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How to Fix a Dripping Shower Head or Bathtub Faucet at Home

I find several names to qualify a shower head as a hand shower or showerhead. If I use these synonyms throughout this manual, don’t worry, we’re talking about the same thing and the same goal: How to Fix a Dripping Shower Head. The most common shower leak.

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I would say that it is an apple-shaped element (perhaps before) of the shower or the shower enclosure, allowing in the form of a jet of water or several small jets of water for hygienic. The therapeutic purposes to sprinkle, mobile or adjustable on a vertical ramp to have both hands free. Its connected to the thermostatic mixing valve, mixing valve or mixing valve by a flexible plastic resin tube.

A shower head is not just about spraying water. Today, the adjustable showers allow you to modulate the force of the water and the volume of the jet according to the parts of the body spray, The possibilities of settings vary a lot – as well as the price – and can go as far as hydro massage.

The great thing about the shower head is that it saves water. A five-minute shower taken with a conventional shower head (flow rate of 10 to 12 L / min) therefore consumes 60 liters of water while a bath requires 100 to 150 liters of water. The hand shower is ecological. New, even more, efficient showers, operating by the VENTURI effect (AIR / WATER mixture), only consume 5 to 7 L / min for the same pressure.

Why fix this Dripping Shower Head?

A water leak at the showerhead is equivalent to letting a tap run. We are spending water. Good knowing that a tap that plop, ploc, can represent 18 m3 of water per year and can represent a cost around 65 €! A hand shower is nothing more than an extension of a tap. In short, it is mainly in financial terms that will cost you a leaky shower head.

Why fix this Dripping Shower Head?

  • On the upper part and in the foreground of the photo, we find the hand shower, shower head, or showerhead. The hand shower is fitted with flexible pins, which determine the number of jets.
  • A flexible hose, generally 1.50 m long, equipped with an anti-twist and anti-cut system.
  • Two conical 1/2 ″ or 15/21 nuts, one of which turns on the hand shower side, generally anti-twist. These are attached to each end of the hose. One is connected to the hand shower and the other to the mixer tap. When fixing the hose nuts, do not forget to place the supplied gaskets.
  • In the background, on the upper part, there is the shower attachment column.
  • On the lower part, the thermostatic mixing valve on which the shower hose is attached

Leak at hose and nut?

Leak at hose and nut?

STEPS TO FIX A DRIPPING SHOWER HEAD   

  • Under warranty?

The first thing to check is whether the hose is not always under warranty. Hansgrohe hoses are, for example, guaranteed for five years. If yes, return to after-sales service.

  • Screw the hand shower again?

Have you thought about screwing the showerhead back on? Sometimes, a simple turn of the key can stop the leak. To do this, wrap the nut with a clean cloth and screw it back in with a universal key. Put in water. Test.

G is still flowing?

Go to step 1 to learn more about How to Fix a Dripping Shower Head.      

Unscrew-flexible shower head

Step 1: SHUT OFF THE WATER

  • Before any work tofix a Dripping Shower Head, make sure to shut off the water. If the leak is only on the hose, make sure that the tap on which it depends is closed.
  • For added security, you can also close the main supply shutoff valve. To do this, you must turn the valve handle so that it is perpendicular to the supply pipe (same as a shut-off valve with butterfly).

SHUT OFF THE WATER

Step 2: UNSCREW THE FLEXIBLE

  • Using a cloth and universal pliers, grasp the nut of the hose and unscrew. The rag is used to avoid damaging the chrome of the hose nut. Unscrew and disconnect the hose from the mixer tap.
  • On my Hansgrohe hand shower, I separated my shower head from my tube. I fall on the “foamer.” It is a small grid that acts as a filter by retaining impurities.

 

Step 3: DOUBLE THE GASKET

  • Make sure the current gasket is in good condition (The black rubber gasket, in the photo, in the middle of the three elements). If it is in poor condition, replace it. Raise the apple. Put in water. Test.

 

  • If it still leaks, double the rubber seal by adding a fiber seal. Raise the apple. Put in water. Test.

