Leaky shower heads or faucets can be expensive and irritating. Other than the annoying drip, a leaky faucet wastes hundreds of water gallons each week. What's worse, any leak on the hot water section wastes energy because the heater operates continually to warm the water that is being drawn unnecessarily. This can lead to skyrocketing energy costs. Over time, water leaks inside the wall can cause mould, dry rot and structural problems that are both expensive to repair and hazardous. The best way to handle the problems is by allowing an expert to handle leaking shower repairs.
Causes of leaks in a shower faucet or head
If water is drizzling or dripping from your showerhead, you need to know that the shower valve has a problem. In most cases, the inner parts might have become clogged or corroded with deposits of hard water, or the seals are worn out. The rubber O-rings including gaskets for sealing connections between the moving parts wear down over time. When this happens, water drips out.
Leaking shower repairs advice
When you turn off your shower faucet, and then water keeps dripping out of your shower head, you could be tempted to crank the handle. Unfortunately, this will make things worse. Ensure the faucet handle is turned off but do not over tighten it to avoid damaging the valve.
If you decide to work on the shower faucet, consider placing rags on the shower floor or in the tap beneath the faucets as well as over the drain. This protects the surfaces and prevents the tiny parts from falling down the drain. Before you can open a shower valve, turn the water supply off. If you can't find the shower shut off valve, consider turning off the entire house's water supply.
When shutting off the water supply to your entire house, make sure you plan and organise this ahead of time. Alert your family and the necessary materials and tools you need for the job. Once the water supply is turned off, open the sink faucet of the bathroom to drain water from any nearby pipes.
Different types of faucet valves need to be fixed differently. The methods you can use to fix the leaks depend on the kind of shower valve. If you are not sure of handling the leaking shower repairs, be sure to hire a professional plumber, and you will get the job done in no time.
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