How long have you been using the same shower faucet? Have you seen it leak badly? If you haven’t, you’re lucky. As the years go by, the components inside the fixture will wear out thus creating leaks that will not only keep your tub or your bathroom floor consistently wet but also make your water bill skyrocket. Here’s a short DIY guide on leaking shower repair!
1. The first thing that you have to do is shut the water supply off. You have to do so to avoid making your shower faucet shoot water out like a fountain. If your shower system doesn’t have its own supply valve, just look for the main water supply valve in your home. It could be in your basement or in your garage.
2. After shutting the water off, turn the shower faucet on just to guarantee that there’s no more water inside the pipelines.
3. Then, check the faucet assembly. Locate the decorative cap on its handle and then pry it off with the use of a putty knife, a flathead screwdriver or any similar tool. After its removal, you will notice a screw that keeps the faucet handle in place. Remove that screw with your Phillips screwdriver.
4. Afterward, carefully pull the handle off the wall. If it won’t move, you may have to utilize a handle puller. If you ever see a escutcheon plate, you must detach it, too.
5. When you have removed the faucet handle successfully, you will uncover a packing nut. Look for the hexagonal shape on it. That’s the valve stem. Get a pair of reliable pliers and use it to remove the said component.
6. When you’re done, you will see a washer at the end of the valve stem. Check if its damaged. If it is, you must take it to a home improvement store or a plumbing supply shop. Use the old washer as a model to be able to get the right replacement.
7. Afterward, proceed with the inspection of the valve stem seat. Look at the brass component where the washer is supposed to be on. Install the new washer and test the faucet. Does it still leak? If it does, then the valve seat stem is worn out or damaged.
8. To deal with a damaged valve seat stem, you can either grind it smooth or you can replace it. Replacement is easier since all you have to do is detach the old one and install the replacement. Get a seat removal tool and use it to remove the worn out seat stem. Proceed with the installation of the replacement part afterward.
9. If you feel that the seat stem is already damaged and your faucet is too old, your best option would be to grind the said component and make it smooth again. Get a grinding tool from a plumbing supply shop and then smooth the brass part out. Make sure that the washer sits perfectly on it when installed.
10. After fixing the problem with the seat stem, you have to first clean the faucet parts before putting them all back. Re-assemble them the right way and make sure that you’ll grease the stem threads. Once done, turn the water supply valve on and test the shower faucet. Hopefully, the leak is fixed!
We hope that you learned about leaking shower faucet repair from our blog today. If problems persist, just call the best Galesville licensed plumbers. Plumbers 911 Washington DC provides reliable plumbing services in Galesville MD including faucet repair in Galesville MD, Washington DC toilet repair services, pipe leak detection in Washington DC, water heater repair in Galesville MD, plumbing fixture installation and repair in Galesville MD and many more! Call us now at (877) 932-5325 to schedule a service!
Learn more about our excellent faucet repair services by watching our video!
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