How would you describe a dripping shower head- galling, grating or excruciatingly painful? The constant drip has the remarkable alacrity to get on one’s nerves pretty quickly. But what most homeowners are not familiar with is the fact that this mundane leak in the bathroom can cause a severe drain on your resources and finances.
And before you begin to flip the yellow pages to ferret out details of a plumber, let me tell you that one does not require the competence or the efficiency of a plumbing professional to fix a leaking shower head. A brand new washer from a hardware store near your house, a screwdriver and an adjustable wrench are your tools in this war against the leaking shower head.
Tackle The Leak On A War Footing
So you believe that instead of burying your head in the sand in true ostrich fashion, the need of the hour is to plunge headlong into this pretty intractable situation? Well, your consternation can be attenuated to a considerable degree if you understand the root cause of the problem.
The leak could occur either at the point where the pipe and the shower head meet, or a clogged shower head may be the villain of the piece.
No matter what the diagnosis is, here’s what you should do to ensure that the situation does not assume rampaging dimensions:
- Remove the shower head, at times with some help from an adjustable wrench.
- Remove and check the condition of the rubber gasket inside the shower head. If this part leaves a black residue on your hands, it’s hinting at replacement.
- Using the right size, push the new part into place. The ring must be placed flat inside the shower head assembly.
- A few wraps of Teflon tape around the pipe threads in the same directions as the threads is important.
- Thread the shower back into place until it’s fairly tight.
- It’s now time to check for results. In case there’s no leak, Bravo, you have succeeded.
- But if the leak persists, you may have to unscrew the head, and screw it back.
What remains is to enjoy the silence of empty (read: drip less) solitudes.
Credit: Source by Yamini Chowdhury
