Pro Handyman Blog

Diagnosing A Plumbing Drip At A Shower Head

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I get calls all the time for plumbing leaks. A shower head is one of the most common calls. So the question becomes: is the shower head dripping when the water is turned on or when the water is off?

This is an important question because it determines what the root cause of the problem is. If the shower head drips when the water is turned off at the handle, then the valve in the wall is not stopping the water from passing. So it slowly makes its way up to the shower head and drips out. If the shower faucet has separate hot and cold handles, feel the dripping water to see if it is hot or cold. The temperature of the water will tell you which side you need to work on. Whichever side it is, you can replace the stem and seat on that side. Honestly though, while you are at it, replace both sides and you should have years of a drip free shower.

If the shower faucet has only one handle, you will need to replace the cartridge in the shower valve. Here is an article on replacing a shower cartridge.

If the water drips when the water is on, it may be a cheap shower head, or it may just need some plumbing tape around the threads where the shower head screws on to the shower arm.