Money goes down the drain when a homeowner experiences a leaking shower. Every week that the shower leak goes unaddressed, hundreds of gallons of water are wasted. If the leak drips hot water, significant energy is depleted as the water heater operates continually to deliver blistering hot water.

Problems with Leaking Shower

All of the following problems are associated with a leaking shower:

• Expensive utilities bill
  

  Check out these tips on how to fix a leaking show with compression faucets or ball style faucets.

• Accelerate mold growth
• Encourages structural damage and dry rot
• Hazardous environment for homeowner
• Significant repair bills if left unattended

Dripping water from the shower head indicates an issue with the shower faucet or valve. Hard water deposits can wear out, corrode or clog the inside parts. Inner seals can also wear over time, leading to the shower springing a leak. Gaskets, too, that seal the inner metal features of the shower can degrade with use. Instances like these cause the shower head to drip endlessly.

Here we cover issues surrounding two of the four most common household faucet styles: compression style and ball style faucets.

Prepare the Space

Before you begin an attempt to repair the leaky shower, the area will need to be prepared to avoid losing small pieces.

The leaking shower preparation steps include the following:

1. Place an old rag over the drain to prevent screws from falling in
2. Open the shower valve only after the shower water supply is shut off.
3. Homeowners can locate the shower water supply valve inside the home, usually in the basement, bathroom or near the shower itself.
4. If the shower’s water control valves are out of reach, switch off the water supply to the entire home.
5. Drain any remaining water from the pipes.
6. Achieve full drainage simply by opening the faucets in the bathroom sinks and allowing all leftover water to stream out.

When you turn off the water supply to the whole house, be sure to time the shut off appropriately. During the period the water is turned off, sink faucets will be nonfunctional as well as any appliances that utilize water. Notify all household members that the water is expected to be turned off for the duration.

Leaking Shower: How to Fix Compression Faucets

Showers that feature two faucet knobs, one for hot water and another for cold, are known as compression faucets. If the shower is leaking and has these knobs, here’s how to fix it:

1. When continuous drops trickle from a shower head, determine if the leak is from the hot water valve or the cold water valve.
2. Gauge the temperature with the palm of your hand.
3. If the dribble of water is warm, the leak stems from the hot water valve. Alternately, the cold water valve is faulty if the water is cold.
4. Replace any worn seals, O-rings or the washer to stop the leakage of water through the appropriate leaking shower valve.
5. Disassemble the shower faucet to access the worn seals or washer.
6. Remove the faucet handle first to access the parts you’ll need to replace. Faucet washer kits, available at local hardware stores, can help simplify the process.
7. Once the worn parts are replaced with new ones, test the shower valve.
8. Temporarily reaffix the shower handle and switch on the water supply to assess the effectiveness of the work done.
9. Complete the project by reassembling the shower unit and seal the edges along the wall with caulk.

Leaking Shower: How to Repair Ball Style Faucets

A single handle or plastic dome in a ball style faucet operates the shower water temps by releasing hot or cold water depending on which way you rotate it. Worn springs or gaskets within the ball can prompt unwanted shower leaks. Here’s how to fix them:

1. Use a screwdriver to pry off the faucet handle, whether it features a cap or lever.
2. Grip and unscrew the collar.
3. Remove the cover as well as the ball. Any noticeable damage to the ball, cracks or chips along the notches indicate the ball needs to be replaced.
4. Shabby gaskets and springs should be replaced.
5. Springs can be removed from the water-outlet cavities. Inside the water-outlet holes are the rubber gaskets, which should also be pried out.
6. A flathead screwdriver does the job of pushing the gaskets into the outlet cavity. The springs then should be fitted.
7. Place the ball onto the springs and push down as the collar is screwed over it.
8. Once the collar is tightened with pliers, reassemble the handle with screws.
9. Test the faucet by turning on the water. Any subsequent traces of leaks should be followed by removing the ball and readjusting the springs.

A collection of mineral deposits along the ball can obstruct water flow. If the ball itself shows signs of mineral deposits, soak the ball overnight in a bowl of white vinegar to remove the traces of the deposits.

Local hardware or online stores and plumbing shops sell repair kits intended to fix ball style faucets.

Water Damage Restoration from the Professionals

Water damage due to a leaky shower, or water damage that results from any unanticipated source, must be swiftly dealt with to prevent the damage from extending to other areas of the home. When water damage strikes, contact the most trusted local name in water damage restoration, RestorationMaster.

Skilled technicians from RestorationMaster quickly respond to your call. The team arrives onsite within two hours to evaluate the extent of the water damage and formulate the most appropriate plan to address the disaster. The technicians also work with homeowners’ insurance companies to submit claims.

Water Damage Cleanup Equipment

For any water damage you find on your building materials, call RestorationMaster for water damage restoration services.

The RestorationMaster team professionally tackles water damage using high-tech water extraction equipment, powerful dehumidifiers and air movers to thoroughly dry out the wet areas. Once the home’s excess moisture is extracted, the technicians sanitize and clean the area to ensure the home is habitable once again.

The dependable specialists at RestorationMaster urge homeowners to not use electrical appliances when standing water is present. Enter a room with standing water only if the electricity is shut off. Be sure to call a professional as soon as possible to receive prompt and optimal water damage restoration services.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.