased the correct one.

3. Slide the new O-ring into the shower arm where the old one was located. You may need to wiggle the O-ring to get it in the right position.

4. Wipe off any remaining plumber's tape from the exposed threads on the shower stem protruding from the wall and the threads inside the shower stem with a soft cloth.

5. Wind plumber's tape around the threads of the shower stem protruding from the wall.

6. Hand-twist the shower head back onto the shower head. Cover the shower stem and shower head connection with a cloth and turn the shower head the rest of the way with vice grips.

7. Turn the water on in the shower to check for leaks. If there are leaks, then re-tighten the connections or add more plumber's tape.

Tips & Warnings

• Be careful not to over-tighten the shower head or you could strip the threads.

References

• The Family Handyman: How to Fix a Dripping Shower

Resources

• Shower Store: How to fix a leaky shower head or handheld shower head