SHOWER DRAIN LEAKS

SHOWER DRAIN LEAKS

Imagine that you’ve just taken a shower. As you step out, you notice dripping. Recognizing the drips as the result of residual water flow, you brush it off. You brush the occurrence off as normal only to find the drips lasting for more than a few minutes. After a while, you check the shower only to find that it is still dripping even after you’ve tightened the faucet.

Does this scenario sound familiar? If it does, then you have a leaking shower.

A leaking shower may seem harmless. However, if left unchecked, a leaky shower can cause your water bill to spike higher. As well, a shower leaking behind wall surfaces can lead to water damage which can cause you to make unwanted renovations later on.

Here’s the good news — you can do something about this. Plumbing — whether it’s a leaking shower head or a shower drain leak — might not be as tough as you think.

Keep reading to learn more about how you can fix your shower when it leaks.

KNOW WHERE THE LEAK IS

The first step to fixing any shower-related issue is knowing where the leak is occurring. Shower leaks can occur in many places. However, we’ve noticed that leaks usually occur in the following areas:

●   The shower drain

●   The faucet

●   The showerhead

●   Any part of the shower fixture

Knowing where the leak is occurring will guide how you’re supposed to go about repairs. Not all leaks will warrant the same type of fix. Calling an expert Los Angeles-based plumber can help determine the best course of action regardless of where the leaks are. 

SHUT OFF THE WATER SUPPLY FOR THE FLOOR OR HOUSE

Once you’ve determined the source of the leak, shut off the water supply. Depending on your home or building’s general plumbing, you may have to turn off the water for the whole house or building. If the floor where your shower is located has its own water supply, you can just turn off the water for that floor.

You can turn on the water again once you’ve finished repairs and plan to test your shower. Keep in mind that you might not have to turn off the water if your problem is drain related.

FIX A LEAKING SHOWER HEAD

If you’ve determined that the showerhead is the site of the leak, begin by disconnecting the showerhead from the shower stem. The shower stem is the area between the showerhead and the rest of the shower pipe (or hose, if you will).

Proceed by cleaning the showerhead. Often, sediments can form at the nozzles of the showerhead, forcing the water out through the connection point. 

To clean the showerhead, boil some vinegar and run it through the showerhead. Allow it to drain at the nozzles. Hot vinegar will unclog the nozzles.

After you’ve cleaned the showerhead, use Teflon tape and wind it around the shower stem. The tape serves to tighten the connection between the shower tube and the showerhead. A tighter connection means no leaks.

After reconnecting the showerhead, you can turn on the water supply again. Once you do, check to see if there are still leaks.

FIX OR REPLACE YOUR SHOWER’S FAUCET

If the problem is not the showerhead, then chances are the problem may be the shower faucet. The shower faucet is indicative of either faulty plumbing or wear-and-tear. Either way, our general plumbing services quickly and affordably address issues related to piping.

Call us if you suspect that the pipes of the shower are the problem. Before giving us a call though, know that there are ways you can fix your shower’s faucet. This is especially true if the problem is the faucet itself.

To fix the faucet, ensure that you’ve cut off the water supply to the shower. After that, disassemble the faucet using a screwdriver and a wrench. You’ll be taking apart the faucet handle.

You should see washers. These are rubber rings that fill the gaps of connections. Loose or old washers can cause your faucet to leak. Replacing them can eliminate the leaks.

After you’ve replaced the washers, put the faucet back together. Turn on the water supply and test the faucet.

If the faucet drips at the point before the faucet, then you need to replace the entire faucet. We can replace old faucets quickly and easily.

FIXING A DRAIN LEAK OR A SHOWER LEAKING BEHIND THE WALL

Shower drain leaks are a problem especially if yours is just above another floor like the basement. Many things like damaged bathroom floors or leaky drain flanges contribute to this problem. Because these leaks involve problems with pipes, they can be harder to identify and fix. 

The same is true for showers that leak behind the wall. Usually, showers leaking behind the wall go unnoticed for a long time, and it’s easy to see why. The pipes behind the walls determine a problem challenging unless you get the evaluation of an expert LA-based general plumber.

In short, drain leaks and leaking showers behind walls will require a different approach — one that we specialize in.

FOR TOUGH PLUMBING PROBLEMS, CALL ONLY AN EXPERIENCED PLUMBER

For many shower leaks, you’ll only need some tools, some elbow grease, and a few hours from your day. For other types of leaks, you’ll need someone with experience and expertise.

If you need plumbing services, choose a local company that specializes in residential and commercial plumbing. If anything leaks in your Los Angeles home, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Give us a call at Rooster Shield and experience plumbing services that are quick, reliable, and affordable.