How to Stop Water Leaks From a Shower Head

Your water bill just came in and it increased 50%. That is not right since you were out of town for the month and have not used your utilities until you came back. You checked the light bill and it was average. The only thing you can think of is leakage. You checked every inch of your home and found the culprit, your shower head.

What do you do if you encounter a shower filter for hard water? The answer is easy, buy a new one! But wait, this is the most common mistake a homeowner does when shower leaks are concerned. The second most common mistake is to hire a plumber when the problem is just a simple leak. Did you know that it can be fixed easily?

If you have the time and if you are interested to make this into a do it yourself project at home, fixing a leaking shower head even by a first timer like you is a breeze. It only takes a few minutes and some tools like a screwdriver, a wrench and a washer which is available at any hardware store for a nickel. Keep in handy some silicone lubricant, pliers, plumbers tape and plastic brush.

Do not call plumbers in your area as of yet. This is a doable job. But, you must also understand why a shower head leaks. The two main reasons for that is the pipe screws gets loose and starts to leak or the holes gets clogged, backs the water upward and causes the leak.

Just remember three tips below:

1. Remove the shower head. Wrap it with a towel to avoid damage. Take it from the outlet piping. Replace the old washers and O-rings with the new ones you just bought by pulling it gently. To tighten the seal, use plumbers tape on the thread before putting the shower head back.

2. Some shower heads are rotating. To maintain its flexibility and increase its swivel motion, put some silicone lubricant on the swivel ball. Since you have already taken the whole head apart, add an extra perk to it before screwing the head back on.

3. For clogged holes, remove the faceplate. If it cannot be done, just unscrew the whole area. Clogs in shower head holes are due to deposits stuck in between over time. To get rid of the deposits, soak the faceplate or the whole head in pure white vinegar for 8 hours. This will soften the deposits and by then using a plastic brush, you can take the deposits off by yourself.