 

  • If it even leaks, removes the fiber seal and replace the rubber seal with a thicker rubber seal. Raise the apple. Put in water. Test.

 

  • If it still drips, leave the more impenetrable rubber seal and make a Teflon seal on the thread of the shower, where the hose nut is screwed. To do this, wrap the yarn of the showerhead in Teflon in the screwing direction. Start from the beginning of the thread and go up to 3/4 base. Raise the apple. Put in water. Test.

 

  • If it still leaks, removes the thicker rubber seal, replace the old one (if it is in good condition) and make a Teflon seal on the thread of the shower, where the hose nut is screwed. To do this, wrap the yarn of the showerhead in Teflon in the screwing direction. Start from the beginning of the thread and go up to 3/4 base. If it still leaks, goes to step 4 to learn more about How to Fix a Dripping Shower Head.

How to Fix a Dripping Shower Head.

 

Step 4: RE-TIGHTEN THE FLEXIBLE

  • (Please note this step is not recommended to Fix a Dripping Shower Head because it is challenging to install Better to buy a new hose.)

If it still leaks, the crimping of the hose is likely at fault. Suffice to say that this is the last chance.

Why? Because the hose crimped using machines and you may not be able to exert the same pressure while fixing a dripping shower head as the tools are exercising at the time. In the procedure of how to fix a dripping shower, Pay heed to every detail. If you do not want to try, refer to the section “change the hose of the hand shower,” this will save you a little tinkering. A flexible hose is inexpensive. For the more informed, come on, let’s go.

  • Push the nut you are screwing down the hose along with the hose. You should find a green tip (or another color) and a chrome ring.

Technically, the green nozzle is fitted into the pipe, and the chrome ring comes to marry it on the tube. The tube is therefore caught in a “vice.”

  • Check the condition of the hose. If the end of the machine that enters the end piece has a slot, a tear, push the chrome ring of the tubing along the pipe (the ring I show with the index finger of my right hand) using a flat screwdriver. Take out and release the green end by pulling then cut, with a cutter, the end of the worn pipe.

 

  • Put the green end back into the pipe. Reinforce the chrome ring; reassemble the seal and the knob.

Congratulations, you’ve just done a slip crimp. Raise the apple. Put in water. Test. • If, however, it still leaks, you must change the hose. Replacing the hose will undoubtedly cost you less than involving a plumber.

Change the shower hose?

Using the universal pliers, unscrew the hose nut on the tap (here thermostatic mixing valve).

  • To Fix a Dripping Shower Head, avoid damaging the nut, you can also use a cloth.
  • Be careful to keep the rubber seal inside the nut. We never know.
  • Unscrew the nut from the hose and the hand shower with a pair of pliers and a cloth.
  • All you have to do is put the new hose, screw-on, and your shower is ready to use again.

Shower maintenance and repair

Why can a hand shower leak?

Lukewarm water comes under pressure into the showerhead and deposits the dissolved salts it carries there. It contains calcium and magnesium carbonates, which form gray tartar.

All of these mineral salts can quickly build up in the showerhead. This scaling quickly reduces the performance of the showerhead. The spikes become blocked, they no longer evacuate, and the hand shower begins to leak, moreover than it should be.

Before yelling at a problem with the rubber washer on your shower head, a little descaling would be advisable. It is, therefore, necessary to periodically remove the tartar with a particular product or white vinegar (which costs less). After learning about How to Fix a Dripping Shower Head, you can install a shower with scalable spikes. Here’s how

How to properly clean a shower?

Step 1: PREPARATION

  • Is your hand shower showing some signs of fatigue? If traces of tartar are present on the plastic pins, it is easy to remove them and give a second life to your shower with white vinegar

Step 2: CLEANING

  • Put your shower head in a freezer bag.
  • Pour the white vinegar in the bag and provide a user flex, Colson, elastic, or electric wire to close the freezer bag and keep the liquid.
  • Leave on overnight. Usually, the work is done between 2 and 4 hours.

Step 3: RINSING AGE

  • When taking your shower, empty the freezer bag and rinse the hand shower.

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