How To Fix A Leaking Shower Faucet

Over time, your bathroom shower faucet’s components will wear out thus result to a leak. This isn’t a surprisingly plumbing problem. In fact, it is expected to happen in the long run because faucet parts, such as the washer, wear out that easily. Now while a shower leak won’t bring as much inconvenience as other plumbing issues, it should nevertheless be attended to right away. Here’s a DIY guide you can use if you ever find yourself in the mood for DIY plumbing repair.

1. First things, first. Never forget to shut off the water supply to prevent water from spraying out of the fixture during the repair. The main water supply valve is commonly located in your garage or basement. If you have a separate valve for the shower faucet, then you can simply turn that off.

2. Turn the faucet on to make sure that there’s no more water left inside the pipe.

3. Afterward, you can proceed with the disassembly of the faucet. Look for the decorative cap on the handle. Pry it off with a flathead screwdriver or a putty knife. When you’ve removed that, you will see the screw that secures the knob or handle to the wall. Unscrew with the use of a Phillips screwdriver.

4. Next, you have to detach the handle. If it won’t budge, you may need to use a handle puller. If there’s an escutcheon plate there, you’ll have to remove it as well.

5. When you have detached the faucet handle, you’ll be able to see a packing nut. Do not remove it. Instead, detach the hexagonal part which is the exact valve stem. Use a pair of pliers to remove this part.

6. After completing the task above, you’ll find a washer at the end of the faucet valve stem. Remove it and inspect if it’s damaged. If it is, bring it to the plumbing supply shop and get a similar washer.

7. Now inspect the faucet’s valve stem seat. It’s the brass part where the washer supposedly sits on while the faucet is off. If you have already replaced the washer and the fixture still leaks, the valve seat stem may already be damaged.

8. If the valve seat stem is damaged, you can either replace it or grind it smooth. If you choose to replace it, just get a seat removal tool from the plumbing supply shop. You may also use a seat wrench. Insert any of these two so that the tool fits inside the seat. Unscrew the seat with a pair of pliers and remove it. Again, bring it to the shop to ensure that you’ll get the right replacement. Now install the new part in place and tighten it.

9. Now if the faucet is too old, replacing the seat stem may not be the better option. You may need to grind it to make it smooth again. You can get a seat grind tool from the shop and use it to smooth the brass part. Doing so will allow the washer to sit perfectly and create a seal.

10. After replacing or smoothing the seat stem, clean and components of the faucet and put them back in place. Make sure that they’re re-assembled properly and don’t forget to grease the faucet stem threads. When you’re done, turn the water supply valve on and run the tap. Check if the leak has been eradicated.

We hope that you learned how to fix a leaking shower faucet through our blog today. If the problem persists, just call the best Mansfield plumber for your bathroom plumbing needs. Plumbers 911 Boston provides local plumbing services in Mansfield MA including faucet repair, plumbing fixture installation, plumbing appliance installation, toilet repair, septic tank maintenance and many more! Call us at (877) 754-1048 to schedule a service!

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