Your shower’s components will deteriorate over time thus result to leaks. And while a dripping shower isn’t as troubling as other plumbing issues, it will still give you a number of inconveniences. For instance, the constant dripping sound in the middle of the night will surely keep you up. The continuous water wastage will result to a high utility bill. And with all these being said, the affected shower must be fixed immediately.
1. Before starting the repair, you must first turn off the water supply valve. Doing so will avoid flooding your work area. After shutting the supply valve off, turn the faucet on to remove the water that’s remaining inside the pipe. This will also remove the pressure off the pipes.
2. When you’re sure that there’s no water inside the pipe, locate the decorative cap on the shower knob. Pry it off with a flathead screwdriver or a utility knife.
3. Once you have removed the cap, you’ll see a screw on the shower handle. Use a screwdriver to remove it.
4. Next, pull the handle off carefully. If it won’t move, you can use a hairdryer to warm it up. If heating up the shower knob won’t do the trick, use a handle puller. When you’re removed the shower handle, keep it in a safe place.
5. Check the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure that you’ll remove the cartridge properly. Look for the clip or the spring first then remove them because they secure the cartridge to the faucet’s body. Once you have removed the clip or the spring, you can then remove the handle washer.
6. If the shower’s cartridge has a removal cap, simply align the cover with the cartridge’s ears. Once you’ve done that, twist and pull it out with the use of pliers.
7. If this method doesn’t work, use a cartridge puller. Work on the hex screw first and then on the nut until you see the threads. Slide the cartridge puller over the assembly and align the notches with the ears. This will loosen the cartridge.
8. Once the old cartridge has been taken out, install the replacement. Align the parts correctly. Assemble the shower knob and faucet once again then turn the water supply valve on. To ensure that there are no leaks, turn the tap or the shower on.
We hope that you learned how to fix a leaking shower through our blog today. If the problem persists, just call the most reputable Elkridge plumbing company. Plumbers 911 Washington DC provides reliable plumbing services in Elkridge MD including home remodeling, leak detection, water heater repair, backflow prevention, septic tank installation and many more! Call us now at (877) 932-5325 to schedule a service!
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