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Why is My Shower Faucet Leaking?

leaking shower faucet is really annoying, not to mention expensive. Even a minor drip can waste hundreds of gallons of water every week that it goes unfixed. And if the hot water is what’s dripping, that can also drive up your energy bill because your hot water tank will constantly be in demand.

Faucets, whether they’re located in sinks, tubs, or showers have components that wear out over time. Faucet valves have inner seals and small parts that can become corroded or build up with minerals and end up failing. When this happens water can drip or even spray out, causing a big headache for homeowners.

If you notice your shower faucet leaking, you can try to repair it yourself by turning off the water to your bathroom and covering your drain so nothing will go down is it’s dropped and then taking the faucet apart. You can find the details of how to safely remove your specific type of shower faucet online if you know the type of faucet or manufacturer. Compression faucets will have some different steps than more modern faucet types from the big names in home plumbing fixtures. Once the faucet has been removed, take o-rings and gaskets off and inspect them to damage. It may be worth replacing them even if they don’t look entirely worn just so you can avoid having to do this again soon because these types of parts are inexpensive. After working on these areas, reassemble the faucet by reversing the instructions you found to take it apart and turn the water back on to test it. If you still have a leak, it’s probably time to call a local plumber to come fix it for you.

Some faucets have cartridges inside that need to be replaced occasionally, which can also be the source of problems you’re noticing. While you’re in there, you might as well check the cartridge to ensure it isn’t contributing to the leak you’re noticing. If it seems to be ready for replacement, contact the manufacturer to get a new one sent out. Depending on how old the faucet is, it may be covered under its warranty.

Remember, if any specific plumber’s tools (faucet puller, deep socket wrench, locking jaw pliers, etc.) are indicated in the instructions for removing your faucet, you’ll need to get those for the project to avoid damaging the faucet. While you may be able to improvise, it’s not worth the cost to do so because you could end up damaging the faucet enough that the entire thing needs to be removed from your wall by an experienced plumber and replaced. And that’s certainly going to cost more than buying the right kind of wrench.

Lastly, if you try to take your faucet apart and notice any part of the removal seems to be especially difficult, do not force it! We see way too many cases of homeowners who end up doing serious damage to their faucets because they put too much torque on the system when trying to remove parts and end up stripping them out, causing cracks, snapping parts off that aren’t meant to be removed, and so on. If it feels too hard to do, put down the tools and call a professional before you do costly damage. A local plumber has the tools and experience to come out and take a look at the issue and get it fixed quickly so you can use your bathroom without having to face an troublesome leak.

Additional resources:
Replacing Your Own Faucet
Should You Hire a Plumber to Replace Your Faucet?
Fixing a Leaky Bathroom Faucet
Repairing a Shower Leak
Fix Your Leaking Sink
Can You Do Your Own Plumbing?
The Cost of Repairing a Leaky Faucet
Costs to Fix a Broken Faucet
Fixing a Leaking Faucet Fixture
Do This if Your Shower Faucet is Leaking!
Help! My Shower Head Leaks
Professional Shower Faucet Repair Tips
The Cost of Installing a New Faucet